Gloom and Doom Be Gone

[ponyboy]

I touched on this subject in a thread below, but I wanted to talk a little more about it. Assuming for a moment Stallion is right in his take on the recruiting versus coaching subject, namely that talent matters most, Coach Bennett's 3-21 record in two years of coaching shouldn't come as much of a surprise at all. Here's the reason:

Cavan had two good recruiting classes in 1998 and 1999. Then the Malin incident occurred, after which we absolutely stunk it up recruiting-wise for two years: 2000 and 2001. Bennett came in and with a short start did well in 2002 and very well in 2003 and 2004.

That 2000 class which was so bad were seniors in 2003 or redshirt seniors in 2004. And the 2001 class were seniors or redshirt juniors in 2004.

Is there any question why we've stunk up the place? There is hope for the future as Bennett's recruits mature.

[ponyboy]

It's clear the cupboard was truly left bare for Phil Bennett. I wanted to pass along some info on a few of the incoming freshmen and redshirt freshmen. [Note that this list does not include Bennett recruits Chris Phillips, Jay'Mond Cleveland, Anthony Barnett, Joe Sturdivant, Johnnie Fitzgerald, Cole Horton, Reggie Carrington, Brandon Bonds, Darrin Johnson, Bryan Turner, Martin Guidry, Reynaldo Pellerin, Ryan Kennedy, Charlie Berry, Brent Karrington, Desmond Jones, Jamar Bey all of whom earned letters last year as either true freshmen or redshirt freshment. It also doesn't include any of the Bennett transfers: Foy Munlin, Chase, Eckert, Romo.]

You gotta agree that this is an impressive group light years ahead of the last two Cavan classes and that we have some talent coming down the line.

INCOMING FRESHMEN

DeMyron Martin
Prep: District 9-5A Player of the Year… First-team All-District 9-5A pick and an honorable mention All-State selection by the AP and Dallas Morning News… Rushed for 2,022 yards on 213 carries as a senior, good for a 9.5-yards-per-carry average. Picked SMU over offers from Texas A&M, Arkansas, TCU, Tulsa, Baylor and New Mexico State

Jessie Henderson
Prep: An All-America selection by PrepStar and SuperPrep… Named The National Old Spice Red Zone Player of the Year… A Texas Top-130 pick by the Aggie Websider… One of the Top 10 running backs in the state according to Texas Prep Xtra and Lone Star Recruiting… A national Blue-Chip Running Back by Max Emfinger… Member of Dave Campbell’s Texas Top 300 and Don Cartwright’s Lone Star 100… Named to Inside Texas Football’s Top 100… The Texas 4A State Champion in the 100m as a sophomore… Runs a 4.25-second forty… Rivals.com two-star recruit… A State Top-100 player and the No. 41 overall prospect according to the Dallas Morning News. Chose SMU over Arkansas, Colorado, Purdue, BYU, Colorado State, Utah, Missouri, Iowa State, TCU and Houston

Jonathan Lindley
Prep: No. 93 prospect on Rivals’ Texas Top 100… Chose SMU over TCU, Baylor, UTEP, Colorado, Texas Tech, Tulsa and Arkansas

Cortley Blackmon
Prep: First-team All-District 24-4A selection at both cornerback and wide receiver… First-team All-Area and All-County… Bay City Football MVP in 2003… Runs a 4.46-second forty and has a 38-inch vertical leap… Rivals.com two-star recruit… Chose SMU over offers from Iowa and Tulane

Andrew McKinney
Prep: The leading scorer in his district with 27 touchdowns… … Had 1,115 rushing yards on 174 carries as a senior… Also caught 24 passes for 289 yards and two scores… For his career, he recorded 2,645 rushing yards and 52 touchdowns… Rivals.com two-star recruit… The state’s No. 50 running back according to Rivals… No. 58 overall prospect according to the Dallas Morning News Area Top-100… Also tabbed a State Top-100 player by the DMN and an Area Top-100 player by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram… Top-100 player in the state by TexasPrepXtra.com… Chose SMU over Kansas and Kansas State

Vincent Chase
Prep: A Rivals.com three-star recruit, the highest among 2004 SMU signees… No. 5 tight end in the nation by SuperPrepXtra.com… No. 50 prospect on Rivals’ Texas Top 100 and the top-ranked tight end in the state… No. 25 overall prospect according to the Dallas Morning News Area Top-100 and No. 75 overall in State Top-100… Also tabbed the state’s No. 1 tight end by the DMN… Named to The Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Area Top 75 and Dave Campbell’s Texas Top 300… An All-State, All-District and All-Area selection… Chose SMU over offers from Florida, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, LSU, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Colorado State, Syracuse, Kansas State, Kansas, TCU, Missouri and Iowa State

Kyle Griffin
Prep: A two-time All-District 5-5A selection… Rated as the top defensive end in the Metroplex by Rivals.com… A Rivals two-star recruit… No. 86 overall prospect according to the Dallas Morning News Area Top-100… Has a 36-inch vertical leap… Chose SMU over offers from Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Air Force, Miami (Ohio) and “just about all the Ivy League schools”


REDSHIRT FRESH

[ponyboy]

REDSHIRT FRESHMEN

Cory Muse
Blazing speed at the linebacker position… Slated to backup at SAM linebacker in his redshirt freshman season… An impact player;
Prep: One of the top players in the state of Oklahoma... Three-year starter who helped his team to three consecutive state championships... A first-team All-State selection by the AP, Daily Oklahoman and Tulsa World... A three-star prospect and the No. 13 player in the state of Oklahoma according to Rivals100.com... Rivals No. 39 outside linebacker prospect in the country... Named to the Daily Oklahoman’s Blue Chip Team... Chose SMU over Oklahoma State

Richuel Massey
Powerful back who could emerge as a star in 2004… Slated to play as a true freshman in 2003 before suffering an injury;
2003: Saw action against Oklahoma State... Was injured against the Cowboys and was awarded a medical redshirt… Had eight attempts for 12 yards;
Prep: One of the most sought after running backs in the state of Texas... Considered one of the top 30 backs in the nation by Rivals100.com... Three-star prospect according to Rivals... member of the Dallas Morning News/Rivals100.com (No. 85) state Top 100 list... Also listed among the state Top 100 by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram... Selected to play in the U.S. Army High School All-American Game... Tom Lemming’s No. 3 prospect in Central Texas... Ran for more than 1,700 yards while earning first-team All-State Class 3A honors as a junior... Also named first-team All-District and District MVP that year... Won the state power lifting championship in the 220-pound weight class as a junior... Set state power lifting records in his weight class in the squat (700), bench (425) and deadlift (675)... Selected the Mustangs over a host of suitors including Georgia Tech, Arkansas, Texas, Colorado, Wisconsin and Miami;

Zach Hall
A highly-touted signee who redshirted in 2003… Should see time in 2004;
Prep: One of the top middle linebacker prospects in the state of Texas... The No. 51 inside linebacker in the nation and a three-star prospect according to Rivals100.com... Also listed in the Texas Top 175 by Rivals... Chose SMU over Arkansas and Iowa State

Avery Cleveland
An emerging talent at linebacker… Sat out 2003, but set as second-team WLB entering the fall;
Prep: One of the state’s top linebacker prospects... Member of the Dallas Morning News/Rivals100.com (No. 58) and Fort Worth Star-Telegram state Top 100 lists... The No. 31 outside linebacker in the nation and a three-star prospect according to Rivals100.com... Named to Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Texas Super Team... Selected the Mustangs over Colorado, TCU and Georgia Tech

Justin Boren
Sat out 2003, but set as the backup at right guard in 2004… Good size and strength;
Prep: First-team All-State selection as a senior by the Associated Press... Three-star prospect and rated as the No. 51 offensive guard in the nation by Rivals100.com... Max Emfinger’s TheInsiders.com 2002 Texas All-State Super Team selection... Rivals All-DFW Metroplex first-team All-Area honoree... Selected SMU over Missouri, Kansas and Iowa

[Pony Up]

Didn't I read that Lindley even received a late scholarship offer from Texas?
There's some serious talent on the Hilltop. Finally.

[PonySnob]

When is all of this "talent" going give SMU fans a season that they can be proud of? There are no moral victories. In the end, itdoesn't matter how many "close" games we had last year. The fact is that a loss is a loss is a loss and we were one of only two teams that could not win a game in Div 1 football. Who would have ever thought that our W-L record would be worse in 2003 than it would be the first year football was back after the DP.

[couch 'em]

I continue to be amazed how much time you waste on this board, froggie.

[MustangFan]

When is all of this "talent" going give SMU fans a season that they can be proud of? There are no moral victories. In the end, itdoesn't matter how many "close" games we had last year. The fact is that a loss is a loss is a loss and we were one of only two teams that could not win a game in Div 1 football. Who would have ever thought that our W-L record would be worse in 2003 than it would be the first year football was back after the DP.

Your message is loud and clear. Come back and post again when we're in a BCS bowl. In the meantime, we'll support our team because they are our team, and because they are busting their tails to get better. Maybe there will be a seat on the bandwagon for those of you who want nothing to do with a team during the growth process, but maybe there won't. It must be depressing to spend all your time complaining, rather than being supportive.

[PonySnob]

How long is the "growth" process? We won less games last year than in 1989 with a team full of nothing but freshmen and sophomores. TCU when 1-10 one year and then suddenly they are able to come a perennial bowl team that now averages well over 30K in attendance at home games - without a Big 12 opponent to boost that number. Sure we will have 18-20K for the Tech game (80% RR fans) and then the next home game will be back to the normal 4-5K. Why can't the program be turned around like TCU's? What goals does the AD and President of the school set for the athletic deparment when it comes to winning?