What would you do different - if you were the HC?

[SMU1952]

I am a fan of the Mustangs and I am reading a lot of passionate and desperate topics from some real diehard fans. A tough job.

Maybe if we could put ourselves in the place of the coaches, (not in a touchy/feely way) literally in their place, what would you do different?
There are a lot of opinions about coaches, players, and staff, etc. and I am not saying any one person has the answer.

Just for the sake of those of us who are not "in the know" or veteran fans, but still want to see this team win some games, I would like to read in some condensed order your ideas and the truth about what you think you would do different if you had the chance... for one game... to take the MUSTANGS on the field.


Please be kind to me, I am new here.

[ponyfan84]

be agressive and play to win. not this "playing not to lose" crap.

perfect example: going for 2 with 8 seconds left to win the game, not force OT and force your already weak D to defend 25 yards against a RB with 300+ yards already.

[mrydel]

For one thing I would not recruit only players that came to my camp, and secondly I would be in Turner's office a lot to change whatever need be changed in order to be able to compete for the same players as my competition.

That is not a "one game" scenario but this is not a one game problem.

[SMU Football Blog]

For another thing, I recruit players for my system or I mold my system around the players I have. I don't believe we are doing that now.

Honestly, I don't quibble with any call on Saturday. I know some say we should have gone for two at the end, but I don't have a real problem with going to overtime at home.

[SMU1952]

[list][quote="mrydel"]For one thing I would not recruit only players that came to my camp, and secondly I would be in Turner's office a lot to change whatever need be changed in order to be able to compete for the same players as my competition.
That is not a "one game" scenario but this is not a one game problem.[/quote]


SMU1952 writes: Sorry, you are right this is not a one game problem. I was asking the question as it stands today. What would you, as HC, do different to win the next game?

[mustangnation]

- I tell my corners to play inside coverage to cut off the slant in short yardage situations.
-The corners would also play more press coverage to stop the 8 yd hitch.
-i wouldnt take the redshirt off of a freshman and just have him play special teams.
-I would not convert every LB that we recruit to DE.
-I would recruit more than just players that are on "his list".
-I would throw to the tight end more often.
-I would recruit receivers that were taller than 5'11"

[mrydel]

SMU1952 writes: Sorry, you are right this is not a one game problem. I was asking the question as it stands today. What would you, as HC, do different to win the next game?

Schedule BrianTinD's team and hope for the best.

Other than that, we are facing a team with an experienced QB who can pass and run, an offensive coordinator that runs a true HUNH offense and actually wrote a book on it, and we have suffered some key injuries on an already weak defense. I think we must operate on adrenaline and hope for as long as we can and see where the scores ends up. We can not open up our offense much more than it is already, and our defense can not mature in experience and ability over night.

[LakeHighlandsPony]

I would have gone for it on 4th and 1 on the 50 in the second half. Tulane drove down our throats after that.

[MustangStealth]

be agressive and play to win. not this "playing not to lose" crap.

That was something I was thinking about yesterday too, not specifically with this game but as a pattern. I can think of several times at the end of halves where we have got the ball late and taken a knee, rather than taking a shot at getting some points. Even at the end of a tied game we have done it. We played for overtime and lost.

[RGV Pony]

I would get an audience with anyone and everyone who has done what I am seeking to do. I'd visit Gary Barnett at his house, Paul Johnson at his house, Ty Willingham at his house, go to a Mike K. leadership workshop, and visit any time I could with Doh.

Within 48 hours of working on the Hilltop, Doh met with Mark Cuban, to find out what Cuban did and what would be effective marketing his product.

I'd pull a Stoops and reconnect with every Mustang great past and present. Well, mostly past. I'd fly to Indy and visit with Irsay..plug him into SMU football. Hayden Fry, Forrest Gregg, Raymond Berry, ED, CJ, McIllhenny, Flanigan, Michael Carter, Wes Hopkins, Jerry Ball, Jerry Levias, Chuck Hixson, everyone of that ilk would have a presence at some point...two a days, or sideline during games.

I'd also have stipulations in my contract much like Doh has that if certain things aren't done by SMU to make things achievable, I'm done. No sense [deleted] about something if you don't make the effort to fix it.

I'd be smart enough to admit what I don't know and hire brilliant people around me who do. Every assistant should/would be someone who would eventually make a head coach. Two or three that I'd hire would have head coaching experience.

And all that would be in the first two weeks.

Seriously, how often have we heard Doh [deleted] about this being a coaching graveyard? Has he ever said Dean Smith told him not to take this job? Has he bitched about the cupboard being bare? No, he went and got players that he wanted. The first full recruiting year.

[MustangStealth]

I'd put my underwear on my head, shove pencils up my nose and pretend I was crazy.

[dcpony]

First thing I would do as HC is make sure every player memorizes
General Neyland's Seven Maxims of Football:

*The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win.
*Play for and make the breaks and when one comes your way - SCORE.
*If at first the game - or the breaks - go against you, don't let up... puton more steam.
*Protect our kickers, our QB, our lead and our ball game.
*Ball, oskie, cover, block, cut and slice, pursue and gang tackle... for this is the WINNING EDGE.
*Press the kicking game. Here is where the breaks are made.
*Carry the fight to our opponent and keep it there for 60 minutes.

[SMU1952]

[quote="MustangStealth"]I'd put my underwear on my head, shove pencils up my nose and pretend I was crazy.

[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a8/Blackadder_IV_-_Goodbyeee.jpg/200px-Blackadder_IV_-_Goodbyeee.jpg[/img][/quote]



A-HAHAHAHA! Hysterical......but something tells me you are not kidding!

[PK]

Stop running Martin on sweeps and Mapps up the middle...It is beyond me why they do this. Martin ought to be bulldozing his way up the middle and Mapps should be flying around the ends. What am I missing here? And yes, the DBs ought to stop giving the WRs a 10 yard head start before they cover them. Get in their face at the line of scrimmage and disrupt their timing...but then I don't know beans about Xs and Os.

[Peruna_Ate_My_Rolex]

I'd remember all the football that I'd apparently forgotten.