Can someone explain to me why it's taking so long?

[TheBestAvailable]

I hope u are not referring to O'Leary.
I've thought he's a safety net along.
I hope I'm wrong.

Todd Graham. Born in Mesquite, coached in Allen, coached in Mesquite and recruited Dallas for over 10 years beginning with West Virvinia. Natural fit.

I don't claim to know anyone with inside information but it just seems logical to me. If he will coach Rice he would likely consider SMU and I can't think of a reason he wouldn't leave Tulsa for SMU if he's going to make more Money.

[jkflamebo]

"who said were gonna hire a bozo?"

nobody did......thats the point.

the assumption that something is wrong at SMU because Duke
and Southern Illinios have hired coaches is an assumption based
on ignorance.

based on ignorance? pathetic and incoherent accusation. so you are saying we are at least fine or in a better position than duke and northern illinois not having hired a coach yet? you are a jack [deleted] my friend

[perunapower]

"who said were gonna hire a bozo?"

nobody did......thats the point.

the assumption that something is wrong at SMU because Duke
and Southern Illinios have hired coaches is an assumption based
on ignorance.

based on ignorance? pathetic and incoherent accusation. so you are saying we are at least fine or in a better position than duke and northern illinois not having hired a coach yet? you are a jack [deleted] my friend

Who cares what order schools hire a coach in? This isn't a race. Being the quickest to hire doesn't have a special prize. We may or may not be in a better position than Duke or N. Ill. Would honestly want SMU to hire Cutcliffe or Kill? Don't give me the whine crap saying "I just want any coach now." You know you'd be complaining about how Orsini f'd this hire up and how SMU football is forever doomed to suck.

Some of you guys need to get a grip on reality.

[Ponyx2]

In 3 years, what difference will it make. Hopefully we'll look back and say "It took a long time to hire and announce "X", but damn, it was worth the wait."

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

based on ignorance?

yes....we are all "in the dark"

pathetic and incoherent accusation

silly....i am not calling you ignorant
i am saying we are all "in the dark"
we don't know whats going on behind the scenes
and to assume "the sky is falling" is not based on fact

so you are saying we are at least fine or in a better position
than duke and northern illinois not having hired a coach yet?

I am saying....that is yet to be determined.
And don't you agree?

It is silly to assume because Duke & Southern Illinios
hired a coach that somehow means we are in trouble.

you are a jack [deleted] my friend

and you are not a [deleted] just because you
disagree with me

and i hope we are both cheering on the Mustangs lead by
the great coach the Mob Hoss hires for SMU for years to come

[Stallion]

in 3 years a really bad class of below average juniors or redshirt sophmores will be dragging the team down. That's why it makes a difference. Cause and affect. And here's a dose of reality-about 98% of ADs should have got this done in 7 weeks before the start of the quiet period.

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

"in 3 years a really bad class of below average juniors or redshirt sophmores will be dragging the team down. That's why it makes a difference. Cause and affect. And here's a dose of reality-about 98% of ADs should have got this done in 7 weeks before the start of the quiet period."

ok.....so what if Orsini has a real "WOW" that is
not available until after Christmas and will be named coach say on Dec 29.

are you really saying it would be better to hire some 2nd tier coach
three weeks ago and not get the "home run" because we had to wait?

[Stallion]

There are plenty of great Coaches that SMU hasn't even contacted and plenty of great Coaches who should be pursued. He should at least insist the damn coach commit to SMU now and let him finish out his NFL or College Season so at least the recruits know who the guy is and the Coach can make contact with recruits and hire a staff. Yes that's what I'm saying. he has no guarantees if he doesn't. Just as he didn't with Johnson. This situation is THE MOST DIRE IN THE NATION. SMU's recruiting list is just plain bad right now-an entire class of Sun Belt level sleepers. You can't compare this job to Michigan with 17 great commitments(Top 10) or Arkansas with 19 great commitments(No. 24) or a UCLA class with 22 great commitments(No. 5)-they are all among the better classes in the Nation. SMU is in serious trouble-and this search is not being conducted in a reasonable manner or with the urgency that is customary in Division 1A.

[ALEX LIFESON]

If Copeland were here, I would be beyond suicidal. With the mob boss running the family business, I still have confidence. Look at the man's track record, and just look what he has done at SMU in a year and a half. Even Orsini has said, that this is the biggest hire of his life, do you think he is thumbing through the phonebook? He strikes me as, EXTREMELY meticulous.

[BRStang]

There are plenty of great Coaches that SMU hasn't even contacted and plenty of great Coaches who should be pursued. He should at least insist the damn coach commit to SMU now and let him finish out his NFL or College Season so at least the recruits know who the guy is and the Coach can make contact with recruits and hire a staff. Yes that's what I'm saying. he has no guarantees if he doesn't. Just as he didn't with Johnson. This situation is THE MOST DIRE IN THE NATION. SMU's recruiting list is just plain bad right now-an entire class of Sun Belt level sleepers. You can't compare this job to Michigan with 17 great commitments or Arkansas with 19 great commitments or a UCLA class with 22 great commitments-they are all among the better classes in the Nation. SMU is in serious trouble-and this search is not being conducted in a reasonable manner or with the urgency that is customary in Division 1A.

Extremely well put, Stallion.

[Charleston Pony]

given SMU's 20 year post death penalty history and the fact we are on the outside looking in at the BCS, the ONLY chance SMU has to significantly upgrade recruiting is for Orsini to make that "splash" hire everyone has been speculating about.

With a coach that kids will know and respect taking this job, it just might cause some higher profile kids to give SMU a serious look. Just look at Doherty...at least he will get a kid's attention when he contacts them. Now...closing the deal is another story all together, but this program has to crawl before it will ever think about running again.

Orsini now has a budget that just might afford him an opportunity to find a coach who will be able to recruit successfully enough to better our CUSA foes. Let's not kid ourselves into thinking ANYONE is going to come in here and steal recruits from the upper echelon BCS programs.

That's why the timing of this hire isn't critical. We aren't trying to close the deal on any JUCO "difference makers" and last time I checked, the top H.S. kids who are still available are either deciding between the highest bidder or have academic issues.

Let's all try to relax and look forward to an early new year's present. I think this thing will go into January and the board will slow to a crawl before it happens...and the "secret coach" thread could reach 200 pages before anything is announced!

[OC Mustang]

given SMU's 20 year post death penalty history and the fact we are on the outside looking in at the BCS, the ONLY chance SMU has to significantly upgrade recruiting is for Orsini to make that "splash" hire everyone has been speculating about.

With a coach that kids will know and respect taking this job, it just might cause some higher profile kids to give SMU a serious look. Just look at Doherty...at least he will get a kid's attention when he contacts them. Now...closing the deal is another story all together, but this program has to crawl before it will ever think about running again.

Orsini now has a budget that just might afford him an opportunity to find a coach who will be able to recruit successfully enough to better our CUSA foes. Let's not kid ourselves into thinking ANYONE is going to come in here and steal recruits from the upper echelon BCS programs.

That's why the timing of this hire isn't critical. We aren't trying to close the deal on any JUCO "difference makers" and last time I checked, the top H.S. kids who are still available are either deciding between the highest bidder or have academic issues.

Let's all try to relax and look forward to an early new year's present. I think this thing will go into January and the board will slow to a crawl before it happens...and the "secret coach" thread could reach 200 pages before anything is announced!

I couldn't disagree more with you. Steve O isn't managing expectations as aggressively as he should, and the longer this search takes, the more necessary a splash hire becomes. That's a damn tough chance to take, if indeed that is what is happening. It could be fine in the end. And that would be excellent. But I certainly don't have a comfort level at all with the search.

[socite]

At this time, the only reason I can think of as to why the hiring of a "WOW" head coach is taking this long is that Orsini is waiting for Darrell Royal to pass his physical.

[overcusser]

[huskerpony]

in 3 years a really bad class of below average juniors or redshirt sophmores will be dragging the team down. That's why it makes a difference. Cause and affect. And here's a dose of reality-about 98% of ADs should have got this done in 7 weeks before the start of the quiet period.

Absolutely. I don't think 90% of the people on here understand that. A real splash hire would counteract half of the negative consequences of this search, which is fine, but if we're waiting to announce until after a bowl game, Orsini and the new coach have no idea what they are doing. Look at all of the coaches who have left before the bowl game or are at least recruiting for thier new teams and still coaching the bowl game. Every one of them has stated--It's all about recruiting.

We are NOT waiting for someone to finish their bowl game. We are probably waiting for the fallout of UCLA. Scraps from UCLA could be worth the wait. I just hope it is.