How 'bout UTA's coach?

[RGV Pony]

Theus
Johnny Jones
Bruiser flint
Cross
...but i have a feeling its gonna be capel for some reason

[CoxBizGrad]

I don't think that "Top 25 Orsini" will execute another splash hire like Robo Doh. That splash hire sunk to the bottom of the pool/conference. I believe he'll play it safe with a reputable assistant coach hire in an effort to strive for mediocrity once again. He needs to save face with a safe hire to repair the mistake he made with Doh.

[goldenstang]

Johnny Jones seems like a no brainer to me.

[Bergermeister]

We are going to play with the big boys in probably the no 1 BB conference. we need someone who has coached and recruited at that level.

Thats a dream you may have to let go of.

No. SMU has made a commitment to compete on the big boy playground. We need to act like we belong there. SMU will do whatever it takes to put some big buck$ on the table. We do have a multitude of rich (very rich) alums who can well-afford to part with some of their fortune.

[PK]

Once the BE moneys start flowing, won't it be easier to pay large salaries for good coaches? So all we need is the seed money to pay for the first year unlike the C of C having to pony up every year for Jones. Am I missing some thing here?

[ponypatrick]

7-10 years ago we were talking about Frank Haith and turning our nose up at the idea. Too bad we didn't snag him early. Maybe it was never possible, but i think thats what we should be looking for now. A quality assistant at a high profile program who is bright, passionate and can recruit, and then take our chances that he can grow and prove himself has a head guy. We don't need a huge name with skeletons or known issues with player relations, or a fundraiser or a baby kisser. If the guy isn't good at administration, then you hire somebody who can do that stuff to supplement him.

i'd love to see a guy who has a ton of energy, is good at player relations, who fights for his players and his players fight for him. That's all i want. I don't care what style he plays, fast or slow, man or zone, inside or outside. I don't care if he makes mistakes as long as the team is with him and consistently going to the mat for him. You know it when you have that. We had it briefly when Dement came and brought in Woods who had moxy, but Dement eventually lost control especially once Woods graduated and the leadership/glue was gone.

You just described Scott Cross at UT-Arlington

[Comet]

I think Cross would be a great hire. The younger, fiery, and more emotional they are the better they relate to our players - the harder our players will play. And I think Cross is worth taking the risk. He's never coached in the big leagues, but he might have the intangibles that could make him, and SMU, break into the Big East. Or not, but at this point I'd rather fail with a hire like Cross than another Doh.

[CalallenStang]

Whatever we do, we need to break out of the recent trend of hiring coaches with the same/similar last name to the TCU coach.

Last three TCU coaches: Tubbs, Dougherty, Christian
Last three SMU coaches (presuming Doh is fired): Tubbs, Doherty, ???

[BCS STANG]

Christian : Cross... The trend may continue