Interesting read (recruiting)

[Big Cat]

http://www.prepstar.com/subscribe/magazines/98recap/wac.shtml

[PerunaPunch]

Yes. Interesting. Every once and awhile (about once a year) that article get posted on this board again. But yes, that was a very interesting class. Interesting to see who made an impact and who didnt (for whatever reason).

That's part of the problem we're facing currently. One great recruiting class does not a great team make.

Some of the kids out of that class, those who became stars for the Mustangs (Aldridge, Croy, Garrett, Viloria), helped make us just good enough to hang in the middle of the WAC pack. Too bad nothing ever came of Mosley, Ellen, and Pratt - they could have helped turn the tide. But again, it takes several back-to-back years of that kind of recruiting to build a good team. And, IMHO, this is the same situation we currently find ourselves in.

[PonyFan]

Interesting read.
Of the three PrepStar all-America players, Lute Croy was the only one who played (and he played great), even though David Ellen and especially Marcus Mosley arrived amid much higher expectations.

[ponyboy]

Actually TWO great recruiting classes back to back in '97 and '98, PP. (Great by WAC standards, that is. We were in a class below UT and A&M but on par with Tech and TCU). Which is why the 2000 season when they were juniors and seniors was so disappointing to me. We blew out of the gate in that first home game against Kansas. Then steered ourselves right into the mud beginning with the loss the next week at UTEP. And then went on to lose eight of the next ten.

[Stallion]

it must have been heart-breaking to a Cheerleader like you-of course, if you paid attention you would have noticed that half of one of those recruiting class was already gone by the season you had your poor little heart ripped out by "that idiot" Cavan. So to the extent we are arguing that great recruits who get hurt, transfer or flunk out don't help you meet expectations then I'd agree 100%. Now what in the hell does that have to do with the essential goal of trying to recruit the best possible players. I gurantee you will not see more than about 5 sleepers on the teams battling for the NC this week. I wonder if they have Pollyannas on their board questioning the importance of recruiting.

<small>[ 12-31-2003, 06:37 AM: Message edited by: Stallion ]</small>

[Big Cat]

I agree with Stallion on this. Cavan was a good coach, but he was not given the opportunity to remain competitive.

[PerunaPunch]

Cavan was not a good coach. He was in waaaaay over his head when he took the head coaching position here. The self-imposed restrictions SMU had in place only exacerbated an already bad situation.

[PerunaPunch]

I should amend my previous statement by saying that Cavan wasn't necessarily a bad coach, but that he certainly didn't have the wherewithal to coach on this level, in that situation and under SMU's expectations.

My criticism of Cavan is a generalization. It would be more accurate to say he was a bad choice as a head coach here.

<small>[ 12-31-2003, 07:24 AM: Message edited by: PerunaPunch ]</small>

[OldPony]

QB's. Nuff said.

[Stallion]

.....don't forget WRs, TEs, OLM, RBs, DLM, LBs, CBs, S and KICKERS. Average talent at best on my most charitable day.

[OldPony]

Actually I was refeering to his handling of QB's but you are right. He had little talent and had better teams with that talent than we have seen so far from Bennett. It remains to be seen if Bennett follows in his footsteps as a developer of QB's but he is looking more like Cavan in that respect each year. Bennett deserves a chance to bring his own guys on and see what he can do. Last year's recruiting class was encouraging but I fear the lack of quality big men will prevent these guys from going too far. When somebody like Richars or Kelcher signs, I'll get really excited. Bennett has to improve as a coach in order to keep any momentum going. He, hopefully, is growing into the job but he doesn't have but a few years left to make a difference.

[ponyboy]

You are right again, Stallion. It WAS heartbreaking in 2000. And thanks for calling me a cheerleader. As much as it drives you nuts, I do love my school and consider the term "cheerleader" a compliment. As a matter of fact, I love SMU so much that I'd rather be wrong than have them lose. So much so that I'd never take one sided views that caused me to paint myself into a corner. So much so that I'm willing to admit when I'm clearly in the wrong, as sometimes happens.

Keep building that straw man. It's easier to win an argument that way. I have never called Mike Cavan an idiot or anything close to it. My problem with him was with his play selection (or the play selection of his direct reports), his inability to develop talent, and inability to keep talent from running off. He was not a good motivator and lost the respect of his team. Cavan brought in the talent to have done much, much better than he did. At least until the Malin incident killed recruiting for the remainder of his time here.

Both coaching and recruiting matter. Cavan had the players from the nice classes in '97 and '98. But he did not get the job done as a coach.

[ponyboy]

And NEVER have I questioned the importance of recruiting. Never. But another of your straw men. I've said repeatedly that BOTH recruiting and coaching matter. They're both necessary to success.

[No Quarter]

Someone please remind me about just one player from that class, Mosley from SOC. Did he get hurt, lose interest, flunk, what? Did he play anywhere else after leaving SMU?

[Stallion]

off the top of my head, LB David Ellen got hurt, Mosely didn't go to class and quit, CB Corlin Donalson was involved in the Malin incident, the DT Jerry Evans from Galveston Ball who was very promising had some family/personal issues and left after a year. All were Texas Top 100 players and along with Kevin Aldridge were the heart of the recruiting class. Also, Tellis Redmon had committed to SMU early but when he was faced with admission issues decommitted and signed with Minnisota along with his cousin Jack Brewer. BTW Redmon and Aldridge made the Texas Football Ist Team Super Team. Donaldson and Ellen made Second Team, Mosely made Third Team. That nucleus compares very favorably with Bennett's second class (under much more difficult admission requirements) despite the consensus that last year's recruiting class was the best in 15 years.