Was The Rise Real?

[footballdad]

Defensively, I think the following players can play: Onu, McQueen, Robinson, Clemons, Mitchell, Hailey, Moore, Gary, Neals, Scott, Davis, Wyatt. We have several others who were forced to play too soon, or were good recruits on the DL who should be ready next year: Davis, Sutton, Guy-Robinson, Biggurs, McLaurin, Badejo, Jones

Given the right staff and the right scheme, I don't think our defense is as far off as people think. There are players in there every bit as good as what we had under Mason. We don't have a Star or a MLB, which absolutely killed us.

No offense, but aren't you the one that thought this year's DLine was vastly improved and much deeper headed into this season?

[ALEX LIFESON]

Defensively, I think the following players can play: Onu, McQueen, Robinson, Clemons, Mitchell, Hailey, Moore, Gary, Neals, Scott, Davis, Wyatt. We have several others who were forced to play too soon, or were good recruits on the DL who should be ready next year: Davis, Sutton, Guy-Robinson, Biggurs, McLaurin, Badejo, Jones

Given the right staff and the right scheme, I don't think our defense is as far off as people think. There are players in there every bit as good as what we had under Mason. We don't have a Star or a MLB, which absolutely killed us.

No offense, but aren't you the one that thought this year's DLine was vastly improved and much deeper headed into this season?

Rodney Clemons has to lead the nation in missed tackles and poor angles. Absolutely awful.

[JasonB]

Defensively, I think the following players can play: Onu, McQueen, Robinson, Clemons, Mitchell, Hailey, Moore, Gary, Neals, Scott, Davis, Wyatt. We have several others who were forced to play too soon, or were good recruits on the DL who should be ready next year: Davis, Sutton, Guy-Robinson, Biggurs, McLaurin, Badejo, Jones

Given the right staff and the right scheme, I don't think our defense is as far off as people think. There are players in there every bit as good as what we had under Mason. We don't have a Star or a MLB, which absolutely killed us.

No offense, but aren't you the one that thought this year's DLine was vastly improved and much deeper headed into this season?

Rodney Clemons has to lead the nation in missed tackles and poor angles. Absolutely awful.

Clemons is also inexperienced at the college level and didn't play safety in high school. Most programs, he would have been redshirted and given the time to grow into his role. I think he has the athleticism to play the position, though, and will improve significantly as he gains experience.

And I think the DL was significantly improved. We led the nation in sacks after a few games, and the DL absolutely dominated the game against lesser teams. The abilities of our DL were not the reason our defense was putrid this year.

[kc711]

Clemons is also inexperienced at the college level and didn't play safety in high school. Most programs, he would have been redshirted and given the time to grow into his role. I think he has the athleticism to play the position, though, and will improve significantly as he gains experience.

Clemons redshirted in 2015. The 2017 season was his third season at SMU, and this season he was classified as a redshirt sophomore.
And I think the DL was significantly improved. We led the nation in sacks after a few games, and the DL absolutely dominated the game against lesser teams. The abilities of our DL were not the reason our defense was putrid this year.

[/quote][/quote]

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

Clemons is also inexperienced at the college level

won't he be a 4th year junior this year?

[deucetz]

Clemons is also inexperienced at the college level

won't he be a 4th year junior this year?

Yup, he received a medical redshirt in 2015.

[footballdad]

"And I think the DL was significantly improved. We led the nation in sacks after a few games, and the DL absolutely dominated the game against lesser teams. The abilities of our DL were not the reason our defense was putrid this year."

[ojaipony]

Richard Moore immediately upgrades the defense but we need more depth all around and some better DT starters so I don't expect us to be much better defensively (maybe a little bit more possibly). Hope we get a solid JUCO DT who can play right away. I doubt Clemons starts next year, the juco kid will most likely. To be as good next year (with a tougher schedule, which means the W-L will be worse), we will need another receiver to step up big time (like Bell and/or Benson and/or Page). I'm hoping Page and Bell can be your "poor man's" Sutton/Quinn and we are more effective at running the ball with all the OL talent coming in and depth there with Ali and Huhn and the depth at RB (Jones/West/Freemon and also Medlock ... I guess Aphonso Thomas is a done deal?). I expect Proche/Bell/Page/Gailliard as the starters at WR with heavy rotations of Honey (it's time for him to step up) and Benson. Also, hoping Becker has a big year as he has all world potential IMHO as a TE.

My guess is we're looking at a 4, maybe 5 win season with hopefully a big break out year the year after.

[redpony]

SS-DD, this next year and year after crap is really getting old. If in two years we can't have a top level team then we need to drop down to DIII where you don't have to give schollies and winning doesn't really matter.

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

this next year and year after crap is really getting old

Amen Brother....same old crapola.

Well we need to give the guy time to get his own players
Well we need to give the guy time to implement his system
Well if we can get the IPF built in a couple of years
Well if can reach out to the Texas HS Coaches and build rapport over time
Well if we can just get a "basket-weaving degree" available
Well if we can just do a marketing pkge to increase fans at games
We need a major reach-out to the students
Well if we can just get an invite to the Big 12
Well if we can just recruit a defense
Well if we can just recruit a QB
Just wait in 2 years we should be fine

I fear I will be wearing Depends full-time (or worse) by the time all these deadlines are ever met.

[deucetz]

Richard Moore immediately upgrades the defense but we need more depth all around and some better DT starters so I don't expect us to be much better defensively (maybe a little bit more possibly). Hope we get a solid JUCO DT who can play right away. I doubt Clemons starts next year, the juco kid will most likely. To be as good next year (with a tougher schedule, which means the W-L will be worse), we will need another receiver to step up big time (like Bell and/or Benson and/or Page). I'm hoping Page and Bell can be your "poor man's" Sutton/Quinn and we are more effective at running the ball with all the OL talent coming in and depth there with Ali and Huhn and the depth at RB (Jones/West/Freemon and also Medlock ... I guess Aphonso Thomas is a done deal?). I expect Proche/Bell/Page/Gailliard as the starters at WR with heavy rotations of Honey (it's time for him to step up) and Benson. Also, hoping Becker has a big year as he has all world potential IMHO as a TE.

My guess is we're looking at a 4, maybe 5 win season with hopefully a big break out year the year after.

Aphonso went to Juco

http://www.tvccsports.com/sports/fball/ ... honso_g3pd

[SMU_Alum11]

Disagree with the above. I know this is new for us but our coach actually left for a good program. Not canned... not dragged out to destroy the program but left it and didnt hijack more than 2 recruits. I'm fully expecting Sonny to get us to 6 win season with a team that got 7. 7 minus 1 for Michigan. If we go below 6-6 then Sonny really wasnt a good coach as previously thought. If he can get 6-6 then meets expectations and above would make me look dumb for ranting about his hire. He doesn't get the excuse of "he needs to get his own players" because Morris recruited great offensive players to work with. He needs to get defensive transfers and work with what he's got. He's got what 8 months to get his scheme into place and get a DC to come up with something better than "no defense at all".

[ALEX LIFESON]

this next year and year after crap is really getting old

Amen Brother....same old crapola.

Well we need to give the guy time to get his own players
Well we need to give the guy time to implement his system
Well if we can get the IPF built in a couple of years
Well if can reach out to the Texas HS Coaches and build rapport over time
Well if we can just get a "basket-weaving degree" available
Well if we can just do a marketing pkge to increase fans at games
We need a major reach-out to the students
Well if we can just get an invite to the Big 12
Well if we can just recruit a defense
Well if we can just recruit a QB
Just wait in 2 years we should be fine

I fear I will be wearing Depends full-time (or worse) by the time all these deadlines are ever met.

Wearing depends, is a pretty good alternative, to where many of our fans have gone... They are taking dirt naps in the local Cemetery.

[redpony]

really amazed and disappointed that sonny hasn't been able to put a staff together by now. I wonder if all of his prospective coaches have turned him down. I realize this is a dead period for recruits however it is not a dead period for contacting h.s. coaches for assistance/recs.

[Boston Pony]

Most new coaches don't have full staffs unless they brought them i.e. Scott Frost....Arkansas as of yesterday only has half a staff and he brought in bunch from SMU. The Coaches Convention is when most of this takes place - give it time.