Willis quit

[MustangIcon]

Hoop, I think you are so used to arguing with me that you don't realize I am not disagreeing with you.

[jtstang]

Hoop, while the rest of us have been crying over the spilled milk for twenty years, why are you just now focusing on last season? It's Jones's toy to fix or break now. I predicted (repeatedly and correctly) that Willis would not be the starting QB under Jones, but frankly I'm happier with having a head coach with skins on the wall than I ever would have been with that Bennett-Willis combo we had previously. The mistake you seem to have fallen into is expecting Jones to turn this train wreck around as fast, or at least as noticeably, as he did Hawaii. That was not going to happen in one year at a school with a deep seated tradition and mentality of losing like we have here, no matter who he started at QB. Those are exactly the kind of expectations that SMU fans should avoid like the plague. And frankly the guy has a reputation of being a QB coach, so how can you blame him for going with his own recruit rather than a 1-11 leftover from the prior regime?

[Hoop Fan]

JT, I could go alot of ways with this response, but think i would say that I don't realistically see JJ as more than a 5 year guy here, thats my problem and enhances my lack of patience. He is an older guy who is installing a specialized system. So, if he's not gonna be the quick turnaround guy whose Xs and Os can make us competitive, then i am not sure what he is going to be. Hes not really a proven program builder. I also see the day he leaves after 5 years and 10 million bucks, and the next coach comes in here and takes us through a 6 year rebuild to undo the run and shoot. So, big picture, what I see is we are mortgaging 10 years for the hopes that we might have a good year or two in 2012/13.

[mrydel]

Do not worry your head about the next coach if Jones does not turn it around.

[MrMustang1965]

Do not worry your head about the next coach if Jones does not turn it around.

And on that ominous note....

[westexSMU]

[quote="Hoop Fan"] Hes not really a proven program builder.[/quote]
Tell that to Hawaii Fans where he took over a program that had just one win the year before he got there. JJ only took them to several bowl games over the years including a BCS Bowl 2 years ago. Hawaii is now only one of 3 non BCS Schools to make it to a BCS Bowl Game. Utah has played in 2 BCS games and Hawaii and Boise State have played in one BCS game each. Thats it...Hawaii went to a Bowl game again last year with a new Coach, so I would say that program has been rebuilt up to this point.. I certainly hope he has similiar results here.

[jtstang]

JT, I could go alot of ways with this response, but think i would say that I don't realistically see JJ as more than a 5 year guy here, thats my problem and enhances my lack of patience. He is an older guy who is installing a specialized system. So, if he's not gonna be the quick turnaround guy whose Xs and Os can make us competitive, then i am not sure what he is going to be. Hes not really a proven program builder. I also see the day he leaves after 5 years and 10 million bucks, and the next coach comes in here and takes us through a 6 year rebuild to undo the run and shoot. So, big picture, what I see is we are mortgaging 10 years for the hopes that we might have a good year or two in 2012/13.

If he's a short timer, all the more reason to get his guy installed as soon as possible. Not that it made a bit of difference. As for the rest, maybe you're right to attribute less than honorable intentions to Jones. Time will tell if he's a take the money and run kind of guy as you have predicted.

[ALEX LIFESON]

Hes not really a proven program builder.

Tell that to Hawaii Fans where he took over a program that had just one win the year before he got there. JJ only took them to several bowl games over the years including a BCS Bowl 2 years ago. Hawaii is now only one of 3 non BCS Schools to make it to a BCS Bowl Game. Utah has played in 2 BCS games and Hawaii and Boise State have played in one BCS game each. Thats it...Hawaii went to a Bowl game again last year with a new Coach, so I would say that program has been rebuilt up to this point.. I certainly hope he has similiar results here.

Hawaii was on a 18 game losing streak when June Jones arrived.

[PG Pony]

Very disappointing. We at least could have used the depth.

[Hoop Fan]

JT, I could go alot of ways with this response, but think i would say that I don't realistically see JJ as more than a 5 year guy here, thats my problem and enhances my lack of patience. He is an older guy who is installing a specialized system. So, if he's not gonna be the quick turnaround guy whose Xs and Os can make us competitive, then i am not sure what he is going to be. Hes not really a proven program builder. I also see the day he leaves after 5 years and 10 million bucks, and the next coach comes in here and takes us through a 6 year rebuild to undo the run and shoot. So, big picture, what I see is we are mortgaging 10 years for the hopes that we might have a good year or two in 2012/13.

If he's a short timer, all the more reason to get his guy installed as soon as possible. Not that it made a bit of difference. As for the rest, maybe you're right to attribute less than honorable intentions to Jones. Time will tell if he's a take the money and run kind of guy as you have predicted.

i don't think hes a take the money and run guy at all. I just think he is near retirement age and will want to get back to the islands before too long. and i dont think being a short timer pushes you to start a true freshmen right off. if anything, it means get your own Juco guy in from the start. Granted he tried with Craft, but it was a major failing not to get somebody from juco if you were dismissing Willis from QB. Maybe Bo levi will make me eat these words and show that he learned a lot last year and be great this year. I'll be happy as heck and big enough to say i was wrong. I've had the same screen handle for about 10 years now, so i aint running from my opinions.

[EastStang]

First, I think he's committed to righting the ship. If we can start winning, it won't be hard to find a replacement if he decided to hang up his whistle. Second, he's had success where ever he went. Third, we've changed coaches every five years or so since the death penalty, why would the possibility of his leaving be any more scarry. If he turns us around, coaches will want to come here, knowing that this is not a coaching graveyard anymore. That is the beauty of his hire. When he arrived we knew the cupboard was almost empty on defense and that the offense had some holes to fill in the line. Last year was going to be a year where we might have gone 4-7 and not given young players some game experience, or it was a year where we went 1-11 and started seeing which of our young players could really play at Division 1 level. Had Willis been available for spring ball last year, JJ might have been more comfortable letting BLM hold the clipboard last fall. But the reality was that JW and BLM both were learning from scratch. If that is the case, why not let the younger player get the game reps instead of the older player who was also still learning?

[jtstang]

I still say you can't hold it against a head coach if he wants to play his recruits rather than his predecessor's to the extent he can. Particularly if you're talking about a head coach who is regarded as a QB specialist and the position you are talking about is QB. That is all.

[Statler]

Personally, given that our defense was our achilles heel last year, I have my doubts that our record would have been appreciably different if we'd started Willis or Peruna at QB.

As for Willis's current status, I know the kid has faced a lot of on and off field adversity in he last couple of years, and the praise heaped on him in that time is for his ability to overcome it. But if it really comes down to quitting because you did not make the starting line-up, I tend to say good riddance. That's not the kind of mentality that helps you get better and this team desperately needs to get better.

I don't know, maybe thats right. I look at it more practically or possibly synically i guess in that I think Willis' SMU career was over when he was no longer option at qb for whatever crazy reason. 4th string?? that was the absurd part, true frosh Braden Smith beat him out too? He was never going to be a good D-1 receiver, too hard of a transition to make with or without injury.

and before we all pile on willis as a quitter, consider this: maybe he needs to make money for his daughter and family. Perhaps he could have held off a bit longer from working if he was going to be an integral part of the team, but sometimes when youre not, going through all the crap and spending all the time it takes is just not worth it.

A post mentioning Peruna in the sacred football forum...it must be sent to Siberia

[Stallion]

Rumor is that Willis will ride again Saturday Nite on back of Cowpoke and Bullet Bob.