Steve Kragthorpe vs Phil Bennett

[SMUstang]

Tell me that the coach doesn't make the difference. Who had the best facilities? Who had the advantage in recruiting? Which team had a history in a strong conference? Which athletic department had the biggest budget?

[Pony in SA]

Also, we have a larger alumni base, located in Dallas, etc. Your are exactly correct -- this is my point on my other post today about Tulsa being able to be competitive and exceed.

We should expect and receive at least as good as Tulsa is able to do.

[ponygrad90]

oh, i think we need to look at everything

[Billy Joe]

No comparison. It is plain and simple. This is Bennett's last rodeo unless the team performs a mircacle for him. I actually think things will get a lot uglier as the season continues. Who are we going to beat going forward? Tulane, Rice? It does not bode well for a coach when he is supposed to be a defensive guru and his team ranks almost last in all of Div. 1-A in defense and he has had two home games out of three played (and two of the teams were Sun Belt teams). If you want to compare coaches let's compare Bennett v. Cavan? I take Cavan anyday.

[Stallion]

why limit it to Tulsa. Every team in our division except SMU has gone to at least 1 and most multiple bowls DURING Bennett's tenure. Several of those program in particular Tulsa, UTEP and Rice were in much worse shape that the SMU program during at least some point in that tenure but overcame those problems to go bowling. Programs that we laughed at are surpassing us.

[giacfsp]

Didn't Krag just lose to Kentucky, a team thought to be on the short end of the Louisville/Kentucky rivalry? Let's not put him on Mount Rushmore just yet. Besides, Graham was his ace recruiter, right? Took his mojo to Rice and brought it back. My guess is Tulsa improves more in the near future than Louisville does. Krag is OK, but I've never gotten the impression he was thought of as a brilliant coach. Even when he was at A&M (as QBs coach), he did very little with a transfer (a Div. I transfer, no less -- and they always work out, right?) from Tennessee, Branndon Stewart, who was supposed to be the next John Elway/Troy Aikman/etc.

[MustangIcon]

Agreed on all points except the one immediately above.

I'm curious where Bennet might rank among D1a coaches? He is without a shadow of a doubt in the bottom 25%, just how far down is he though? Hell, he might not even be one of the top 75% of coaches in CUSA, much less all of football.

[MustangIcon]

My guess is Tulsa improves more in the near future than Louisville does.

Louisville has been a top 7 the past 2 seasons. There isn't a whole lot of upward movement possible there. Tulsa I don't think has cracked the top 25 (copuld be wrong on that) so naturally they have a whole lot more room to improve.

And you make a good point. Maybe Graham was Krag's ace up his sleeve. But you know what? Thats the job of a head football coach! You are the president and CEO of the football team. You don't do all the recruiting, game planning, executing of game plan all on your own. But it is your job to oversee and be hands on with all of it. Thats what head coaches do. Bennett fails EVERY SINGLE TEST I CAN IMAGINE as a head football coach other than being a nice guy.

[SMU Football Blog]

Agreed on all points except the one immediately above.

I'm curious where Bennet might rank among D1a coaches? He is without a shadow of a doubt in the bottom 25%, just how far down is he though? Hell, he might not even be one of the top 75% of coaches in CUSA, much less all of football.

Ask and ye shall receive.

Bennett is 110 of 119 in winning %. Take out first year head coaches and he is 100 of 107. In Conference USA, he is dead last unless you count 0-3 David Bailiff at Rice who has never won a I-A Game. If you only limit it to record with their current school, Bennett climbes to 105 of 119 and leapfrogs Bob Toledo at Tulane in C-USA.

[Stallion]

actually I think Kragthorpe is regarded by many as an outstanding offensive mind. Was a QB Coach in the NFL. Graham is the one thought of as the excellent recruiter and motivator. That's their reputations. I do believe that Graham has a least as much as Kragthorpe to do with Tulsa's success-he has been that successful in recruiting in areas Tulsa had never done near as well ie DFW aka Graham's back yard.

[Pony in SA]

not only DFW, but also they do well recruiting the good programs down here in south Texas

[Stallion]

they got Moton Hopkins I know from that area. Turned Phil's offer down to play for Graham.