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Lay off Bo LeviModerators: PonyPride, SmooPower
but how many INTs will go along with those 3, 4, or 5 TDs?
This discussion reminds me of my former boss during the last credit meltdown, when I remarked that we must be patient in markets like this, that our shareholders, creditors, and customers must have patience. His remark, "you don't understand, the market hates patience!" Same for most of us now applying for AARP!
Little discussion has addressed the issue of coaching and rebuilding philosophy. JJ comes into a program woefully short of talent, has less than 6 weeks to put together a recruiting class with all the top high school talent already committed months before he came on board, minimal Texas contacts and almost no opportunity to work the junior colleges. He did one heck of a job scrounging up the talent he landed and is playing most of them this season with few red shirts. His 2009 recruiting class is focused on high school kids with minimal pursuit of the JC kids. This tells us that JJ primarily believes in high school recruiting with the intention to have kids evolve in his program for at least 4 if not 5 years. Hence, a philosophy of long term development which requires patience and incremental progress.
Last evening I was watching the Louisville/K-State game when a second half comment by one of the commentators caught my attention. He announced, to the best of my recollection, that Louisville recruited twenty (20), yes 20, JC kids for their 2008 class. It appears, in my opinion, that their coach tried frosh recruiting only his first year and discovered that he could not maintain the program with several marginal recruiting classes already on board. He could not sustain the previous high level to the expectations of the Louisville fans with a regroup, retrench and rebuilding philosophy. Hence, in his second class he was desperate for maturity and experience that only the JC kids could give him to sustain expectations. The announcers also indicated that nine (9) of his current 2009 committments are JC kids. The Louisville victory was dominated by the impact of the JC kids who were repeatedly highlighted in the broadcast. He knows he is really running a big risk with a large number of kids who are most likely academic risks by virtue of their attending a JC and with whom he will garner only 2 years of service. Thus, a philosophy of sustaining instant results with considerable long term risks of chemistry and restocking for 2 year cycles. The process is akin to the philosophy employed by pro sports franchises of investing in farm teams, scouting and relying on the draft and/or constantly trying to sustain a competitive level with trades and risky free agents for big bucks. For those who are questioning JJ's selection of BLM as his starting QB, I would suggest this is a natural and inevitable selection based on his philosophy of long term program building based almost entirely on high school recruiting. One could argue that a blend might be the best course of action, however, this is not the course JJ has chosen to follow. Hence, BLM's baptism under fire with the expectation that some dividends will pay off starting next year with big dividends thereafter. Unfortunately, JWil was simply judged, for a variety of reasons, not to be the transition QB/direction for the best long term interest of developing the program. This philosophy and approach is firmly in place like it or not. Yep, it is a gamble, but that is why JJ is a highly regarded coach and is being paid the big bucks.
It has occured to me that a system that takes key players a year to learn and also requires a certain type player to make it work might not be a good system. The only D1 schools using the throw and hope are SMU and Hawaii. University of Houston has also had a complete coaching change and have been able to put up good point against a fair big12 team and a fair mtn west team. Houston is using a passing spread system but with most of last years players starting and playing ok in the new system. If JJ decides to pull the plug after his contract is up the chances of finding a good coach who uses the same system will be nil, then SMU is back to a rebuild with the wrong type of players. This is in no way a shoot at any of the players, What is being done to the freshmen is close to a crime.
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JUCO rarely commit early. We are recruiting some JUCOs and in the last 8 months have brought in our share of JUCOs and transfers-about 6 I can think of. I think you are wrong that Jones will look almost "exclusively" at High School players. Based on his history I don't know how you possibly could come to that conclusion since a great percentage of his best players were-JUCOs and transfers.
It is interesting to me that JJ has gone with BLM and has chosen to stay with him despite his play through the first three games. I think JW or LT would have done better but that leads me to believe JJ has sold the farm and put all his money on BLM good or bad.
JW will never play QB at SMU again and LT has obviously done something to warrant demotion. BLM certainly has a future, but should he be the guy now? After reading the DMN article today I also realized that in BLM's high school career, he probably never walked on the field as an underdog, ever. LT probably never walked out as the favorite, yet he led the state in passing and I think his team was respectable. It may be difficult for BLM to play as the underdog, it isn't something he has ever had to do. Physically, they are similar except for BLM being much slower and I think LT has a little edge in arm strength. I would think after the spring LT had he would be ahead mentally, but obviously he is not. Or if he is, JJ is just bound and determined to make BLM the guy, and if that is the case what do these QB recruits think when considering SMU. If I was Padron, there is no way I would consider SMU after seeing what has transpired at the position.
If I was Padron I would be excited about SMU. JJ has done several things that I would like (had I possessd the slightest bit of talent).
First, he opened the position to competition, chosing the best player(under his system or long-term or both). Second, he has been willing to give the player a chance without prematurely pulling him. JJ is patiently living by his decision. Third, I am amazed at Willis' attitude. I would never have beleived his positive leadership during this year, this is attributable to both Willis and JJ's management of the situation. Willis needs to be congradulated. Very few coaches have JJ's experience developing QB's. A huge difference regarding Padron, is that he would be JJ's recruit, the only QB on the squad todate is Bo, I would be only his second. Finally, if I sign and redshirt a year, I still have the opportunity to start for two years if Bo continues to be the man. If I am a QB my ego would be such that I would beleive I am the best man on the squad. I am going to compete for PT anywhere, why not be coached by the best?
What I keep thinking about is what if BLM does not meet expectations.
Is it conceivable Pardon would be yet another true freshman starting at QB….because if it’s not BLM, and it apparently will not be our current 4th string QB JWill…don’t tell me we have any other legitimate options, because we don’t.
This is a Coaching decision and any discussion should be directed as much as possible to the Coach who made the decision. Mitchell is only doing what should have been expected-throwing Interceptions and failing to read the defense.
Yes. The entire team is young which includes the qb. The best qb won in practice. It was an open qb competition and Jones picked the best performer. Are you guys telling me that a different qb would equal wins against Rice, Tech, and TCU? Tech and TCU are top 20 teams. I do not believe any other qb on the roster would have made a difference. You guys want to start Willis? He was the starting qb last year and we won 1 game. It is this simple--we have a proven head coach and asst. head coaches that have won with this system everywhere they have been. They are in the process of increasing the talent on the roster and have to play too many freshmen and redshirt freshmen due to a lack of talent from the upperclassmen on the team. Where are all the great Bennett recruits that should be starting right now? If we had a team with the best players Juniors and Seniors like TCU we may have been able to compete and win the game last night. We do not but things will change with improved coaching, recruiting, and admission policies to get Juco and transfer players. So yes, lay off Bo Levi and continue to support the team.
BAMA 
I predict a flock of BOObirds fresh in from Capistrano will arrive during the first quarter of the Tulsa game.
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