Tone down the expectations... just like the Rangers

[JasonB]

Everyone knew before the season started that we are a year away. Don't let the fact that we have played better than expected so far get clouded by the fact that we almost gave away huge leads in two straight weeks.

Last year, we couldn't get the huge lead. So, there is some movement forward.

I still stand by my preseason prediction of 5-7 with no bowl. Before the season, I thought there was no chance for a bowl. After three games, I think there is actually a chance. Granted, a lot of that is because the teams on the schedule are so horrible. But still, I think we are a little ahead of schedule.

Sure, this game is on BLM. two INTs for a TD and throws the third when a field goal puts us up by two scores. JJ is trying to instill a "winners" attitude instead of the current "trying not to lose" mentality that the players have. Which is why BLM is still throwing the ball on that third INT drive and also why he threw on 3rd and 2 when we are running out the clock. Heck, that incompletion really is what cost us the game. If we had run time off the clock or forced them to burn a TO, they don't have time to score.

The full team isn't in place yet. Lack of depth kills us, especially in the no huddle situations. It has been shown in all three games, and will continue to be shown until halfway through the system when more frosh are integrated into the gameplan.

But, that said, we are still ahead of schedule. A young QB behind a really young Oline is going to be pressured into bad decisions. That is why young QBs behind young Olines don't win very often in college football. That is a fact... even Griffin at Baylor had an experienced o-line last season. That is why we will be 5-7 this season. 8-4 next year. Really, really good in two. But we are ahead of schedule. So, maybe 6-6 this year. We still have a chance when the kids start closing games out and putting the foot on the neck of the bad teams. Right now, we are actually better than the teams we have played, which we couldn't say last season. It isn't a fluke that we have been up big with a lead to give away. So, maybe next year we will go 9-3. That would be great.

Stop harping on BLM and stop talking about benching him. We have zero other options. Smith doesn't have the arm to run the offense. Period. And Padron isn't ready yet; he needs to redshirt. Nobody else is going to give us the lead to lose at this point, especially behind a young line. If BLM throws an INT for a TD next season in a game like this, Padron or McD are coming in, if they don't unseat him in the spring. JJ wants to win as much as the rest of us. Right now BLM gives us the best chance to win. Next year, JJ will go with whomever gives us the best chance to win.

But get over consiracy or ego thoughts. They are totally out of line. We just don't have the depth at QB (as well as many other positions) this season. Period. And Jones isn't going to pull Padron's redshirt unless he absolutely has to because McDermott will be ahead of him on the depth chart next year anyway.

@TCU - L
ECU - 40% chance of W
Navy - 40% chance of W
at Houston - L
at Tulsa - L
Rice - 80% chance of W
UTEP - 80% chance of W
at Marshall - 40% chance of W
Tulane - 80% chance of W

We all thought coming into this season that a bowl was gravy. The washington state game would have just about locked up the opportunity. But I still think we have a 40% chance of winning the extra game necessary to get us to 6-6 and send us bowling.

[SMU21TCU10]

I agree with most of that. I Said 2-10 or 3-9 this year. I now think 4-8. WHich is what Texas Football and several other football magazines predicted us to go. This loss just hurt since we had won it in every aspect then threw 4 ints in a row!

[Stallion]

I really don't understand the McDermott is our savious logic. I think SMU fans are way overrating a long term project. He might work out but he is no sure thing, I know June says he has NFL Potential-he says that about every one. I have greater long term hope that Padron might be the answer. I wish we had more quality options quite frankly and I'm surprised we dont. Best thing to do with the prospects we have is redshirt them and hope they develop.

[Charleston Pony]

I was reluctant to make any predictions about this year and quite frankly feared that we could see another 1-11 season. I hoped to see improvement from BLM, an improved running game, improved OL & DL play, etc...and with the possible exception of BLM, I think we have improved.

Bottom line is that our football program is improving and I think we will win at least 3-4 games this year. I think that 5-7 scenario is pretty realistic from what I've seen so far. I'm not sure I would rate our chances of beating ECU & Navy as high as 40%, but winning either of those games would be huge for this season.

We need to reach a point where we win the majority of our home games and eventually have that "break out" win against a top 25 program that makes the mistake of visiting Ford. If we can get there (and more than 10,000 show up to watch), recruiting will get a lot easier for our coaches.

[JasonB]

I really don't understand the McDermott is our savious logic. I think SMU fans are way overrating a long term project. He might work out but he is no sure thing, I know June says he has NFL Potential-he says that about every one. I have greater long term hope that Padron might be the answer. I wish we had more quality options quite frankly and I'm surprised we dont. Best thing to do with the prospects we have is redshirt them and hope they develop.

I am not saying that McDermott is our savior. But, FYI, Jones hasn't said anything about Smith's NFL potential. All I am saying is that next year, McDermott and Padron give BLM competition. Anyone expecting BLM to have competition and thus get pulled this season when there is nothing available to push past him in the pecking order iis kidding themselves.

[mr. pony]

Everyone knew before the season started that we are a year away. Don't let the fact that we have played better than expected so far get clouded by the fact that we almost gave away huge leads in two straight weeks.

Last year, we couldn't get the huge lead. So, there is some movement forward.

I still stand by my preseason prediction of 5-7 with no bowl. Before the season, I thought there was no chance for a bowl. After three games, I think there is actually a chance. Granted, a lot of that is because the teams on the schedule are so horrible. But still, I think we are a little ahead of schedule.

Sure, this game is on BLM. two INTs for a TD and throws the third when a field goal puts us up by two scores. JJ is trying to instill a "winners" attitude instead of the current "trying not to lose" mentality that the players have. Which is why BLM is still throwing the ball on that third INT drive and also why he threw on 3rd and 2 when we are running out the clock. Heck, that incompletion really is what cost us the game. If we had run time off the clock or forced them to burn a TO, they don't have time to score.

The full team isn't in place yet. Lack of depth kills us, especially in the no huddle situations. It has been shown in all three games, and will continue to be shown until halfway through the system when more frosh are integrated into the gameplan.

But, that said, we are still ahead of schedule. A young QB behind a really young Oline is going to be pressured into bad decisions. That is why young QBs behind young Olines don't win very often in college football. That is a fact... even Griffin at Baylor had an experienced o-line last season. That is why we will be 5-7 this season. 8-4 next year. Really, really good in two. But we are ahead of schedule. So, maybe 6-6 this year. We still have a chance when the kids start closing games out and putting the foot on the neck of the bad teams. Right now, we are actually better than the teams we have played, which we couldn't say last season. It isn't a fluke that we have been up big with a lead to give away. So, maybe next year we will go 9-3. That would be great.

Stop harping on BLM and stop talking about benching him. We have zero other options. Smith doesn't have the arm to run the offense. Period. And Padron isn't ready yet; he needs to redshirt. Nobody else is going to give us the lead to lose at this point, especially behind a young line. If BLM throws an INT for a TD next season in a game like this, Padron or McD are coming in, if they don't unseat him in the spring. JJ wants to win as much as the rest of us. Right now BLM gives us the best chance to win. Next year, JJ will go with whomever gives us the best chance to win.

But get over consiracy or ego thoughts. They are totally out of line. We just don't have the depth at QB (as well as many other positions) this season. Period. And Jones isn't going to pull Padron's redshirt unless he absolutely has to because McDermott will be ahead of him on the depth chart next year anyway.

@TCU - L
ECU - 40% chance of W
Navy - 40% chance of W
at Houston - L
at Tulsa - L
Rice - 80% chance of W
UTEP - 80% chance of W
at Marshall - 40% chance of W
Tulane - 80% chance of W

We all thought coming into this season that a bowl was gravy. The washington state game would have just about locked up the opportunity. But I still think we have a 40% chance of winning the extra game necessary to get us to 6-6 and send us bowling.

"Take it easy, we're on track" talk is perhaps getting a little old, no?
We were up, 24-7, in the third quarter, my friend.

And "just win 6, baby" is the wrong attitude.

[Hoop Fan]

true, we don't have any alternatives. But one can only conclude that JJ didn't want BLM to have any competition or didn't think he needed any competition. He ran off the only veteran qb we had, or at least ran him out of the qb position. And he chose not to bring in a Juco the past two springs. As an offensive, qb coaching guru, if there is one position jj should be able to bring in a juco or legit transfer at its qb. He didn't do it which is mind boggling really.

[Peruna94&07]

Guys our depth and experience is what is killing us... Except for Enright the OLine is young, they are doing a lot better than last year but youth is showing when teams start adjusting. Would you not expect WSU to try something different in the 2nd half from the 1st half to throw us off our game. They did it to Hawaii last week. We need the experience to recognize the changes and adapt.

The one thing that I am seeing is our Defense has real issues with hurry up offenses, we saw that with SFA and again last week in the final minutes of the UAB game. This is a depth issue. In the end we need to be 2 scores up going into the last 5 min of a game or we are in trouble.

It will come, the game SUCKED beyond belief. I was listening to the game on the patio with a neighbor and when we were up 24-7 he said game over. I really hated to say the game is never over with SMU until the final whistle. It is true and it sucks. Lets focus on getting through the next 5 games without a lot of injuries, and maybe we steal 1.

If we don't keep the faith that we can win then what will the team think?

[mrydel]

I have to believe that JJ actually thought he had a JC QB wrapped up. I do not know if it was Kraft or someone else, but I think he did get caught short here. Once he lost whoever he thought he had, there were not other options left worthwhile.

What I do not understand is why he does not use Braden a little perhaps late in the first quarter or early 2nd and have Bo with him on the sideline showing him the reads. That what many coaches do with the learners. It would give a little change of pace while letting Bo see what the defense was doing without the pressure. Of course the JJ thought process is to score with every possession but the kid still needs to learn a lot.

[J.T.supporta]

NO EXPECTATIONS!

[JasonB]

No expectations? I have significant expectations... I am just a realist and know those expectations should be for next year, not this one. Young teams do stupid things to lose games, even though they are the better team on the field.

JJ tried to recruit JUCO QBs for his first season and this season. However, those QBs chose to go elsewhere. SO, I don't think it would be accurate to say he didn't try to bring in competition. It would be accurate to say he failed in bringing in competition.

Mrydel, my understanding is that they have a Braden Smith package. That indicates on its own that Smith can't make all the throws necessary in the offence. Remember, Smith was third string last year, behind the guy who transferred. I think even if Smith went into the game, the other team would run different defensive packages to match up against those limited offensive packages, so I don't know that Bo would get much out of it...

[MustangLaxer]

just like the rangers. we have set up the system for next year. it will always be next year

[J.T.supporta]

im only in my 20s and i know now not to expect much...you can have expectations for the rangers.