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As we head into the Christmas Season and look forward to next year, I see BIG MEN at SMU.

I like what I am seeing on the recruiting front. I still want 6 to 8 linemen to sign this year.

Hope everyone has a great holiday!!!
Bus

I'm right there with you, BUS, but somehow I don't see it. I keep reading that we're only really pursuing a couple of offensive linemen with any real seriousness, with the idea that we have a bunch coming back (Eric Neal, Darrin Johnson, Brad Kieschnick, Townsend Hargis, Chris Urbanus, Martin Guidry, Grant Eidson, Bryan Turner, Justin Boren, Caleb Peveto, Kenard Burley, Dustin Morton, Chris Poulos and Hulsey Smith). Plus, with the emergence of Mark Hodges and the arrival of Vincent Chase, I still want to see Ryan Kennedy add a few pounds and step inside to play on the offensive line. Coach Bennett has always said he likes offensive linemen who are strong but can MOVE, and with Kennedy having played TE, I would think he would be the quickest of the bunch (the Steelers have a Pro Bowl OG -- I think his name is Eric Steinbach or something -- who was recruited to Iowa as a TE, and Warren Sapp was recruited to Miami as a TE). Kennedy's certainly got size and strength. I bet he could do a pretty good job (and of course would have the hands for one of those tackle-eligible pass plays on short-yardage situations, like 2-point conversions....)

We're clearly trying to add James McClinton to the defensive line, (come on, James - think how stout that DT rotation will be with you in there!), and I here there's one or two others out there that we're after. But I don't see the bumper crop that many of us would like this year. I think this year is going to be one of those "best player available" years. And the more people I talk to, the more I get the sense that we've at least gotten good reception from a couple of players nobody thought we had a shot at. Keep your fingers crossed!

<small>[ 12-12-2003, 01:54 PM: Message edited by: Dark Horse ]</small>