Why the change?

[Dark Horse]

I'm in favor of getting young guys in there if they can make plays, help the team win, etc., but the DMN says redshirt freshman Reggie Carrington is starting at MLB ahead of D.D. Lee. Why? Lee is leading the team in tackles - he can't be playing that bad, right? I've thought he's looked good, with the exception of a couple of interceptions he should have made.

[abezontar]

I read that too, and was a little confused. THe only thing I can figure is that maybe Bennett doesn't think that D.D. Lee is playing to his real potential and his hoping a benching will spark him to even more success. At least that is my hopeful interpretation.

[PerunaPunch]

Justin Rogers is also starting at DE.

<small>[ 10-21-2003, 08:57 AM: Message edited by: PerunaPunch ]</small>

[MustangStealth]

I noticed that on Saturday. What happened to Melvin Williams? I thought he was having a good season.

[Hoop Fan]

Melvin Williams is a terrific kid and a good player, one of my favorites. But he and DD Lee are upperclassmen. If Rogers and Carrington are anywhere close in ability, the reason they are going to play is that they are redshirt freshman. At 0-7, you have to get ready for the future, no way around it.

[Cyn]

I'm for whatever it takes to win! If this means making some changes, so be it. I believe coaches have to look at every aspect of the team. How will you not know who can get the job done if you don't put them out on the field. One player might be having a bad day and another could be on top of the world. Changes are hard but sometime good!

[Cupcaking]

it was going to happen to another good starter last week too. but the freshman had an injury. but i guess you can put a postive spin on it any way you like.i just can't see it that way.

<small>[ 10-21-2003, 10:02 AM: Message edited by: Cupcaking ]</small>

[SMUstang]

In my opinion, the freshmen should wait their turn and get experience in practice, scrimmages, and in game situations where we have a big lead or are behind so far it will be impossible to catch up.

Let the Juniors and Seniors that have put in the time and effort for 3-5 years have the opportunity to play. They have earned it. In my opinion, that is what hurt the team when Cavan came in. He didn't want to play any of Rossely's players. Never mind they were better than his players (e.g. Flanagan). That really hurt the morale of the team and a lot of the players left and went to other schools.

btw - We no doubt would have beaten the 0-10 TCU team that year if Cavan had played Flanagan and Womack. And we would have gone to a bowl game too. No telling how much that would have helped the program and the recruiting. (e.g. Francione the next year)

<small>[ 10-21-2003, 10:43 AM: Message edited by: SMUstang ]</small>

[Cupcaking]

Originally posted by SMUstang:
In my opinion, the freshmen should wait their turn and get experience in practice, scrimmages, and in game situations where we have a big lead or are behind so far it will be impossible to catch up.

Let the Juniors and Seniors that have put in the time and effort for 3-5 years have the opportunity to play. They have earned it. In my opinion, that is what hurt the team when Cavan came in. He didn't want to play any of Rossely's players. Never mind they were better than his players (e.g. Flanagan). That really hurt the morale of the team and a lot of the players left and went to other schools.

btw - We no doubt would have beaten the 0-10 TCU team that year if Cavan had played Flanagan and Womack. And we would have gone to a bowl game too. No telling how much that would have helped the program and the recruiting. (e.g. Francione the next year)

Exactly!!!!

[Hoop Fan]

this situation is nothing like Flanigan and Womack going for a bowl game at 6-4. Carrington was one guy who looked like he wanted to play last Saturday. He was hitting people. There is no reason to sit young guys behind juniors and seniors when they are ready to play. At 0-7 the veterans have had their chance. It even happens in high school ball people. But I forgot, this is YMCA ball and somebody might get their feelings hurt.

[PerunaPunch]

As a general rule, I understand and totally agree with what SMUstang is saying about upperclassment deserving the start (all things being equal). But I think what we might be seeing here is Coach Bennett trying to light a fire under this team. This is not to imply that anyone is actually cupcaking, but on the other hand we were obviusly FLAT as can be last week.

Some of the younger guys who haven't had many snaps yet this year would kill to get some quality playing time. And that might be part of what this team needs.

In any case, this certainly makes me want to drive to Tulsa on Saturday. Very curious to see how the "new kids" will fare.

[Hoop Fan]

It doesn't really matter who starts, I can see keeping the starting role in favor of the upperclassmen, but if a young guy deserves significant playing time, at 0-7 he has to get it.

[PlanoStang]

I remember that Donte Womack broke some team rule, and was benched as punishment for that TCU game in 97. I don't remember exactly what the crime was, but thought the punishment didn't fit it at the time especially with a bowl game at stake.

Did Ramon Flannigan really not play in that TCU game? Cavan was an idiot not playing the SMU alltime offensive passing/rushing leader. He sat out several games that year, and we would've been 8-3 or better if he had played.

Oh well, maybe this Phillips guy will be the next
Mike Ford.

[EastStang]

As long as there was a chance at a .500 season, Bennett stuck with his veterans. Most coaches aren't even that loyal. That is not longer possible, we now are assured of a losing season. It's time to groom the younger players and see what they can do against other teams. Let the older players cheer on the younger ones and help them get ready for successful careers at SMU.

[Longtime]

Womack did break a team rule, a serious one.

The punishment was severe, but so was the infraction. And by the way, there was no bowl game at stake. Our only hope was the Independence Bowl, which matched Notre Dame against LSU that year. Which one would SMU have bumped from the game?

Flanigan played early in the TCU game that year and threw a crucial interception. He was known for being cocky and thinking he was smarter than the coaches. It started under Rossley.

Now that Ramon is a coach himself, it's probably just desserts.

Eventually, Chris Sanders started pulling the same crap and ignoring the plays being sent in. He transferred to a program where he could throw on every down.

Cavan had his faults, but discipline wasn't one of them.

Bennett is trying to establish discipline in his program, too. Bartel has proven he can't be trusted as a leader of this team, and a quarterback is a leader simply because of the nature of the position.

It wasn't a knee-jerk, desperate act to announce Phillips as the starter after the game. There wasn't enough time to prepare a freshman after Bartel and Wallis screwed up Thursday, so he waited until after the game to announce the decision.

To throw a freshman in against Boise State, a Top 25 caliber team, would have been knee-jerk. It also would have scarred Phillips for life.

Bennett isn't fearing for his job or anything like that. He's trying to build a program. He was forced to play Bartel in one more game and the results were to be expected.