Emotional Wreck or Train Wreck?

[mrydel]

If not, Houston Nutt is going to be looking for a home soon according to even his backers up here.

[abezontar]

Not really. He stays. I actually think 6-6 with this record is another step of improvement. Tougher schedule this year in several respects.

Why would you want to keep him even if he does get to a bowl if he isn't willing to go after the top recruits like Todd Graham?

[Mexmustang]

I guess Orsini wants us to feel sorry for him! OK Stevie Boy, try 20 years of disappointment--then and only then will you understand why we're pissed!

[ponyboy]

You misattribute the quote that started this thread. It was Coach Bennett not Orsini.

[Mexmustang]

Your right, when I am pissed my eyes water and I don't read as carefully! I really wouldn't have responded at all if I had known it was Bennett, he hasn't said anything worth commenting on after a loss since his arrival and that has been just about every weekend!

[Stallion]

I'm not saying Bennett should stay with a 6-6 record only that he WILL stay with a 6-6 AND a bowl too.

[Mexmustang]

Why? At six and six, the only bowl one rung lower, would be the toilet bowl! "6-6" is simply a mockery of the entire bowl system and not improvement over last year.
What six wins would we have? NTU and who else? Rice? who else?

[Stallion]

Ask the administration not me. But I don't believe SMU would fire the first coach who got the team to a bowl game in 20 years. First of all when are you going to do it? November 20 after the regular season? Who is going to coach the team in the bowl game. Are you going to fire him after the bowl game?? What if he wins? Even if he loses SMU will have had more positive publicity than it has had for 20 years as the focus of national news media attention. Then you fire him a couple of days later? Ain't going to happen. All momentum from the bowl would be lost. SMU couldn't hire a Coach until January 15 weeks before signing date. It would be a complete fiasco. All sympathy would be with Bennett and SMU would take a very hard publicity hit.

[jtstang]

Who else thinks Orsini is kicking himself over not pulling the trigger last year?

[SMU Football Blog]

Not really. He stays. I actually think 6-6 with this record is another step of improvement. Tougher schedule this year in several respects.

Why would you want to keep him even if he does get to a bowl if he isn't willing to go after the top recruits like Todd Graham?

Stallion and I agree on very little. But this one thing we do agree on. Bennett gets to a bowl; he still has a job at SMU regardless of the bowl or the record. Some people don't like to hear it, but it is the reality. Going to a bowl, any bowl, would be viewed as progress both inside and outside the University. Canning Bennett at that point would be viewed as nuts and would have a chilling effect on SMU's ability to hire a new coach, moreso than 20 years of losing. Finally, it would absolutely whizzz away all of the positive PR generated by appearing in a bowl in the first place.

You don't fire coaches out of spite. You fire them because you have lost confidence in their ability to succeed. One of the key measures of success in college football is going to a bowl. And if he gets SMU to a bowl, you can't say at that point he has no chance to succeed.

I am not defending the guy. I am sick of Bennett's schtick, too. But if SMU gets an invite to the New Orleans Bowl, I am still going to buy my ticket and drink Hurricanes on Bourbon Street until dawn.

[mrydel]

Who else thinks Orsini is kicking himself over not pulling the trigger last year?

I still think this was a very good move on Orsini's part. Remember, he has not put up with this for 20 years, only 1. Had he axed Bennett, there are several people who at the time would have thought it was the wrong thing to do and he would have immediately lost any honeymoon period. I think that by keeping him, he essentially "hired" Bennett on a one year contract with a performance stipulation. If Bennett does not make the cut, no one can blame Orisini. Of course, in hind sight there are many now that wish he had pulled the trigger last year, but not that many at the time the decision was made. And, although looking unlikely, Bennett can still survive. If he does, we will be in a bowl game. From a new AD standpoint, I think the decision was absolutely correct, and I repeat, Orisini is only into his 2nd season of SMU football disappointment and he will not let it go beyond that with the same group.

[MrMustang1965]

Once again: Bennett will resign (he will not be fired) at the end of this season, bowl or not.

[mrydel]

Once again: Bennett will resign (he will not be fired) at the end of this season, bowl or not.

I can actually buy into that as a strong possibility. If he does not make 6 games I think he will resign quickly. If he makes 6 I think he might figure as you have indicated that life will be better elsewhere. But if by the grace of a higher football power we were to win CUSA I would imagine he might want to stay and try to build on it. With those scenerio options, you would more than likely be right in your feeling.

[EastStang]

If he doesn't reach six, he's gone. If he does reach six, seven, eight or nine (as if) and goes to a bowl, he stays with one caveat. If we go on a Super roll and win 8 straight games (as if), he'll get offered a better job and will be gone. Do I hear A&M, calling the old Aggie home?

[ponyinNC]

i love the enthusiasm, but 5-3 or 6-2 record the rest of the way to get to a bowl?? i hope for it...but unlikely after what i've seen so far.

can someone realistically name the 5 or 6 teams we'll beat...