DC editorial piece

[PonyTales]

Buck up for football
Don't give up hope yet for the mustang team


By The Daily Campus Editorial Board
September 05, 2003


When the Texas Tech Red Raiders handily defeated the Mustangs last weekend, some students concluded that our football team was destined for another troublesome season.

Students should not give up on their team so quickly. Despite the lopsided loss, ample reasons for optimism remain.

Tech was the second toughest game on our schedule, as evidenced by the 25-point spread (a prediction of the margin of victory used for gambling purposes). Only Oklahoma State, another Big XII powerhouse, should pose a greater challenge for SMU this season.

Therefore, we should not be discouraged by last week’s defeat. Competing against highly ranked teams offers an invaluable learning experience for the players, which is especially beneficial once conference play begins. A recent article on an unofficial SMU sports Web site, ponyfans.com, confirms that key players learned important lessons from the loss.

SMU football is undoubtedly in a long-term development phase. For this reason, Phil Bennett is an exceptional choice as head coach. One of his main strengths is recruiting, and he excelled in his first full opportunity, bringing in talents such as Chris Phillips (QB) and Richuel Massey (RB).

The newest recruiting class has received unanimous praise from several football authorities and is undoubtedly one of SMU’s strongest in years.

However, we cannot expect immediate results from these young Ponies, especially since many will be red-shirted to develop their maturity and talent.

Football fans must exercise patience. A bright light shines at the end of the tunnel, and our team is working diligently to achieve success. But do not be discouraged if the rebuilding phase takes several seasons.

The next game, against Baylor on Sept. 13, is an exciting opportunity for the school. We have confidence that our team is capable of defeating the Bears, and we hope to see scores of students making the short trip to Waco.

Winning against any Big XII opponent would generate positive exposure for the program. With strong support from the fans, defeating Baylor is well within SMU’s reach.