New Coach Suggestions

[Billy Joe]

Facts: SMU will not have a winning season. SMU will not go to a bowl game. SMU was humiliated by N. Texas. Bennett will be fired. Let's discuss new coaches to assist our new AD. My first name for the list is:

1) Todd Dodge. He is a proven winner and has an exciting offense.

[mrydel]

IF IF IF IF IF the season does not pan out and a coaching change is in order, I would think it would be in the best interest of the overall scheme to wait until immediately after the season. At that point you would have the maximum list from which to choose since that is usually when the merry-go-round of cocahes begins.

[Mustangs35SMU]

1) Todd Dodge. He is a proven winner and has an exciting offense.

He's not going anywhere for atleast two more years.

[Billy Joe]

You guys are foolish. Same old 'sunshine' attitude on this board. Wake up and pull your u know whats out of your u know what. Orsini said he expects a winning season from Bennett. If you do not want to participate in coach suggestions post on another thread.

[covok48]

Don't be a jerk about it. I think Neuheisal (sp) would be ok. But Dodge is not going to leave the #1 Football highschool in the nation to coach at SMU. Not now, not ever. We have money, hire a name.

[Pony Up]

.... We have money....

Which is exactly the reason he might come -- everyone has a price. Hell, with enough millions, we could get Terry Bowden or Lou Holtz or Gene Stallings (the merits and drawbacks of each notwithstanding), too, but nobody is going to pay the amount necessary to get any of those.

Dangle a huge pile of cash in front of Dodge, and he would consider it. Personally, I'd like to see us overpay to get him as offensive coordinator, and further open the Southlake-to-Dallas pipeline.

However, we have a game to win Saturday, and I'll be there, cheering until I'm completely hoarse.

Go PONIES!

[PhirePhilBennett]

1) Todd Dodge. He is a proven winner and has an exciting offense.

He's not going anywhere for atleast two more years.

I'm sure you meant this and next year (when his son graduates).

For $1-2mm I think he'd dance.

[mrydel]

You guys are foolish. Same old 'sunshine' attitude on this board. Wake up and pull your u know whats out of your u know what. Orsini said he expects a winning season from Bennett. If you do not want to participate in coach suggestions post on another thread.

Why don't you give a list of candidates since you insist on a name now.

[Pony Up]

Facts: SMU will not have a winning season. SMU will not go to a bowl game. SMU was humiliated by N. Texas. Bennett will be fired....

Actually, those would be opinions, not facts.

[MustangStealth]

1) Todd Dodge. He is a proven winner and has an exciting offense.

He's not going anywhere for atleast two more years.

I'm sure you meant this and next year (when his son graduates).

For $1-2mm I think he'd dance.

Do you seriously think we should throw millions at another coach with no head coaching experience at this level? When we are looking for a new coach, be it this year or down the road sometime, I think we have to go for a proven collegiate coach.

[PonySnob]

What about Charlie Waters for head coach? That will really get us in good with the DMN!!!

[Pony Up]

That's been hashed out before, ad nauseum.

See MustangStealth's comment about "no head coaching experience at this level."

IF a change is made, I'd bet everything it's with a coach we haven't even considered at this point, someone Steve-O knows (or at least knows of) through his personal connections.

However, I'm hoping we turn around and win enough games to make it so Steve-O has no choice but to keep Coach Bennett - like .... a winning season, a bowl, etc. That's what I'm going to hope for until we're mathematically eliminated from same.

[EastStang]

Everyone is real good at spending other people's money. Those who think we can buy a proven coach (who will see a losing program for 18 years, no athlete friendly major, no education department, transferable hours problems, strict budgetary issues, anal about NCAA compliance) will not want to risk his reputation to come here. If we want to search for a new coach (which I hope we don't), it will come from the following pools: (1) Coaches who are in need of mid-major penance. (McCartney, Neuheisel, Barnett are examples). We won't hire someone in this category due to the risk of NCAA problems (See Fresno State hiring Tark the Shark). (2) Coaches who dabbled in the NFL and got slapped down. They usually go to bigger programs and would be weary of coming to a program that might further damage their reputation. (3) The hot coordinator from a major program. (Sounds familiar). (4) The hot 1-AA coach. (Sounds familiar). (5) Re-treds, guys who ran big programs and lost at that level. That's the pool that we'll be looking at, happy hunting.

[SMU Football Blog]

Everyone is real good at spending other people's money. Those who think we can buy a proven coach (who will see a losing program for 18 years, no athlete friendly major, no education department, transferable hours problems, strict budgetary issues, anal about NCAA compliance) will not want to risk his reputation to come here. If we want to search for a new coach (which I hope we don't), it will come from the following pools: (1) Coaches who are in need of mid-major penance. (McCartney, Neuheisel, Barnett are examples). We won't hire someone in this category due to the risk of NCAA problems (See Fresno State hiring Tark the Shark). (2) Coaches who dabbled in the NFL and got slapped down. They usually go to bigger programs and would be weary of coming to a program that might further damage their reputation. (3) The hot coordinator from a major program. (Sounds familiar). (4) The hot 1-AA coach. (Sounds familiar). (5) Re-treds, guys who ran big programs and lost at that level. That's the pool that we'll be looking at, happy hunting.

Without going into the merits of such discussions, this is the "Who are we ever going to get to take this job!?!?!" mantra.

The same question was asked when SMU was looking for an AD. The answer appears to be better than just about anybody imagined.

The same question was asked when SMU was looking for a basketball coach. The answer appears to be better than just about anybody imagined.

Undoubtedly, the same question will be asked if and when SMU looks for a football coach. My thought is that it is unwise to be presumptive about the quality of coach SMU is capable of hiring.

[Billy Joe]

I liked Orsini's hire for basketball. Doherty is as big of a name for a head coach as we have had here in twenty years. He is a name kid's have heard about. He has been a proven winner in Division 1-A. Doherty does have a blemish or two on his record but who cares. I expect the same kind of hire in football. We need to get a proven winner at the head coach position. Todd Dodge would be exciting. He has credentials.....several championships at the high school level....exciting offense....played QB at UT....he is a name kids are familar with....I would not oppose to a coach with a proven track record with Div. 1-A experience. TCU's hire of Fran was a good example of a coach with a winning track record in Div. 1-A. We hired Cavan. I understand our model has a lot to do with the current state of the football team but we have not had any proven winners at the Div. 1-A level or any level for that matter. Give me a coach that is a proven winner as a head coach. Barnett, Neuhesel (sp?), etc. will do. I want someone every high school kid has heard about and knows was won before.