Ticket this morning on Phil...

[SMU Football Blog]

Craig Miller is more often than not, an idiot. However he made this observation. He said there are two really important metroplex football games this weekend: TCU-UT and UNT-SMU. He said there is a certain amount of pressure on all the coaches to win and he put it on a scale from 1 to 10.

Todd Dodge: 2 on a 1 to 10 scale. Yeah he is new, but last week was the biggest blowout in school history and they beat SMU last year with the coach they fired. A loss would be disheartening.

Patterson: 4 on a 1 to 10 scale. TCU has wanted this game for nine years. If TCU wants to be as good as it says it is, Patterson needs to win. Plus the rewards are incalculable.

Brown: 6 on a 1 to 10 scale. Brown has a national championship, but Texas is expected to be great and last week was not impressive. Texas is BCS and fans expect to win.

Bennett: 10 on a 1 to 10 scale. "Pony Up;" lots of of positive energy going into the season; finished .500; then got embarassed on national TV; new AD; got spanked by UNT last year, a team they should not lose to ever. Miller said he really could envision Bennett getting fired if he lost that game or started out 0-4.

[George S. Patton]

Fortunately, I don't listen to the Ticket anymore -- not even for our broadcasts.

But I recognize that's it's good to have them on all-sports channel that has a lot of listeners.

That said, I think Miller is right. This team BETTER win Saturday.

[ponygrad90]

Basically, a loss would mean he got out coached again! SMU has better athletes on the field than I have seen in a long time-

My problem with Bennett is he hasn't proven to be a either a good Game Day coach or even a good X's and O's coach!

A loss on saturday should indeed be followed by his dismissal-

That said we can bring in a name coach who could bring us a championship quickly-

The teams to beat in CUSA have good coaches

Mike Price will not get spanked in Lubbock

Skip Holtz hung in at Virginia Tech under a lot worse conditions than what Bennett had on Saturday

George O'leary won his opener

PB isn't in the same class as these coaches and I think Orsini knows it! Saturday Bennett proved it!!!!!!!!

[93Mustang]

This game is just like Sam Houston last year - a game I assumed we'd win before the season, but was completely in doubt the week leading up to it after the NTSU disaster. This week is a must win and hopefully we will show up. No one really expected us to win last week, but they did expect us to compete. We didn't. Bottomline, let's avenge last season's abortion and give the media something to talk about next week leading up to TCU game.

[Stallion]

I'd say SMU has worse talent on defense than they have put on the field in some time. But so many of you seem to confine yourself to looking at the offense. There is not one outstanding unit on the entire defense not CBs, not safeties, not LBs not DEs not DTs. Without Muse I'd even go so far as to say there is not one good (as in above average) defensive unit on the entire team. Miller even speculated Bennett would be fired this weekend if SMU loses-that ain't going to happen at SMU nor should it.

[SMU Football Blog]

I generally agree that letting a coach go 2 or 4 games into the season is unreasonable/crazy. The exception being a genuine belief by the AD that the interim coach would perform better. I can't envision such a thing. Accordingly, any change would be made when the season result is assured rather than assumed, which is after loss no. 6 or 7.

[Dirty Bird]

Stallion's spot on.
For the life of me, I still can't understand why Vegas had us as only 9 point dogs, when we had TEN NEW STARTERS on defense!!!
Even if we had everyone returning from last year, they're not slowing down that Tech O.
The offense may be okay with Willis, but the D will hold SMU back.

[docabel]

I'd say SMU has worse talent on defense than they have put on the field in some time. But so many of you seem to confine yourself to looking at the offense. There is not one outstanding unit on the entire defense not CBs, not safeties, not LBs not DEs not DTs. Without Muse I'd even go so far as to say there is not one good (as in above average) defensive unit on the entire team. Miller even speculated Bennett would be fired this weekend if SMU loses-that ain't going to happen at SMU nor should it.

Fair enough, and honestly I don't have nearly as much of a problem with the defense as I do the offense. I would argue that on the offensive side of the ball, this IS the best we have been is some time. The offensive showing on Monday was offensive. There was no imaginative play calling, and they just looked lost (ie, "the chicken dance") - that falls on the heads of the coaching staff.

[perunapower]

Stallion's spot on.
For the life of me, I still can't understand why Vegas had us as only 9 point dogs, when we had TEN NEW STARTERS on defense!!!
Even if we had everyone returning from last year, they're not slowing down that Tech O.
The offense may be okay with Willis, but the D will hold SMU back.

We do not have 10 new starters on defense. That is the biggest load of s*** I have seen posted on this forum in awhile. Cory Muse, Johnathan Lindley, Tony Hawkins, and Wilton McCray all started last year, that's what I can remember off the top of my head. I believe Charlie Berry started a few years ago. Not to mention Parham and Handy got starting roles at the end of last season when other DL guys got hurt.

[SWC2010]

Craig Miller is more often than not, an idiot. However he made this observation....
Miller said he really could envision Bennett getting fired if he lost that game or started out 0-4.

Although I discount all the hysteria here & believe we'll walk out of ArkSt 2-1, I will, for the sake of the argument, say that PB will NOT get the chance of going 0-4 this season.

For the sake of recruiting, an early season coaching exit would be required (if 0-3)-- or it will be 2010 before we see daylight again.

BEAT UNT

[davidsmu94]

I'd say SMU has worse talent on defense than they have put on the field in some time. But so many of you seem to confine yourself to looking at the offense. There is not one outstanding unit on the entire defense not CBs, not safeties, not LBs not DEs not DTs. Without Muse I'd even go so far as to say there is not one good (as in above average) defensive unit on the entire team. Miller even speculated Bennett would be fired this weekend if SMU loses-that ain't going to happen at SMU nor should it.

Stallion, I have to disagree with you here. Not that the talent this year is so great, but I don't think we've put a decent defense out there in several years. I will say I think the defense we have is every bit as talented, but just younger. We are going to have to bear down and play some young ones. Particularly Yenga and Bailey

[Dirty Bird]

Sorry, I was wrong.
You're right.
The 6 starters we have returning on defense are awesome.
Our defense is as good as the 1985 Chicago Bears.

[Stallion]

the stat that you maybe thinking of is that SMU started only 2 players on defense who started at the same position on opening day in 2006. BTW nobody has mentioned this but I think Hawkins only had 2 tackles at MLB despite the fact that the ball was thrown over the middle all day long. Wasn't really focusing on him but I wonder whether we've essentially weakened 2 positions by moving him.