Mike Cavan

[couch 'em]

At least cavan didn't intentially set out to destroy us.

This had been bothering me a lot lately. It was so obvious to many of us that June was intentionally trying to ruin us, either willfully or negligently. Mason would HAVE to be complicit, as would most of the staff. Yet Mason seemed to actually try when he took over coaching duties.

[BleedingRed+Blue]

June Jones? Mike Cavan? Has word not gotten out that we have a new coach and that there is football to be played in the future?

[smusic 00]

Do tell...

[Bergermeister]

At least Cavan didn't intentially set out to destroy us.

This had been bothering me a lot lately.

Seek professional help.

[PonyTime]

It is entirely possible that until now - Mike Caven may have been the HC that worked hardest to recruit - Texas, DISD, etc. He had a good number of players on campus that ended up being Pro Bowlers in the NFL - only issue is that many of them were never admitted, or we lost them to better programs. Or they had Steve Malin take the ACT for them...

[ponyboy]

Right. Cavan was a strong recruiter. Malin transgressed, the SMU admin over-self-reported, and Cavan was done.

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

I was at SMU during the Cavan years. I'm not an insider, but here's what I remember. It's just my impressions, so its very possible that some or all of this is not accurate.

In Cavan's first year, the Ponies went 6-5 and would have made a bowl game were it not for the hideous season-ending loss at 0-10 TCU. That loss aside, Cavan produced the first winning season at SMU since the DP, and he received a lot of positive attention because of that.

An important thing to remember about that year, however, was that the Ponies were still fielding SWC recruits. The SWC had just gone bye-bye though, and SMU was in its first or second season in the WAC. As the years rolled by, the SWC recruits filtered out of the program and were replaced with WAC-level recruits. On-field performance declined accordingly. I think Cavan: (1) probably knew that transition was happening, and (2) understood that SMU's rules handicapped him as a recruiter, and knew that the longer he stayed at SMU after that first year, the worse it would get.

Right after his first year, Cavan's name was in the mix for the Ole Miss job. Cavan then spoke to the press and said he was happy at SMU and wasn't leaving. My guess is that Ole Miss had told Cavan that he was not going to get the job before he made that statement. I think if the Ole Miss job had been offered, Cavan would have jumped at it in a heartbeat, and gotten the hell off of the sinking SMU ship.

After the 1997 season, everyone was pretty happy. Cavan even landed a 5-star recruit (who never amounted to much) that year. But then everything went down the toilet. The Malin thing was a disaster, SMU went on probation, and Cavan's credibility with the admin was shot. From that point forward, it went downhill. I think they were 5-7 in 1998, and then the program got progressively worse. By 2000-2001, the program was filled with bottom-tier WAC recruits and was getting blasted off the field by just about everyone. The program Bennett inherited was at rock-bottom in just about every facet.

[PonyTime]

I was at SMU during the Cavan years. I'm not an insider, but here's what I remember. It's just my impressions, so its very possible that some or all of this is not accurate.

In Cavan's first year, the Ponies went 6-5 and would have made a bowl game were it not for the hideous season-ending loss at 0-10 TCU. That loss aside, Cavan produced the first winning season at SMU since the DP, and he received a lot of positive attention because of that.

An important thing to remember about that year, however, was that the Ponies were still fielding SWC recruits. The SWC had just gone bye-bye though, and SMU was in its first or second season in the WAC. As the years rolled by, the SWC recruits filtered out of the program and were replaced with WAC-level recruits. On-field performance declined accordingly. I think Cavan: (1) probably knew that transition was happening, and (2) understood that SMU's rules handicapped him as a recruiter, and knew that the longer he stayed at SMU after that first year, the worse it would get.

Right after his first year, Cavan's name was in the mix for the Ole Miss job. Cavan then spoke to the press and said he was happy at SMU and wasn't leaving. My guess is that Ole Miss had told Cavan that he was not going to get the job before he made that statement. I think if the Ole Miss job had been offered, Cavan would have jumped at it in a heartbeat, and gotten the hell off of the sinking SMU ship.

After the 1997 season, everyone was pretty happy. Cavan even landed a 5-star recruit (who never amounted to much) that year. But then everything went down the toilet. The Malin thing was a disaster, SMU went on probation, and Cavan's credibility with the admin was shot. From that point forward, it went downhill. I think they were 5-7 in 1998, and then the program got progressively worse. By 2000-2001, the program was filled with bottom-tier WAC recruits and was getting blasted off the field by just about everyone. The program Bennett inherited was at rock-bottom in just about every facet.

Yes - that is pretty spot on - especially all of what surrounded the SWC breakup and the change in recruits that would take a look at us. Caven and his staff were a good group (outside of the shadiness of Malin, who was the only holdover from the Rossley staff). If anyone recalls what a gameday atmosphere was like at the Cotton Bowl at that time, I cannot imagine a recruit being impressed at all.

I was there too at that time and saw a lot of it first-hand. Marcus Mosley was the 5 star and DB Corlin Donaldson was the other recruit. BTW - Mosley makes KF and MK look like Rhodes Scholars.

[ponyboy]

Even though Mosley never worked out, Cavan had two top recruiting classes. Upper third of Big 12 type classes.

[dirtysouthpony]

http://youtu.be/gg1Fiy6MWPc


I think the keys to that TransAm might have helped Cavan recruit Walker. Ahh, I miss the good old days!

[Digetydog]

Even though Mosley never worked out, Cavan had two top recruiting classes. Upper third of Big 12 type classes.

I could give a flip about recruiting classes or stars. Recruiting is only part of the job. Coaches are graded by wins/losses.

Cavan couldn't lead frat guys to a keg party.

Unfortunately, he was the only one willing to take the job.

[Stallion]

he was the only SMU coach to post a winning record for the first 20 years after the Death Penalty. He wasn't much better or worse in his job than any of the rest during 2 decades of suckage. His record was the best of all former SMU Head Coaches until June and Cavan coached under much more restrictive rules. It was 2 decades of SUCK-why bother distinguishing between degrees of suckage. Its over. It really has no relation to current competitive environment. All the coaches up to Cavan had 2 hands tied behind their back. Bennett had one hand tied behind his back. June's ONLY handicap was HIMSELF

[peruna81]

June's ONLY handicap was HIMSELF

summed up to a concise point. nicely done.

[CalallenStang]

he was the only SMU coach to post a winning record for the first 20 years after the Death Penalty. He wasn't much better or worse in his job than any of the rest during 2 decades of suckage. His record was the best of all former SMU Head Coaches until June and Cavan coached under much more restrictive rules. It was 2 decades of SUCK-why bother distinguishing between degrees of suckage. Its over. It really has no relation to current competitive environment. All the coaches up to Cavan had 2 hands tied behind their back. Bennett had one hand tied behind his back. June's ONLY handicap was HIMSELF

All true, but Cavan only posted a winning record with Rossley's players. Similar to June's teams doing better with Bennett's recruits than his own

[AustinPerson]

I always enjoyed listening to Mike Rhyner refer to Cavan as the Georgia State Trooper. Rhyner spent all of his time making fun of Cavan and SMU.