Coaching vs recruiting

[LA_Mustang]

The past several years many blamed Bennett's coaching ability for our failures.....but Stallion consistently said our lack of talent and recruiting, not the coaching were the problems.

Well, we brought in the coaching savior and we're about to go winless against D1-A schools with basically the same team. Shouldn't JJ have been able to coach us to at least one win? Or was Stallion right - the coach has never been the problem....we just don't have the talent? The college game is all about recruiting.

IMO, JJ is a very good offensive coach but he sometimes lets his pride get in the way of smart decisions (starting Mitchell instead of redshirting him).....and I think he is surprised by how difficult it is to recruit kids to SMU, particularly local kids. Maybe he should have given Bennett and Cavan a call.

[jason54858]

Stallion may be on to something. SMU may have a lack of talent, but this team is not a 1-11 team. This team has the players to be a much better team then what we are seeing on field. There is no question in my mind that we are better then our record, and it all comes down to the coach. Though, I believe the team may have a better future with Jones at coach (that still remains to be seen). There is no dought that we would have had a better record this year with Bennet as coach. Simply because I believe Bennet would have played the best players on the team instead of playing the best players for his system.

[ponydawg]

Simply because I believe Bennet would have played the best players on the team instead of playing the best players for his system.

Whoa whao whoa.......Bennett had a system?

[OR-See-Nee]

Simply because I believe Bennet would have played the best players on the team instead of playing the best players for his system.

Whoa whao whoa.......Bennett had a system?

Pistol.

[jason54858]

Simply because I believe Bennet would have played the best players on the team instead of playing the best players for his system.

Whoa whao whoa.......Bennett had a system?

Of course he did. They all do right. Now it may not have been a good system, but he had a system I'm guessing.

[Pony_Fan]

If he had a 1 year contract and had to win now, I think things might have been different. He seems to have quite an EGO to pull some of the moves he has. This will be a nice little retirement account for him. $10M.

The offense has looked quite good at times. If we had even a halfway decent defense, we would have won some games. No doubting that.

[PK]

Stallion may be on to something. SMU may have a lack of talent, but this team is not a 1-11 team. This team has the players to be a much better team then what we are seeing on field. There is no question in my mind that we are better then our record, and it all comes down to the coach. Though, I believe the team may have a better future with Jones at coach (that still remains to be seen). There is no dought that we would have had a better record this year with Bennet as coach. Simply because I believe Bennet would have played the best players on the team instead of playing the best players for his system.

Exactly which 11 players should have been playing defense this year that would have made more wins possible? The fact is that in most games the offense has not been the problem. They may not be a well oiled machine yet, but more times than not it was our inability to stop the other team in the fourth quarter that lead to our loss of a game. That was the same problem last year...and an indication of the problem is when your kicker makes the most dramatic tackle of the year.

[LA_Mustang]

You're right about the D, PK....but we have been in position to win 3 games and I thought JJ would bring one of those wins home. We would have blamed Bennett for all three of those loses.

[jason54858]

Stallion may be on to something. SMU may have a lack of talent, but this team is not a 1-11 team. This team has the players to be a much better team then what we are seeing on field. There is no question in my mind that we are better then our record, and it all comes down to the coach. Though, I believe the team may have a better future with Jones at coach (that still remains to be seen). There is no dought that we would have had a better record this year with Bennet as coach. Simply because I believe Bennet would have played the best players on the team instead of playing the best players for his system.

Exactly which 11 players should have been playing defense this year that would have made more wins possible? The fact is that in most games the offense has not been the problem. They may not be a well oiled machine yet, but more times than not it was our inability to stop the other team in the fourth quarter that lead to our loss of a game. That was the same problem last year...and an indication of the problem is when your kicker makes the most dramatic tackle of the year.

But the offense is part of the problem. Turnovers and 3 and outs put defenses in bad positions on the field. How can you continuely blame a defense when they have to defend from their own 40 yard line all the time

[PK]

Stallion may be on to something. SMU may have a lack of talent, but this team is not a 1-11 team. This team has the players to be a much better team then what we are seeing on field. There is no question in my mind that we are better then our record, and it all comes down to the coach. Though, I believe the team may have a better future with Jones at coach (that still remains to be seen). There is no dought that we would have had a better record this year with Bennet as coach. Simply because I believe Bennet would have played the best players on the team instead of playing the best players for his system.

Exactly which 11 players should have been playing defense this year that would have made more wins possible? The fact is that in most games the offense has not been the problem. They may not be a well oiled machine yet, but more times than not it was our inability to stop the other team in the fourth quarter that lead to our loss of a game. That was the same problem last year...and an indication of the problem is when your kicker makes the most dramatic tackle of the year.

But the offense is part of the problem. Turnovers and 3 and outs put defenses in bad positions on the field. How can you continuely blame a defense when they have to defend from their own 40 yard line all the time

I didn't say the offense was guiltless, but there were at least three games we coulda and shoulda won. Tulsa, Houston and Memphis. Yes there were times that we went three and out, but on the other hand, our defense was not able to return the favor to the other team. In fact the other teams hardly ever were forced to punt which would have given our offense more opportunities to try to score. The fact is that our defense for the last two years has been our weakest part of the team. So again, going with your statement that we were not fielding our best players, exactly which 11 players should have been playing defense this year that would have made more wins possible? Which ones can tackle like our kicker? Which ones can stop a running play? Which ones can cover a 6'-8" WR? Are you sure we are not playing our best players already?

[Dwan]

June Jones is starting over with his players or players who buy into his system. His goal this year is to change the attitude and culture at smu first.

[ozfan]

If he had a 1 year contract and had to win now, I think things might have been different. He seems to have quite an EGO to pull some of the moves he has. This will be a nice little retirement account for him. $10M.

The offense has looked quite good at times. If we had even a halfway decent defense, we would have won some games. No doubting that.

Rice is 7 and 3 at this time with losses to Texas and Vandy - They have 11 defensive players injured - 10 of those injured are in the rotation - Rice ranks in the bottom 5% of 1A on defense - How did they win 7 seven games and will most likley win one or two more - They have no name coaches that have never coached d1 before and had to use the players left to them by a previous coach

[SMU2007]

If he had a 1 year contract and had to win now, I think things might have been different. He seems to have quite an EGO to pull some of the moves he has. This will be a nice little retirement account for him. $10M.

The offense has looked quite good at times. If we had even a halfway decent defense, we would have won some games. No doubting that.

Rice is 7 and 3 at this time with losses to Texas and Vandy - They have 11 defensive players injured - 10 of those injured are in the rotation - Rice ranks in the bottom 5% of 1A on defense - How did they win 7 seven games and will most likley win one or two more - They have no name coaches that have never coached d1 before and had to use the players left to them by a previous coach

they also recently went to a bowl, remember? we've had a 1 win, a 0 win, and presumably another 1 win this year in the last 5 years.

[ozfan]

If he had a 1 year contract and had to win now, I think things might have been different. He seems to have quite an EGO to pull some of the moves he has. This will be a nice little retirement account for him. $10M.

The offense has looked quite good at times. If we had even a halfway decent defense, we would have won some games. No doubting that.

Rice is 7 and 3 at this time with losses to Texas and Vandy - They have 11 defensive players injured - 10 of those injured are in the rotation - Rice ranks in the bottom 5% of 1A on defense - How did they win 7 seven games and will most likley win one or two more - They have no name coaches that have never coached d1 before and had to use the players left to them by a previous coach

they also recently went to a bowl, remember? we've had a 1 win, a 0 win, and presumably another 1 win this year in the last 5 years.

Yes they went to a bowl game with players the previous coach recruited to play in a run offense - that coach put in his version of the spread won then went to Tulsa after one year - Rice has not had continuity in the coaching staff, are using player recruited for a run offense and have major injuries on the defense and still are getting the job done - What are they doing that SMU is not doing besides winning

[HFvictory]

Bennett would have won at least 5 games this year.