It is troubling

[Arkpony]

I try and remain positive. I hope each weekend that we will do something positive. I am starting to look at the coaching as a major source of our problem. This is painful, awful torture to listen or watch the Ponies. They are so inept. What a mess we are in at SMU. Can we ever dig our way out.

[Hoop Fan]

Painful, torture, those things describe this pretty well. The problems run pretty deep it appears. Probably beyond the comprehension of this outsider and average football mind.

[Charleston Pony]

I'm right with you on those thoughts. Clearly the program is bottoming out this year. I now believe there's a chance we don't win a game this year. It hurts when you know we have enough talent to at least compete with many of our WAC foes. Look at Tulsa. Their new coaching staff is letting them run a little more wide open game and they are having fun. This coaching staff is playing "afraid" and does not appear to have enough confidence in our guys to take any risks in their play calling. It's tough enough to lose, but to lose without putting up a decent fight...well, at least the hoops team tipped it off tonight and it sounds like the new frosh Bennett and Pearson showed promise.

[FloridaMustang]

SJSU, UTEP, and Tulsa clearly have better coaching staffs. They believe in their players and give put their players in a position to win. All we do is play as conservative as possible and either get beat by 3 or get blown out. Absolutely amazing.

[Hilltopper]

I disagree. Recruiting Guru or maybe Stallion can provide the specific numbers, but we all read the numbers in February about how much better our recruiting class was this year than in years past. I give credit to Coach Bennett for resisting the urge to lift the redshirt off every freshman we have, allow many of them to develop for a year and be better players for the next four years. Of course, we're taking some lumps this year (to say the least), but in the long run, it's the right thing to do.

[Arkpony]

You are missing the point of our posts. Even with the twem we have on the field we should be doing better, and the lack of success rests squarely on the shoulders of the coaches. They should have done more with what we have. There are so many glaring problems I dont know whwere to start, but we all know what theya re for we see them week after week after week. And therein is the problem. Our coaches find no cures.
I remember one coach years ago at A&M made a player who had fumbled the ball, carry a football everywhere he went that next week so he would HOLD on to the ball. Silly? perhaps, but it stopped his fumbling. The point being, coaches CAN and SHOULD help teams improve as the season progresses. We see NON of that at SMU. Coaches!

[SMU4u2000]

You know, I have watched (with optimism, I might add) this program with Bennett go from bad to worse. It is not meant as a personal attack on Bennett and his coaching staff when the obvious truths are discussed. I see a team that has completely lost their game due NOT to complete lack of athleticism, but because of coaching. A quality coach, whether high school or college level, coaches the mental as well as the physical. That is not happening. There are capable players standing on the sideline NOT playing because Bennett is extremely stubborn and will not rotate guys who could/would be playmakers. Think they are disgusted when they know they could make a difference yet they are not allowed to try? There are players on the field who are sensationalized athletes...not making their plays who are NEVER rotated out. You think this creates a powerful team? The eyes of those players say it all to me. Total disgust and humiliation with it all. Classy athletes they are because they seem to appreciate their quality SMU education and try to maintain the psyche just to hang on to their academic gift from SMU without coming out and blasting the program. Do you really think he is worried about winning this season? No. If so, he would play those treasured redshirts OR other players right now. No other Division I school would give the coach as long as it takes (even 3-5 years!) to make a difference. Bennett is not capable of developing the complete physical/emotional athlete. There is NOT a winning spirit.

[Pony_Fan]

I can't believe we are worse than last year. Do you guys REALLY think Bennett can turn this around in the long run?? I have serious, serious doubts now and to think we will most likely be winless this year is very hard to swallow.

Bennett is a likeable guy but this game day coaching is horrific and he seems like a very stubborn coach. All we do is play not to lose rather than try to win.

<small>[ 10-12-2003, 06:37 AM: Message edited by: Pony_Fan ]</small>

[HoustonStallion]

A good recruiter does not necessarily equate to being a good head coach. Just ask Longhorn fan this morning.

[Stallion]

to some of you that see outstanding athletes being held back by the coach-I see the results of having LBs who run 4.7s(instead of 4.5s) and safties who run 4.6s(instead of 4.4s)et al blitzing all nite and the commentators stating all nite long that SMU blitz has been getting to the QB just a step too late. I see our QB forcing passes because our WRs usually have someone blanketed all over them because they aren't getting open-I see results like 45% completion percentages as a result EVEN THOUGH teams load up on the run. I will agree that the offensive play calling is unimaginative and perhaps we don't have the players to make the blitz work but I don't know how some of you people think for example that SMU is anywhere close to the talent level of Rislov, Kendrick Starling, Jemel Broussard, and the TE a transfer from Tennessee. The last 3 were TOP National recruited players something SMU does not have at a single Offensive skill position-In fact, SMU does not have a single skill position player that was moderately highly recruited in Division 1A. Rislov as well was a well regarded JUCO as were the others listed. I see the results of two of the worst recruiting classes in years. The sad truth is that San Jose's talent level is far superior to SMU's right now.

[SMU4u2000]

Is Bennett playing his fastest, strongest players?

[mrydel]

I totally agree with Stallion. I have stated before that our past coaches were trying to win games and Bennett is trying to build a consistant program. Sure I would like wins now but I would much rather stockpile some quality depth and build for the future. Ron Meyer did not do it in 1 or 2 years, and he had a fairly stable base on which to build. I wish Bennett had not used all of the true freshman he has to date, but necessity has warranted it be done. We are not far away from being competitve. A running quarterback that can pass or a passing quarterback that can run would have made a diffence this year. But a true freshman at quarterback was not the answer for this year. My offer from the past still stands, anyone who wants to get rid of their season tickets (between the 40s), I will take them, but I want the rights to purchasing them for future years.

Is the season bright and sunny...no. But you youngsters need to learn patience and we oldsters need to hope we live long enough to witness the benefits of a properly and strongly built program.

<small>[ 10-12-2003, 09:43 AM: Message edited by: mrydel ]</small>

[Arkpony]

Leave it to an old Arkansas Mustang to clear the air. Thanks Mrydel for the words of hope. I feel somewhat (not a lot..but somewhat) better

[mrydel]

I have waited too long to give up Arkpony. I can truly see strides being made by this team even if not in the win column. Just think about our needs, and look at the recruits in red shirts. IF Bennett can keep up the recruiting I think it will amaze people how much better his coaching will become. Just seeing Texas getting beat by more than 50 lets me know that my dreams can come true.

[HoustonStallion]

Originally posted by mrydel:
IF Bennett can keep up the recruiting I think it will amaze people how much better his coaching will become.

You keep telling yourself that.