Norm about to do segment on SMU coaching search

[chipper]

Lots of words about SMU being a "Coach Killer"

SMU's ex coaches - Where are they now? Nowhere
It will be years before PB gets another shot at a Head Coach job (if ever)

[TexasTechFan]

What is the link???

Don't have a link, but IMHO, this guy's credibility is rock solid.

[Pony^]

Does Paul Johnson really have to recruit under the same NCAA restrictions? Don't the Service Academies basically have unlimited scholarships (since they don't award specific atheltic scholarships).

Also, don't the Academies also have prep schools where they can steer high school seniors to for a year before they enroll?

I think they have a five-year military committment after graduation, which probably eliminates anyone with a desire to play in the NFL. I don't think they have fluff majors either.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Damn. Now we'll never get rid of the navy uniforms...

[Dement-ed]

Wow...he is the only one on the ticket with any sports cred

I think Bob Sturm has Sports cred, too.

True. Norm's got the most, but Bob's got some value, too, as does Rich Phillips .... but the rest of those idiots are just that - idiots.

[Dement-ed]

Lots of words about SMU being a "Coach Killer"

SMU's ex coaches - Where are they now? Nowhere
It will be years before PB gets another shot at a Head Coach job (if ever)

He basically has said he's happy going back to coordinator status. Too many non-coaching headaches in being a head coach....

[Alaric]

Does Paul Johnson really have to recruit under the same NCAA restrictions? Don't the Service Academies basically have unlimited scholarships (since they don't award specific atheltic scholarships).

Also, don't the Academies also have prep schools where they can steer high school seniors to for a year before they enroll?

I think they have a five-year military committment after graduation, which probably eliminates anyone with a desire to play in the NFL. I don't think they have fluff majors either.

When my brother was at the AF Academy, the average SAT of football players was considerably higher than SMU's overall student body. He did say they will occasionally make small exceptions for great football players. They also can't redshirt so that partially offsets their prep school advantage. Prep schools are an advantage but they have a lot of offsetting disadvantages too. Recruiting is somewhat of an unknown but if he didn't run the "veerbone" I'd be really excited about him.

[SMU Football Blog]

Does Paul Johnson really have to recruit under the same NCAA restrictions? Don't the Service Academies basically have unlimited scholarships (since they don't award specific atheltic scholarships).

Also, don't the Academies also have prep schools where they can steer high school seniors to for a year before they enroll?

I think they have a five-year military committment after graduation, which probably eliminates anyone with a desire to play in the NFL. I don't think they have fluff majors either.

This is the point I keep making. You have to go the F'ing NAVY!!! For five years. It takes a special kind of person to go to the Naval Academy. To suggest there is some natural recruiting advantage to this is silly.

[EastStang]

Or even more dangerous THE MARINE CORPS. Ouch, first guys to storm the beach AND WE ARE AT WAR RIGHT NOW! So, to recruit athletes to the Naval Academy they are signing on to go to Iraq or some other place and worry about either being shot at or attacked in some other way (like the Cole). Yeah, every guy wants to do that.

[thefamousguy]

Does Paul Johnson really have to recruit under the same NCAA restrictions? Don't the Service Academies basically have unlimited scholarships (since they don't award specific atheltic scholarships).

Also, don't the Academies also have prep schools where they can steer high school seniors to for a year before they enroll?

This is the same unrealistic argument that Stallion continues to support. You can have a million scholarships but it won't help if the best athletes don't want to have a military commitment upon graduation. Having unlimited scholarships at an undesirable football school is not an advantage over what a school like SMU offers. Also, I look at Navy's signings yearly and they get the scrap football players from various schools throughout the US. Prep school is overrated. It's equivalent to our redshirt year. Paul Johnson has worked miracles at Navy, given the level of talent.

[ponyboy]

btw - I think Norm is an idiot.

No one -- not even Chuck Cooperstein with his vastly superior voice -- knows sports in this town more than Norm Hitzges. His only problem other than the voice is that he doesn't do the sophomoric schtick on that sad excuse for a sports radio station.