We Need to Wait Until Progress is not made

[Glenn Sosbee]

I'll bet the average tenure of an SMU head coach (major sport), is probably about 5 years. At least in the modern era. Are we ponies a little impatient? Instant gratification should only be used in moderation.

[Stallion]

Its time for SMU to expect their damn coach to easily outrecruit the pitiful group of programs in CUSA and to be competitive in recruiting against TCU. I'm getting pretty tired of the damn excuses when NTSU, Rice, Tulsa, UTEP and Houston have all by-passed SMU during Bennett's tenure to go the bowls generally multiple bowls. I've been told a MILLION times SMU is commited to excelling. You've been wrong. I tell you right now-we ain't anywhere close-we've been here before and we are just fumbling along and will for the forseeable future getting a couple of players here and developing a diamond in the rough there. We have 17 years of proof that does not translate to a winning program. Somethings got to give-either fix the often cited problems with the program or keep firing every coach until we find a miracle worker. There needs to be changes whether its the Head Coach, the offensive coordinator or the firing of some of the dead weight on this coaching staff that hasn't recruited a decent prospect in their entire career.

[abezontar]

Is the lady that taught Helen Keller to communicate still around?

[BornRed&Blue]

Its time for SMU to expect their damn coach to easily outrecruit the pitiful group of programs in CUSA and to be competitive in recruiting against TCU. I'm getting pretty tired of the damn excuses when NTSU, Rice, Tulsa, UTEP and Houston have all by-passed SMU during Bennett's tenure to go the bowls generally multiple bowls.

I couldn't agree more.
Every year we are promised "more" and every year, "more" doesn't happen.
My mother used to say "If you push on a rock all day long and it doesn't go anywhere, you haven't done anything".
SMU pushes the same number of games around every year and ends up in the same place, no progress.

[Stallion]

In case some of you didn't know we actually used to play real football teams and were competitive;

1996(Rossley)
Tulsa W 17-10
Arkansas W 23-10
Utah L 17-21
Navy L 17-19 (lost on last seconf FG)
No. 24 BYU L 3-31
Missouri L 26-27(missed last second chip shot)
@Rice L 17-35
New Mexico W 52-21
@ No. 17 Wyoming L 17-59 -a 10-1 great ballclub
@UTEP W 30-0
TCU W 27-24

1997(Cavan)

@ Ole Miss L 15-23
Arkansas W 31-9
Navy L 16-41
No. 23 BYU L 16-19 OT-BYU went 14-1 that year
@New Mexico L 15-22
@Utah W 20-19
Wyoming W 22-17
Rice W 24-6
UTEP W 28-14
@Tulsa W 42-41
@TCU L 18-21

Please don't insult our intelligence and claim that SMU under Bennett is competing at a higher level than these years against quality competition. Those teams would have easily won at the very least 7 games and more likely 8 games against the level of competition in 2006 season. SMU is not playing at a higher level in 2006 than they were in 1993 when they went 5-6 in the SWC or 1996 or 1997 under both Rossley and Cavan in the WAC-all we;ve done is traded down on a series of 3 conference realignments to fall to a level at which we can compete against very mediocre football programs. Its time to expect more.

[BornRed&Blue]

Its time to expect more.

AMEN
Enough Said

[78pony]

Stallion is on the mark once again with facts doing the talking.

[jtstang]

As long as each year is a step forward even if it is a baby step he should stay.

Well I guess he had the "benefit" of going 0-12 in 2003 according to your analysis. Since there is no place to go but forward, he locked up job security for years.

[RGV Pony]

btw, the 10-1 Wyoming team referenced by Stallion is the reason Joe Tiller is the head coach at Purdue. While we were getting ready for the ticker tape parade down Mockingbird with our sixth win to become bowl eligible, that Wyoming team went to no bowl. Tiller said he didn't know what else he could do in the WAC...went 10-1, lost the conference championship game and didn't go to a bowl.

[mrydel]

Is the lady that taught Helen Keller to communicate still around?

Let's see. That would be Anne Bancroft in the original, teaching Patty Duke, but in the remake, Patty Duke came back in the role of Annie Sullivan. So, you must be more specific as to for whom you are looking.

[KnuckleStang]

7. Tulane (vagabond program which had no spring practice of off season weight training program)

Dude...I tried to tell you Tulane sucked back in September. You got all pissed at me. Now they are a "vagabond program" with no weight regimen? Glad we agree now.

There is no question we were more competitive under Rossley. Is that even a discussion? The more relevant fact is that we are definitely more competitive now than when Bennett got here. That is what we should be talking about.

[SMU Football Blog]

In conference SMU again went 4-4. Odd thing is only UAB and ECU produced the same results as 2005. Otherwise, SMU lost to the teams it beat last year and beat the teams it lost to last year. Last year, two of those wins were against bowl teams. This year, just one.

[BrianTinBigD]

Great post by Stallion. He did not even bring up the whole recruiting rank we have had the past 5 years.

2006 - 107th
2005 - 81st
2004 - 76th
2003 - 62nd
2002 - 70th

[MustangIcon]

but isnt all that matters having more numbers in the W column than in the L column? or at least thats what i thought......

if the question is PROGRESS then no, thats not all that matters. lowering the level of teams you compete against does not mean you have made progress. heck we made a fool proof bowl season schedule this year and still couldn't get the job done and we've got people here hailing all the wonderfull progress we've made by argueably having a worse season than last year!

[Stallion]

Hey Dude-my whole point all year is that too many fans were taking road games for granted. Yes we beat Tulane-because of a 100 yard kick return. It was a toss-up at that point. I think I got the gist of the challenge facing the team against Tulane and the rest of the season. SMU would have trouble winning on the road. BTW while 85% predicted at least 7-5-I was at 6-6.