Recruiting priorities

[Mickey]

Upon perusing the spring roster, I count that we will have 12 ships available next year if there are no other changes. My count was as follows and may change based on my assumptions.

60 are presently on scholarship not counting Price and Walker who are no longer on the roster. Price's scholarship went to this year's recruiting class in Feb, and Marcus Walker quit the team this spring. The 60 includes ShanDerrick Charles and TJ James who are on the roster, but may not play again. It does include Hulsey Smith, who I am fairly sure is on scholarship. It does not include Matt Muns, Chad Meacham, or Brad Bean as I don't know if they are or were on scholarship.

60 (my count) + 23 incoming Frosh - 10 SR scholarships on roster = 73. 85-73=12.

Can anyone clarify or substatiate this or the status of Bean, Muns, Smith and Meacham?

[d_pony]

bean and smith are on scholarship muns and meacham are not -- we have 61 on scholarship counting t.j.james

[Mickey]

D_Pony,

Then, at this moment, SMU can sign 11 new athletes next FEB.

[Stallion]

again that is incorrect-no matter how many times its said-the date to consider is 16 months away in August 2004. SMU will sign at least 18 players next year.

[Mickey]

Stallion, Not unless 7 more leave the team early.

[Mickey]

By the way Stallion, nothing I said is incorrect. I know AUG is the cut off date. SMU can still sign one more between now and AUG because of Marcus Walker leaving the team. If no one else leaves and the Marcus Walker scholarship is still available next FEB, we can sign 11 at that time or in AUG04 if you prefer.

If we only have 11 available next year, the priority should be 1WR, 2OL, 1TE, 1FB, 1RB, 2DL, 2LB, 1CB.

[This message has been edited by Mickey (edited 04-19-2003).]

[Stallion]

once again to clarify, schools don't have to wait until a player leaves to sign someone over the 85 man limit in February. MOST schools technically go over the 85 man limit on the February signing date. So using your numbers even if nobody leaves you can still sign 15 or more ON THE SIGNING DATE in anticipation of more leaving. UT has gone 6-7 over the imaginery limit every year. There simply is NO LIMIT until August on incoming recruits(even the 25 man limit is not counted until August). SMU has gone over the limit too. Every team is going to lose at a minimum 5-6 players by natural attrition over a 16 month period.

[SoCal_Pony]

Is it possible/probable that certain players redshirted by Cavan will not be allowed to take their 5th year by Bennett?

Seems like a medical redshirt is more justifiable than non-medical one, but either way, it solves our problem of having only 11 scholarships available for next year.

If this does occur, here’s hoping Bennett handles it more professionally than what this board is reporting about Dement and Craft.

[Mickey]

It is a fairly common practice not to allow the fifth year for redshirts be it the current coach or the previous coach's recruits. I think the RS's still get the fifth year on scholarship to complete their education, but they don't count against the scholarship limit if they aren't on the roster.

[d_pony]

Mickey - unlike stallion i do not know how many scholarships we will have for next year - i tend to agree we will have some additional but we usually do not lose 6 players a year but i guess it is possible - giving credit were credit is due stallion is usually on course or at least close to being on course -- all this aside even if we only have 11 or 12 'ships to give we will take 2 wide receivers

[Mickey]

d-pony, Believe me, I agree with you that Stallion know his stuff. He seems to think that we will have 18 ships available by AUG04. Counting 10 graduating SRS and the scholarship vacated by Marcus Walker, SMU will have 11 ships available to sign next FEB assuming nobody leaves between then and AUG04. If he is correct that SMU will sign 18 next year, that means 7 more will leave. Regardless of when they sign, FEB04 to have a max of 85 by AUG04, I agree with you that 7 players leaving is a lot. That is back to my original point, who are some of the players that might leave?

[crazy horse]

I agree with Stallion. There will be attrition. Think of what we've seen in the last few years:

injuries
employment offers
rock bands
lack of playing time
family issues
academics
rules violations/legal troubles
loss of desire
etc etc.

In 16 months, 6 people leaving is not that surprising.