Here's an email response from Chuck Cooperstein that I got this afternoon. He's one of very few Dallas media personalities who knows what's going on and actually cares so that's why I'm posting this...
"It looks as if Jeff Jones is the early front runner here. Jones, who is now at American used to be the coach at Virginia and obviously there is a relationship with Copeland. There are some personal issues with Jones not the least of which was his affair with a Virginia cheerleader. There were also some character issues among the recruits he brought in late in his tenure.
If I'm doing the search, I'm looking at people like Bob Hoffman at Pan American and Bob Marlin at Sam Houston. Sean Sutton would be fine too, as would James Dickey, were he to be interested. It's funny you mention Frank Haith. I was with him Monday night down in Austin and he asked about SMU, and I and several others told him that he shouldn't even look at it.
Let's face it we know what the issues are at SMU, and until SMU is willing to seriously address them, there is no reason for any one of significance to consider the role. This isn't even an issue of coaching salaries. Three has to be a major financial commitment to basketball in terms of the physical plant and recruiting budgets that will allow them to win. All Copeland said yesterday was that SMU would be competitive. That isn't something that is going to light a fire into anyone. They have an opportunity here, but it doesn't look like they're ready to step up to the plate.
Thanks
Chuck"