Bennett vs. Meyer

[expony18]

How much would Peyton love that hard count play?

That hard count thing is so bush league...

I swear Bennett tried used that call to convert on almost all of our third and short situations.

Give him credit--It's the most effective thing in his playbook in that situation.

too bad it does work on the 1 yard line

[MustangLaxer]

Meyer v PB ... well Meyer has a pretty good golf score. Can anyone account for PB?

[planoponyfan]

The comparison of the Meyer and Bennett coaching records is a good one. It further reinforces my thought that giving up on Bennett after this season would have been a mistake.

All the complaints that Meyer was coaching against better teams in a better conference are true to an extent. But it also ignores a very important fact: There were far fewer division I-A football programs in the 70s and 80s than there are today. I'd say the quality of talent is spread thin all over division I-A now. The great teams of 25 years ago are far better than the best teams today. The gap between best and worst in division I-A is probably smaller today than it was back then.

Going to a bowl game these days does not mean what it did 25 years ago. More than half the division I-A schools go to bowl games now. Over the past 17 years, SMU has been hanging out in the bottom half of D1 programs. We're close to getting into that top half now. Some will belittle this, but the fact is you can't get back to the top without going through the middle of the pack first.

[Diamond Girl]

Planoponyfan, that's exactly the point I was trying to make: how similar their records were after 5 years. Potts didn't get rid of Meyer. Meyer wanted to be the one to turn around the program - and he did, at a cost. Yes, we went to the Holiday Bowl in '80, but the next year we were on probation.

PB has had a similar record in that each year our wins have increased, not as much as many people would like, but they're increasing nonetheless. No, we didn't go bowling this year, but we're also not on probation after 5 years. This is where the programs diverge. Meyer thought he needed to pay players to get where he got. PB knows he doesn't have to pay players to get where he wants to get - he wants to accomplish going to a bowl with a clean team. And I believe he will do it.

[originaloverthehilltop1]

this thread is comparing the meyer and bennett records? talk about apples and oranges! just think what bennett's record would be if he had meyer's slush fund cash to recruit with! in cusa! what would bennett do with peyton manning? what would patton have done with the abrams tank in ww2? he'd have gone to the heinekin bowl!

[dcpony]

this thread is comparing the meyer and bennett records? talk about apples and oranges! just think what bennett's record would be if he had meyer's slush fund cash to recruit with! in cusa! what would bennett do with peyton manning? what would patton have done with the abrams tank in ww2? he'd have gone to the heinekin bowl!

I consider the pay for play factor a wash. Our competition was paying players so we had to as well. It doesn't make it right but that's how it was. SMU wanted to play with the big boys and we did. Our only fault was we beat the big boys at their own game and got caught.

[ponyte]

Meyers walk into SMU and SMU was already on probation. Bennett thankfully has not faced that obstacle. Also, the year before Meyers took the Ponies bowling; he had a season where injuries claimed significant starters. That was a 5-6 season (with an outside chance at a bowl at one point). Bennett has just had a close season in which injuries and disciplinary actions deprived the Ponies of key talent. Meyers did develop the depth of talent needed to play at the top level through an entire season. This was critical in 1980 when Meyers completely changed the offense in mid season. Bennett has likewise tried to develop depth and talent. The good news is that this last season, key position had young players getting experience when the starters were injured. That will also pay dividends in the future.

[SMU Football Blog]

This is bizaare. Ron Meyer had a 27-8 record at UNLV before coming to SMU, where he turned a 1-10 team the year before he got there into an 8-3 team. Meyer also had the good sense to beat TCU every year he was at SMU.

And if somebody doesn't recognize the difference between (a) going 6-6 and no bowl in a year where there are 32 bowls and (b) finishing the year ranked #20 and going 8-3 in a year where there were less than 15 bowls, then I don't know what to tell you.

[Mexmustang]

So the top 64 programs get to go bowling now? Does that total include those schools below !-A?

[Fourkingz]

And if somebody doesn't recognize the difference between (a) going 6-6 and no bowl in a year where there are 32 bowls and (b) finishing the year ranked #20 and going 8-3 in a year where there were less than 15 bowls, then I don't know what to tell you.[/quote]

Couple this with playing in the SWC, not much to argue with to be honest about it. CUSA doesnt compare no matter how you spin it.
PB has done a good job, not a great one, but give him credit, the building process takes time in college football. Compared to where SMU has been and what the program has had to endure, the hand cuffs the school has put on him, its tough to recruit here because of all of it.
Thats a big difference in the two IMO, maybe the team wasnt very good in 80, or whatever, but the school certainly didnt put shackles on that staff like this one.

[J.T.supporta]

[quote="Mexmustang"]So the top 64 programs get to go bowling now? Does that total include those schools below !-A?[/quote]

Dont know if this question was serious or not but no...All I-A teams have bowl games. any other divisions have playoffs....And its not just necessarily the top 64 teams. I think we could be both SUN BELT schools that are going bowling.