Willis says he will transfer if Bennett is fired

[BRStang]

I can't wait for the discussions this time next year if PB sticks around after he goes 4-7 or 4-8 with the "normal" schedule we've got, and Todd Graham and his Rice Bowls win C-USA. Shoulda, coulda, woulda will take on a whole new meaning.

[BrianTinBigD]

Willis is young and impulsive. I don't think he wants to sit out a year or move to a D-1AA program either. If Phil is gone and we get a definite upgrade at coach, then Willis will be pleasantly happy. I think the kid has greatness within him, but I don't think that PB or Mr. Burns has a hope in hell in tapping the kids ultimate potential.

[webfeet]

Here let me hold the door open for you.

[LakeHighlandsPony]

Justin-

Here's the deal. We are going to find some offensive minded coaches who are actually going to make you a better player than you were when you arrived here. It's called player development. Ask Ryan Kennedy and John Hampton, Great players who were not utilized the right way. If we stay with Bennett you will continue to run the offense we ran in my front yard growing up-run around and try to get open! Sandlot offense needs to go away!

[carolina stang]

Total heat of the moment thing. Everyone's frustrated. Willis will stay whether PB is here or not. He's just a young frustrated guy. I would be very surprised if he ever transferred. Not impossible, but highly unlikely.

[stobor]

Let him go too then. He might have been a freshman but he went 6-6 against this schedule too. If it means getting rid of Bennett, it is worth it. I am so tired of reading this board and seeing "Bennett is a good guy" and "he has helped this program". We have come NO WHERE in his time here. We are not getting better players, we have a 6-6 record against an absolutely JOKE schedule, and Rice has a better program than we do. This is not progress. This is depressing.

SMU deserves better and so do their fans that actually put up with these last few years. Justin, sorry if I could care less if you take off with him.

[McClown27]

I would like to know who has been telling Willis that he is Vince Young.

[SCHOOPS]

SMU deserves better and so do their fans that actually put up with these last few years. Justin, sorry if I could care less if you take off with him.

You have it all wrong. The student-athletes and coaches deserves better than most of the so-called fans. You don't throw a student-athlete under the bus which many of you are doing. You don't think they read your comments. You loved JWill two weeks ago aganist Tulsa. Make up your mind support the student-athletes/coaches/administration or not but don't be a fair weather fan.

[J.T.supporta]

I'm sorry but that quote from Willis is a slap in the face to SMU fans, players, and the program itself. like someone said, no one player is stronger or something like that than another.

I think JW is a good qb but that is down right selfish of him to say that. He has turned his back on his teammates and basically said, "screw you guys, I'm going else where because someone was fired."

I'm sure that was said in the heat of the moment after realizing that the bowl hopes were shot. Unacceptabl by Willis and it just goes to show that he is a freshman. Redshir or not, he is still young.

I don't want Willis to eat his words but where would he transfer??? he would only have 2 years of eligiblity and I'm sure his dad wouldn't agree with him losing a year over something stupid.

Willis doesn't control or run the team and I'm sure Orsini will do what he pleases and not listen to Willis. No matter what, Willis will be back because I don't think hell do that. He loves SMU and knows he can bring this team back to the "promise land."

JW I hope you just said that out of frustration and I know you bought into PBs system but Orsini knows best when it comes to running a program.

[stobor]

I wish I had posted on this board earlier but oh well.

I know what you are saying. And I wouldn't just throw Justin under the bus. He has been fine for this program. I will say that some on this board like to overhype him to an extreme. I have seen him play 2 games...one against UAB and one against Houston. I was wondering that whole time how he was putting up those numbers because he looked so unimpressive. But that is not the point.

The coaches and athletes do deserve better. This is 100% true. There are a lot of people putting in effort that deserve better. Hell I think Justin Willis deserves better. My only point is that Justin doesn't have the clout to sway Orsini's decision and it is pretty silly of him to think that he might.

I hope Justin stays because we don't have a better option. But that is it.

[SCHOOPS]

The thing that worries me is if Willis does transfer who follows him. Willis, Sanders, Mapps, and Givens are close friends. Where would the SMU program be without Sanders and Willis next year? Think about that for a minute. I agree that Willis is not bigger than the program and his comments should not have been said. At less not to the DMN. I respect that JWill is sticking PB. PB was there for JWill in probably his darkest moment as a young adult. You and I both know if the team could have got one more win this year none of these negative discussions would made.

[Corso]

I have no complaint with Justin's statement, because I want my quarterback -- all of my players -- to be upset with every loss, whether it ends a season or not. I want players who believe in the coach and who want to win for him. I want it to hurt when we lose. It hurts us, as alums, and I want players who care about SMU. Justin's comment yesterday proves to me that he does care, that it does hurt, and that he wants to lead the Mustangs to more wins and to bowl games. I'm glad to hear that. Justin needs to step back for a while and let emotions cool. Hopefully he gets to keep Coach Bennett, but if not, Justin is smart enough that he and his family will recognize the value of an SMU degree, and recognize all of the young talent on this team, and then make the right choice -- staying put and re-writing the SMU record book.

[bigdaddy08091]

Some of you just do not get it. Different coach different scheme. J-Will knows that. Why do you think he is at SMU. All the Big 12 schools said he was to short to play QB. He wants to play QB, so he came to SMU where he had a chance to play for four years. If not here it will be somewhere else, too many schools out there. It is about the love for the game, and the love for PB. When a man can look you in the eye and tell you the truth, that is how PB is. He made no promises about the program. J-Will is the player to take this program to different heights. He needs some help? And everyone of you people know that there is nobody more important in your life than you!! If you do not take care of yourself, you will not be able to take care of anyone else around you?

[westexSMU]

[quote="J.T.supporta"]I'm sorry but that quote from Willis is a slap in the face to SMU fans, players, and the program itself. like someone said, no one player is stronger or something like that than another.

I think JW is a good qb but that is down right selfish of him to say that. He has turned his back on his teammates and basically said, "screw you guys, I'm going else where because someone was fired."

I'm sure that was said in the heat of the moment after realizing that the bowl hopes were shot. Unacceptabl by Willis and it just goes to show that he is a freshman. Redshir or not, he is still young.

I don't want Willis to eat his words but where would he transfer??? he would only have 2 years of eligiblity and I'm sure his dad wouldn't agree with him losing a year over something stupid.

Willis doesn't control or run the team and I'm sure Orsini will do what he pleases and not listen to Willis. No matter what, Willis will be back because I don't think hell do that. He loves SMU and knows he can bring this team back to the "promise land."

JW I hope you just said that out of frustration and I know you bought into PBs system but Orsini knows best when it comes to running a program.[/quote]......................................Very Well Said, Listen prople Coach Bennett said all along he needed to have a winning season and go to a bowl game. I don't know whether or not that was his agreement with Orsini or not but the school has hired Orsini to upgrade all our sports teams and he has done a great job with our basket ball hire. Obviously Orsini needs to take a serious look at where we are going. I personally have been pulling for Coach Bennett all year. Now that the season is over I see positives and negatives concerning where the program is headed. I think Orsini is a smart guy who understands this business and wants to see SMU WIN.. We need to just sit back now and see what happens. As for Justin, I'm sure he was just frustrated about the lose and concerned for Coach, but it was a slap at all of the fans who do support this team, our school, and our other players. He needs to just calm down and realize this is HIS TEAM and the team will need his leadership both on the field and off in the future.

[Bergermeister]

If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got. I think some fans would like to at least have one winning season before they head over to Sparkman/Hillcrest. Time to try something different.