Bennett calls his shot

by **Kappas Are Yummy** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 8:11 am

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... a7361.html

"Coach Phil Bennett was not buying it; he said Monday that Mustangs fans should expect SMU to qualify for a bowl for the first time since 1984. His team ended the 2005 season with three consecutive victories, good for a 5-6 record and third place in the division."

I'm all for positive thinking, but based on the last decade-plus of history, I'd say a bowl bid this season is a pretty long shot. I'm thinking we will do well to repeat last season's record.

For a guy on ice as thin as Bennett is, I find this a curious move for him. If we don't go bowling, he should get to go job hunting somewhere else.

Best of luck to him...

by **BUS** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 9:03 am

Where do you get " on thin ice" Did Orsini or Turner give you some inside information?

Bennett was given the time to recruit and build a team. You have to admit that the team is bigger, faster and stonger than at any time over the past 10 years. We do have a realistic chance to go to a bowl game.

IF, big if, Willis can play QB and not lose us games, we could do OK. IF, Willis is a good QB I think we win even more games.

We have better talent than the last 10 years.

by **jtstang** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 9:06 am

BUS wrote:We have better talent than the last 10 years.

BUS, you're a great SMU fan, obviously. But even you have to recognize the fans have been saying that for the last 10 years. I'll believe it when I see it. Especially at QB, where our program has been dismal in development of a leader.

by **PonySoprano** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 9:21 am

I take Coach Bennett's comments to mean that we, as fans, should expect that this team improves. To put it in other words, we should not settle for mediocrity. Coach has been clear that one of the goals for the team this year is a Bowl, and we should have the same expectations.

He is not issuing a guarantee that we will go to a Bowl, but that is his expectation and it should be ours, too.

It would be great to have SMU football to look forward to after Thanksgiving.

by **DickerJames** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 9:22 am

Kappas Are Yummy wrote:For a guy on ice as thin as Bennett is, I find this a curious move for him. If we don't go bowling, he should get to go job hunting somewhere else.

Anything less than a winning season which would make us bowl eligible and PB is gone in my opinion. I think he knows this, so I guess the strategy is to make his players believe they will win. Hope it works out for him and the team.

by **LakeHighlandsPony** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 9:34 am

Even more reason that I believe that the NTSU game (I do it to tick them off) is the most important game of the year. If we lose to Tech and then lose to NTSU then season over. If the clouds align and we beat Tech then lose to NTSU season over. (See TCU beating OU then losing to Ponies) I realize they are all important games but the Mean Green game is going to be huge in our quest for a bowl. I agree with BUS that PB will get it done and we are going to a bowl.

by **jtstang** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 9:58 am

LakeHighlandsPony wrote:If the clouds align and we beat Tech then lose to NTSU season over. (See TCU beating OU then losing to Ponies)

That's the only game TCU lost last season. Not a good example of "season over" if you ask me. The NTSU game is not the one we should be focusing on, they are a comparable program and could easily beat us. If we don't beat that d-2 team we should fold up the tent for good.

by **McClown27** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:01 am

There would be no point in getting rid of Coach Bennett. I would maybe suggest to him that we get a different offensive scheme. I would consider a move if we go under 3, but realistically this is a 4-6 win team based on our schedule. The talent levels of Houston, UTEP, and Tulsa are much higher. I also think it is a good chance that we lose the Tulane game.

by **Kappas Are Yummy** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:04 am

C'mon BUS, you've got to know that Orisini has a short list of "his guys" ready to go for when he gets to fill a head coaches job. Say what you will about Bennett -- but he's Copeland's guy, not Orisini's. And yes, the ice is always thin when a program has suffered years of failure, sucked budgets dry and demoralized legions of fans.

The bottom line is that we've got new facilities, a "Committment" and multiple years of the Phil Bennett system. DickerJames is absolutely right -- this season is put up or shut up time. I just wonder if Bennett isn't setting himself up for a harder fall by talking bowl bids when everyone else is talking 4th place in the division.

by **ponydawg** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:09 am

jtstang wrote: If we don't beat that d-2 team we should fold up the tent for good.

Goonies never say die.
What?
Only 39ish more days till we know for sure.
I really like Bennett and think/hope he can pull it off, but I think
Orsini is a man with a mission and he is not going to sit around and do
nothing if we only win 4-5 games this season.

GO PONIES!

by **2112** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:21 am

One week from today, the players report!!!!!

by **Bergermeister** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:22 am

I've decided to share Coach Bennett's optimism and head into the season looking forward to a bowl game at the end. Most of the IFs from some posters are followed by negatives... "if" we lose to Tech, "if" we lose to NTSU, "if" we lose to Tulane, "if" Sam Houston beats us... Heck, we've all been disappointed, year-after-year, since '84. It's a lot more interesting and "original" to think about "if" we upset Tech, "if" we clobber Tulane, "if" we get a 5 game winniing streak going, "if" our QB puts up good numbers, "if" our defense is more solid that we thought, those kind of IFs. I predict this is the year we drop the "woe is me" syndrome. We've worn it out.

by **93Mustang** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:24 am

I agree. I want nothing more than for the team to have a bowl season this year and for Bennett to stick around. However, we must win now. The schedule makes it possible, but it won't be easy with a freshman at QB. I have a feeling it will be a roller coaster ride with us winning a few we weren't expected to win and losing a few we weren't expected lose. Let's cover the the -28 at Tech and then win some ball games.

by **jtstang** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:25 am

Bergermeister wrote: It's a lot more interesting and "original" to think about "if" we upset Tech, "if" we clobber Tulane, "if" we get a 5 game winniing streak going, "if" our QB puts up good numbers, "if" our defense is more solid that we thought, those kind of IFs.

Yes, but those kind of IFs lead to expectations, and expectations lead to disappointment. Better to just hope for pleasant surprises from this team.

by **mrydel** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:31 am

I find it humorous that people are jumping on Bennett for being optimisic when they (probably the same ones) jumped on Copeland for his quote on wanting to be a consistent 6-5 team.

Bennett calls his shot

Bennett calls his shot

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