3 recruiting classes

[Digetydog]

Right DigetyDog

No reasonable, football knowledgeable person would fire a Coach rebuilding a bottomed out program based upon a Sophomore dominated roster. SMU will have about 38 true and/or medical/redshirt sophomores next year who are the nucleus of the rebuilding program. I'm hoping to get to 6 wins and a bowl in 2017 but if we don't like under Ron Meyer you keep rebuilding until that nucleus has had time to develop.

Very exasperating reading these threads

For about 20 years I've repeated the traditional Rebuild Rule: "Recruit Well and Count to 3 or 4" to be competitive. Under that traditional rule we should EXPECT to be competitive 2017 OR 2018. Remember Morris only had 3 weeks of actual recruiting days to recruit in 2015 so while we were happy with the class put together at the last minute I'm not so sure its even fair to start the 3-4 year clock after the 2015 Class

The program is progressing fine but hindered by the injuries to key players. Focus on the undeniable FACT that SMU's freshman and sophomores are clearly bigger, faster, stronger and more athletic because those are the kids that are going to be there when the Dancing begins

Yep, even after freak medical retirements cost him two players (including the best LB recruit), Morris is getting reps from almost all of the remaining players from the 2015 class (I believe everyone but Bates has played). That is not normal.

Almost half of the 2014 and 2013 recruiting classes are simply gone.

[mtrout]

yes its ridiculous to expect SMU to beat a Top 50 program right now. You don't follow much College Football obviously. Top 50 is a Texas Tech or a Mississippi St or a UT. We would be 24 point underdogs to all of them. Hell we were 17 point underdogs to Tulsa and took them to OT on the road

How about north dakota state or troy or southern miss? No chance right? How many years until we can compete with them?

[footballdad]

yes its ridiculous to expect SMU to beat a Top 50 program right now. You don't follow much College Football obviously. Top 50 is a Texas Tech or a Mississippi St or a UT. We would be 24 point underdogs to all of them. Hell we were 17 point underdogs to Tulsa and took them to OT on the road

How about north dakota state or troy or southern miss? No chance right? How many years until we can compete with them?

8-10 years.........assuming zero injuries

[peruna81]

old, tired and somewhat overused...

"we are not where we want to be yet.., but thank God we are not what we used to be..."

[Charleston Pony]

Just looking for year over year improvement until this thing gets turned around. Like Stallion said about Ron Meyer when he was hired to rebuild a powerhouse (and had the benefit of being able to compete with Texas and others on a level playing field), Meyer's teams went 3-8, 4-7, 4-6-1 & 5-6 in his 1st 4 years before SMU turned the corner with an 8-4 season before became the dominant program it was in the 80's. This team needs to be competitive and find a 3rd win somewhere this year to keep the positive momentum going.

[footballdad]

Just looking for year over year improvement until this thing gets turned around. Like Stallion said about Ron Meyer when he was hired to rebuild a powerhouse (and had the benefit of being able to compete with Texas and others on a level playing field), Meyer's teams went 3-8, 4-7, 4-6-1 & 5-6 in his 1st 4 years before SMU turned the corner with an 8-4 season before became the dominant program it was in the 80's. This team needs to be competitive and find a 3rd win somewhere this year to keep the positive momentum going.

Yeah, because Ron Meyer in the 70's is a very similar situation to Morris in 2015.

Yeah, Meyer and SMU in the 70's who could literally purchase the absolute best players in the country. Similar to Morris today just trying to get a top 3 or 4 class in the non-P5 AAC.

Yeah, Ron Meyer is similar because Stallion said so. Much more similar than Tulsa, UConn, UCF, or Tulane. Those are apparently absurd, impossible comparisons, but not Ron Meyer and his 70's payroll.

Can't make this stuff up.

[mrydel]

You are right footballdad. It was easier for Ron Meyer. Thank you for concluding the argument and proving you are wrong.

[footballdad]

You are right footballdad. It was easier for Ron Meyer. Thank you for concluding the argument and proving you are wrong.

Tulsa, UConn, UCF, Tulane

You're welcome.

[mrydel]

I have already pointed out your ignorance on those. Case closed.

[footballdad]

I have already pointed out your ignorance on those. Case closed.

Your excuses were duly noted. Case closed.

[Stallion]

Your vendetta against numerous SMU coaches and the inadequacies of your son is noted

You didn't go to SMU-your son is not on the team-I've never heard you have had any affiliation with the university. You apparently first became an SMU "Fan" on Jul 28, 2014 when you reported your son attended an SMU Football camp

You continue to take shots without disclosing the basis of your prejudice against the SMU Coaching Staff

The floor is yours-tell us what really is [deleted] you off so we can analyze whether your criticism is valid or whether you should be banned from the board

[peruna81]

Dr Fox is very familiar with footballdad...If Clement is ok with him, I will not cast fbd's opinions in the dumpster. May not agree with 'em, or even like 'em, but will accept them by proxy.

BTW, the Ron Meyer/Chad Morris comparisons only go so far...it was a different era, and a VERY different conference scenario than we face now. Our current football program is much like 1978 in that we are still looking up to our other conference mates re talent. It is vastly different in that the landscape has changed so that SMU now faces a much more significant hole to crawl out of to become relevant again in the college football cosmos, at least in any meaningful sense.

Morris is not Meyer...and this is not 1977. Meyer DID build SMU the right way in making recruiting the key, and incredibly hard work the norm. He started the idea that SMU would first have to be able to beat the other private schools in the SWC...an achievable goal. Morris has stated that the short term goals this year include being competitive in our conference games...I think he is marginally showing that to be the case.

Apart from the low-hanging fruit of saying "SMU cheated when Meyer was there, and that is the reason they were good", there needs to be a bit deeper look at the fact that talent alone does not always translate to victory or defeat. Meyer's SMU teams worked there tails off, from folks like Clement to walk-ons. There was a mind set to out-work the more talented teams (Arkansas, UH, Texas and Aggie), and it paid off my senior year. I am willing to see HCCM grow, and this team grow this year...it will be painful and glorious, sometimes at the same time.

[footballdad]

Your vendetta against numerous SMU coaches and the inadequacies of your son is noted

You didn't go to SMU-your son is not on the team-I've never heard you have had any affiliation with the university. You apparently first became an SMU "Fan" on Jul 28, 2014 when you reported your son attended an SMU Football camp

You continue to take shots without disclosing the basis of your prejudice against the SMU Coaching Staff

The floor is yours-tell us what really is [deleted] you off so we can analyze whether your criticism is valid or whether you should be banned from the board

Haha, you're such a whiner, and always deflecting.

My 'shot's' are the same one's being fired by others on this board. Yet no personal comments aimed their way? Everyone has 2 eyes and a brain and watches the same games you watch.

You think Morris and his staff are beyond criticism, you like Ben Hicks as a QB, you think 4-6 years is required to turn a program around.

Guess what, other people have different observations and opinions than you. Don't get upset and frustrated when everyone doesn't agree with you. Not a good look.

Relax. Say what you want to say, and I'll do the same. Keep attacking me personally, and I'll start pointing out more and more of your faulty analysis.

Only time will tell whose analysis was closer to reality.

Carry on.

[EastStang]

Speaking of ND State they are FCS. That means that their players can transfer to any FBS school without a waiting period. I wonder how many programs are looking at their juniors and seeing if any of them can fit in to bolster holes.

[ojaipony]

Your vendetta against numerous SMU coaches and the inadequacies of your son is noted

You didn't go to SMU-your son is not on the team-I've never heard you have had any affiliation with the university. You apparently first became an SMU "Fan" on Jul 28, 2014 when you reported your son attended an SMU Football camp

You continue to take shots without disclosing the basis of your prejudice against the SMU Coaching Staff

The floor is yours-tell us what really is [deleted] you off so we can analyze whether your criticism is valid or whether you should be banned from the board

Haha, you're such a whiner, and always deflecting.

My 'shot's' are the same one's being fired by others on this board. Yet no personal comments aimed their way? Everyone has 2 eyes and a brain and watches the same games you watch.

You think Morris and his staff are beyond criticism, you like Ben Hicks as a QB, you think 4-6 years is required to turn a program around.

Guess what, other people have different observations and opinions than you. Don't get upset and frustrated when everyone doesn't agree with you. Not a good look.

Relax. Say what you want to say, and I'll do the same. Keep attacking me personally, and I'll start pointing out more and more of your faulty analysis.

Only time will tell whose analysis was closer to reality.

Carry on.

Generally, I've been very pleased with Chad Morris (more off the field than on it with recruiting, social media, sort of "modernizing" our program) and will give him until the end of next year before I judge too much of his ON the field performance (and I agree that others have turned programs around much quicker - one needs to look at every specific scenario though to understand and I don't have the time to . . . generally, though, I think Morris is doing it right - through developing players and relationships with Texas HS coaches and I also agree with you that it needs to start getting turned here very soon). This year, on the field, is very disappointing for me just because we're not fully loaded with just the guys we have (I think we beat Tulsa and play TCU and Temple closer with Matt Davis/X Jones and Pursley - outside of Sutton, they are our top 3 offensive players, you can't discount the hit our offense takes with them out). Also, I'm a bit surprised we aren't playing guys like Spears/J Ward, etc more. Guess they just aren't ready. Glad to see guys like Onu and Badejo and K Johnson and Becker and Scotts and J Williams getting experience though (what's the deal with Biggurs?,thought he had a great camp but haven't heard a peep). (was hoping to get more out of TJ Williams also, but he's playing some and making some plays from what I've seen - and I guess McLaurin and P Jones just need a redshirt year).

More than anything, right now we need recruits that can help us with the run (stop it on defense, drive it on offense) IMHO. That means OLs/LBs/DTs/safeties. I'd like to see 3 of each in each class from here on out (this class and next 2 anyway). 2017 we have Ali (OL) and Noah Jones (DT), maybe Loveless (DT). (Ndukwe will be a stud at DE for us eventually IMHO, but I'm less worried about DE as I am interior on offense and defense). Not sure who else is any good in those areas (LB?) outside of those 2 right now. But those 2 seem real solid, just need more.