DMN Chat Question

by **mavsrage311** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 11:58 am

How long of a leash does Phil Bennett get t his year? Will he at least get the whole year? I think it's a foregone conclusion that he will not be back if the Mustangs don't make a bowl this year. Do you think AD Steve Orsini would go after a high-profile coach like he did with his basketball program (Matt Doherty)?
Brian Davis: Yes, Bennett will get the full year. The way Orsini let Bennett dangle in the wind last off-season, Bennett deserves to get 12 full games before the final judgement is passed. It shouldn't matter where the Mustangs rank in the C-USA or national stats. It shouldn't matter whether SMU wins close or big. All that should matter is the final result. Did Bennett get SMU into a bowl? Yes or no? If the answer is no, I think Orsini will pull the trigger. As for a possible replacement, I'm not sure SMU could land a high-profile coach. I wouldn't even hazzard a guess right now. Let's wait and see who becomes available.

by **ReedFrawg** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:13 pm

mavsrage311 wrote:How long of a leash does Phil Bennett get t his year? Will he at least get the whole year? I think it's a foregone conclusion that he will not be back if the Mustangs don't make a bowl this year. Do you think AD Steve Orsini would go after a high-profile coach like he did with his basketball program (Matt Doherty)?
Brian Davis: Yes, Bennett will get the full year. The way Orsini let Bennett dangle in the wind last off-season, Bennett deserves to get 12 full games before the final judgement is passed. It shouldn't matter where the Mustangs rank in the C-USA or national stats. It shouldn't matter whether SMU wins close or big. All that should matter is the final result. Did Bennett get SMU into a bowl? Yes or no? If the answer is no, I think Orsini will pull the trigger. As for a possible replacement, I'm not sure SMU could land a high-profile coach. I wouldn't even hazzard a guess right now. Let's wait and see who becomes available.

I've asked this before, but if SMU goes 6-6 this year (same record as last year) and goes to a bowl, does that give Bennett another year?

by **MustangIcon** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:14 pm

If we go to a bowl and get run by a sunbelt team, he's gone. He needs 7 wins this year unless we make a bowl and are faced with some unreal opponent, which I am not expecting.

by **Stallion** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:16 pm

according to you. No way he gets fired after the first bowl game in 20 years-according to me. The negative publicity directed toward SMU would be tremendous.

by **SMU Football Blog** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:19 pm

Stallion wrote:according to you. No way he gets fired after the first bowl game in 20 years-according to me. The negative publicity directed toward SMU would be tremendous.

What he said.

by **mavsrage311** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:20 pm

Stallion wrote:according to you. No way he gets fired after the first bowl game in 20 years-according to me. The negative publicity directed toward SMU would be tremendous.

Absolutely, I don't think it would even come up in a discussion

by **Peruna2001** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:21 pm

ReedFrawg wrote:I've asked this before, but if SMU goes 6-6 this year (same record as last year) and goes to a bowl, does that give Bennett another year?

I think we need a winning record. Otherwise, it is not an improvement and Orsini is looking for improvements. 6-6 and going to bowl would just be a matter of circumstances of the year. Bowl win: He'll probably stay; Bowl loss: He'll probably go.

by **ponygrad90** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:23 pm

this conversation is pointless, Does anybody honestly believe that after watching their first three games this is bowl calibre team?

2-10 = Bennett Gone

Sorry-

No defense

Poor coaching

poor execution

penalties

looking lost

their is some talent on the field but not enough to overcome [deleted] poor coaching-

He's gone

by **MustangIcon** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:24 pm

Stallion wrote:according to you. No way he gets fired after the first bowl game in 20 years-according to me. The negative publicity directed toward SMU would be tremendous.

I can definitely see where you are coming from and its a very valid point. But if we go 6-6, go to the New Orleans Bowl and get our asses handed to us by ASU again, I've got to think theres a good chance Orsini runs him if his guy is available.

With that said, I don't think we win 6 games this season, so it might not be an issue at all.

by **KnuckleStang** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:30 pm

If we were to make a bowl this year, firing Bennett would be a very, very dumb thing to do.

by **OC Mustang** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:39 pm

MustangIcon wrote:
Stallion wrote:according to you. No way he gets fired after the first bowl game in 20 years-according to me. The negative publicity directed toward SMU would be tremendous.

I can definitely see where you are coming from and its a very valid point. But if we go 6-6, go to the New Orleans Bowl and get our asses handed to us by ASU again, I've got to think theres a good chance Orsini runs him if his guy is available.

With that said, I don't think we win 6 games this season, so it might not be an issue at all.

That's the rub, right? IF HIS GUY IS AVAILABLE....
Frankly, if Bennett is on the bubble (like you are saying...gets to a bowl and gets beat), then it won't matter. If Orsini has his pick, he makes the call. If he doesn't have his pick (harking back to the question of whether SMU can obtain a big name coach), then Bennett's status is more murky. I don't have any insider on this, but I would surmise based on his dangling Bennett out last year that Orsini was looking for his coach.
He didn't get him or see a way to do so; therefore, a bird in the hand....

Guys, contrary to this impression that DMN sportwriters seem to have that somehow SMU is a coaching revolving door/pit, SMU isn't that way at all. Solid pay, great place to live (HP), etc. There are positives to the job. And SMU has only gone through three (3) career coaches in 18 years (Gregg wasn't career coach...he was forging a labor of love mixed with collegial duty, and you should thank any time you see him). That's a very reasonable tenure for any coach with a win/loss record south of .500 over that time.

by **PonySoprano** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:50 pm

6-6 this year is better than 6-6 last year because we replaced Sam Houston from last year with TCU on this year's schedule.

by **Mustangsabu** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 1:22 pm

I agree that 6-6 this year would be better. That said I think it is time for our team to play above itself. Then the following becomes possible:

Beat TCU
Beat UTEP, Rice, Tulane at home
Beat Tulsa, Cougar High, Memphis on the road

8-4 Thankyou and good night

by **MrMustang1965** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 1:24 pm

I said this on another thread and I'll say it again. Bennett will resign at the end of this season even if he has a 6-6 or better record. IMO, he's tired of being the HC of the SMU Mustangs.

by **mustangnation** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 1:27 pm

If he gets routed by TCU and loses to UTEP he will not make it out of the bye week

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