Phil Bennett The SMU MUSTANGS COACH

[expony18]

It was the regular team meeting that was scheduled for monday, but had to be rescheduled due to classes conflicts... this is the same meeting that takes every year... Phil came in and said he's back and still the coach of the team... thats all i got

[expony18]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... 55edb.html

SMU sticking with Bennett
02:27 PM CST on Tuesday, November 28, 2006

By KATE HAIROPOULOS / The Dallas Morning News
Phil Bennett will remain SMU's football coach.

Athletic director Steve Orsini confirmed Bennett's return in a university statement Tuesday.

"Coach Bennett has exhibited the leadership traits necessary to put us in a good position to reach our goals," Orsini said in the statement. "While we did not succeed to the levels we had hoped this season, we continue to make progress. We will return SMU football to national prominence."

Bennett is 17-41 in five seasons at SMU. He led the Mustangs to their best record since 1997 this season, but 6-6 was not good enough to earn a bowl bid. Bennett said at the start of the season that fans should expect a bowl. Orsini, in his first year at SMU, agreed.

The two spent several hours discussing the direction of the program during the last two days.

"As the head coach, I evaluate the program at the end of every season," Bennett said in the statement. "It is a comprehensive assessment of where we are – what we did well and what we need to improve.

"We'll look at all aspects of the program. We have a great nucleus coming back and I am confident that we will again be competing for a conference championship in November.

"It's my charge now to determine what final steps we need to take to reach the goals for the SMU football program."

Bennett signed a one-year contract extension in January that runs through 2009.

E-mail [email protected]

[J.T.supporta]

Willis got his xmas gift early...

[expony18]

Willis got his xmas gift early...

All of SMU did

[NavyCrimson]

Agree - expony18

[Phil Fan]

As you can tell from my screen name, I obviously agree (but admittedly, I was a fan of Coach Bennett before he got hired at SMU). Good luck next season, Coach! Go Ponies!

[SmartAsymptote]

this is bull... orsini has just screwed me out of the oppurtunity to see a winning season while i am still a student......

[MrMustang1965]

this is bull... orsini has just screwed me out of the oppurtunity to see a winning season while i am still a student......

Learn to spell opportunity before you graduate.

But seriously...what if he's also given you the opportunity to see a winning season and a bowl game while you're still a student?

[SmartAsymptote]

i doubt it.... and being me i am very rarely wrong.....

[jkflamebo]

uhh...ur an idiot...i got two years left, i guarantee we'll see TWO winning seasons. it's pretty telling of someone named "smart asymptote" to say something like that about himself

[jtstang]

uhh...ur an idiot...i got two years left, i guarantee we'll see TWO winning seasons. it's pretty telling of someone named "smart asymptote" to say something like that about himself

jkf lamebo, I love guarantees like that. Mind if I throw it back in your face for the next two years when the inevitable happens?

[ponyboy]

Jt, you've just said that it's "inevitable" that SMU will not have back to back winning seasons. You're on the record. Let's see how your prediction of SMU failure plays out.

[expony18]

this is bull... orsini has just screwed me out of the oppurtunity to see a winning season while i am still a student......

aparently you haven't to any soccer games

[jtstang]

Jt, you've just said that it's "inevitable" that SMU will not have back to back winning seasons. You're on the record. Let's see how your prediction of SMU failure plays out.

Now you're on the record as saying anything short of a winning season by SMU is a failure, which means you thing every football season but one for the last twenty years has been a failure. I question your loyalty.

[ponyboy]

Now you're on the record as saying anything short of a winning season by SMU is a failure, which means you thing every football season but one for the last twenty years has been a failure. I question your loyalty.

I made no statement either way. I simply pointed out that you're on the hook for a prediction that it's "inevitable" that we'll not have back to back winning seasons. Be interesting to see how that works out for you.