Coaches' visit to Austin.

[Hoofbeat83]

Last night at the gathering with Coaches Bennett, Tubbs and Rompola in Austin, when he was asked what his 'ideal' OOC schedule would be, Coach Bennett answered (in no specific order of preference): TCU, a contender in the Big 12, and...(help me out here someone, I can't remember what designated the third).

He said that we might hear soon that we've inked a deal with a Big 12 contender 90 miles down the road (from Austin, that would be aTm).

[BUS]

OR if from Dallas - an extention of the Baylor match-up.

[Charleston Pony]

I like the idea of TCU and a barometer game against a Big XII contender (A$M) every year and I like the idea of the 3rd game being a rotational thing with UNT, Baylor, Navy, Army, etc...

[Hoofbeat83]

thanks BUS. my memory is going fast at age 43.

[EastStang]

I have to believe that the Aggies need to start having games in the Metroplex for alumni and recruiting. Fran knows this. R.C. Chokem didn't. Also Bennett being an ex-Aggie couldn't hurt either. But isn't calling the Aggie's a Big XII contender stretching the truth a bit? Isn't Norman about 90 miles from Dallas?

[PK]

OR if from Dallas - an extention of the Baylor match-up.

I doubt Bennett was refering to Baylor when he was talking about a big xii contender. Getting aTm on the schedule would be great and with Bennett's background, not a particularly far fetched idea either. I know we all hate getting beat up by our OOC opponents every year, but you don't get better by playing the dregs. If we want to be looked at on a par with big xii teams, then we need to play them...and play them well...and beat them too. Probably won't very often, but with a little luck and a lot of hard work, it is possible.

[RGV Pony]

I think chances are he was referring to Baylor. He delineated Big XII 'contender,' then talked about someone 90 mi. down the road...if it was A&M, who probably is a contender anyway, he wouldn't have made the 'contender' distinction. I guess we'll find out soon enough. Anyway, at least it wasn't "30 miles down the road," which may have been UNT or...less appealing...Tx State

[A-town Pony]

Hoofbeat83 - Bennett's third answer to the question was his first response (which he skimmed over quickly). He'd like to play a team we should beat, however, didn't name names.

I thought the Austin turnout of about 40 - 45 people was better than expected. (Houston was apparently about 50 & San Antonio about 30)

I also have to add that I was impressed by Tubbs as a communicator and salesman. If I were a recruit, I'd be much more turned on to Tubbs' enthusiam than I would Dement's.

Hoof - You missed a good show at Shady Grove w/ all the recent UT coed graduates afterward, that is until the rains came through and shut down the band playing outdoors.

[A-town Pony]

RGV Pony - When Bennett stated the '90 mile' stipulation you could definately see a wide-eyed grin come to his face. I'd bet the farm he meant aTm knowing that is his alma mater and we were sitting in Austin.

[Cheesesteak]

I'd love to play Texas A&M.

If they get on the schedule, we'd face a physically tough opponent that has everything to lose and almost nothing to gain.

SMU will improve under Bennett and the Aggies will improve under Coach Fran.

[PonySnob]

SMU needs to decide if it wants to try and build its fan base or depend on fans from the visiting school to help it meet attendance requirements. In either case, SMU has to stop going 0-3 or 0-4 to start the season and then never having a chance of having decent attendance at home games in October and November. Wouldn't it be better to try and fill the stadium with SMU fans instead of depending on Red Raider fans or A$M fans to fill the stadium? How is it that TCU averaged over 35,000 at Amon Carter last year and they did not play Tech or A$M, etc. I don't remember them playing anybody at home last year that filled up the majority of their stadium like when we play Tech, OSU, etc. For once, it would be nice to not have the season be over by mid-October because all hope of a winning season is gone.

[Higher Authority]

I'm intrigued by EastStang's comment about needing a game in the Metroplex -- yes, they might want to play up here for north Texas alumni, but for recruiting? They already do well here, getting the pick of area players after UT and OU. And sometimes, they get those who were pursued by the Horns and Sooners, too. Example: A couple of days ago, I met the mother of a local recruit who was pursued by damn-near every school around. SMU wanted him. Miami wanted him. OU wanted him. Texas wanted him. He ended up signing with A&M, because "it felt right," his mom said. What struck me was the way his mom talked about Coach Fran. She's convinced that although the Aggies struggled last year, they're going to improve under him, and fast. She sounded absolutely enamored with him, and I got the impression (based on her account of conversations she's had with other recruits' parents) that he has the same effect on parents wherever he goes. Say what you want about Coach Fran (i.e. "he ditches every school that hires him"), but the man can flat-out recruit. So while I agree that there are a ton of aggie alums up here who would love to see a game in Dallas, I get the sense that Franocchio already has re-established some of the recruiting ties in DFW that deteriorated in recent years, and that more players will head to College Station.

With all that said, I think if we're going to get A&M on the schedule, we should do it soon. We laid an egg last year, but for all intents and purposes, so did A&M. The time for an upset might actually be sooner, rather than later.

[Casey]

I agree. Not that there's any assurance that we could beat A&M, but they didn't look good last year. And Fran has always been able to recruit. He's gotten some really talented kids since he got to College Station, and as those players become juniors and seniors, the aggies should get better. Just like our players will turn us around as they grow into their bodies and their roles. Both teams should get significantly better in the next couple of years.

In the meantime, we need to keep the series with Baylor going. They're a good match for us, for now at least.

[Diehard Pony]

The school being referred to is A&M. Copeland has said so in marketing committees that are meeting during the summer.

[The Q]

There's another sellout crowd, if nothing else.