Thoughts on the team, and the coach, as we wait

[DC-Pony]

The man knows basketball, I have no doubt about that.

I don't think anyone (or at least very few) have been critical of Jank's knowledge. The issue has been his recruiting as we all know that's the name of the game in college sports. He's done well with PGs and struck gold with the Weathers twins this year but still need to demonstrate he can get more of the top players in Dallas to stay home, especially some of the bigs.

Yup, I agree with that. I wasn’t defending Coach. Just sharing my perspectives.

[ALEX LIFESON]

If you like what you have gotten from the Jank years, then that's what you'll be served every season. I'm ready for a change.

[mtrout]

You guys are pretty demanding. We just got 2nd in the AAC regular season. KD's father went missing in the winter and a couple of his family members are very sick or have died (see recent DMN article).

SMU isn't exactly an East German sports school. Winning is far less of a priority on the Hilltop than fans think it is. It's like trying to run Junction Boys 3-a-days at a Starbucks.

[Bergermeister]

If you like what you have gotten from the Jank years, then that's what you'll be served every season. I'm ready for a change.

Agree.

[mustangxc]

I don't think we can force him out as the team just finished second in the league. However, if Kansas State comes after him we shouldn't step in the way of it happening.

[JasonB]

There is no "force out", because his contract is simply expiring.

SMU absolutely deserved to get in. If you look at our Q1+Q2 and Q3+Q4 compared to Michigan, for example, we had a better winning percentage in both. If you look at the construction of NET, it has been built to support the top conferences, simply because of the volume of Q1 and Q2 games you get, rather than record. If you are outside of the P5, you basically have to play half your non-conference against those teams now. Houston had 5 games, and Memphis had 5 as well ( would have had 6 but Tenn was called off). We had 3 (would have been 4 if we beat Mizzou).

The number one reason to make a move I forgot to cover in my original post, is alumni investment. It is clear that the students aren't invested in the program like the were with Larry, but neither is the school (game production has gone way down), and neither are the alumni with the spend on assistant coaches down significantly prior to this season and season tickets down. A big name needs to be brought in to get everyone excited again. Jank can't do anything about being well known, but he also isn't a personality who is going to go and recruit the sororities like we see with Lashlee. Recruiting not only players, but students and alumni is a bigger part of the game than ever, and that is the area the Jank struggles the most in. Jank isn't going to drive alumni to re-invest in the program after this year, and that is really important.

While I understand the point about him finishing second in the league, I suspect what will happen is that Hart is eventually going to be let go, and the new AD will bring his own coach rather than giving Tim an extension. Just a hunch. The new coach will jazz up Alumni and the students, and get the investment flowing. The new AD will be able to come in and amend the "reseat" to bring the diehard fans back home. The combined moves will reinvigorate the program immediately. That is what I would probably do if I were responsible for the strategy, regardless of which individual players would not come back or would transfer out. Of course, we will bring in a top end coach with the promise of driving to a better conference, and hope that he can keep the kids around. But if I am SMU, I am looking at the decreasing investment from alumni and students in the team (and the lack of travel to the tourney this year), and that is probably the number one reason I make the change.

[geezerdonk]

Even taking into account the terrible non-conference schedule and the weak conference competition, 23-9 and second place in the conference is a remarkable achievement. 8 players from last year abandoned ship. The coaches had to more or less rebuild the team from the ground up. The season's accomplishments are much better than what could have been reasonably expected.
Will Tim look as good in purple as Sonny will?

[SoCal_Pony]

If you like what you have gotten from the Jank years, then that's what you'll be served every season. I'm ready for a change.

Agree.

Me as well. He dropped a big turd in the punch bowl with his lackadaisical approach to recruiting. Maybe he fished it out, but who wants to drink from that bowl again. It makes be more leery he’ll return to his mediocre self if extended.

Also, with the impending school departures, SMU & Memphis are now top dogs in this conference. We should flex our muscles and move the Tourney to Moody & FedEx. Might have very well been champs tonight had we played at home.

[SoCal_Pony]

While I understand the point about him finishing second in the league, I suspect what will happen is that Hart is eventually going to be let go, and the new AD will bring his own coach rather than giving Tim an extension. Just a hunch.

Jason, Alex has the same ‘hunch’ about Hart, I hope both of you are right.

Do you think the reason for his departure is he’s too much of a doormat in the eyes of our BMDs????

[tristatecoog]

How has game production gone way down?
Still lots of sponsors and some patio activities this year. Been missing the kiss cam for a few years. Seriously, 2020-21 was Covid. Maybe Miller halftime food is down since quite a few stay in their seats?

Agree that student involvement was lower until the last few games.

[Charleston Pony]

Let's see if there is any enthusiasm for the NIT games. SMU is set up to win 3 games and earn a trip to MSG. Anything short of that at this point will be a disappointing end to this season. It's been a long, long time since SMU won a game in the NCAA Tournament. I attended that 1st round win in the Dean Dome when Kato Armstrong out played Notre Dame's David Rivers but we lost in the 2nd round to a Duke team (playing virtually a home game for them) that went on to the Final Four that year. I think that was 1988 so well over 30 years since SMU has won a game in the NCAA Tournament.