After last night.....

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

After last night and what is probably going to happen in Stillwater, the San Jose and Rice games look like games we just have to figure out ways to win. I think SMU Fans are battle hardened enough to accept losses, but we must be at least somewhat competitive like we were against Texas Tech. The 44-0's are unacceptable! When are we going to surprise somebody and pull off a "miracle"?

ps: I just cancelled my reservation in Stillwater for next weekend....anybody going to the OK State game.... the Fairfield Inn is about 3 blocks from the stadium and may have a vacancy now, but it wont last long.....call quick if you want it.

Fairfield Inn
418 E Hall of Fame Avenue
Stillwater, OK 74075 USA
Phone: 1 405-372-6300

[Nacho]

Why don't we forfeit? I am serious. It would save a lot of heartache for everyone concerned. Yeah, we would lose a few bucks but we are SMU. We are better than everybody else. We are the Harvard of the south. We don't need their stinking money. Just forfeit. Have a nice week off and try to get ready for probably the only realistic chance at a win this year. OSU is going to steamroll this team. Probably 50-60- to 0. They will stop there. It could be 100-0 but they won't do that to us.

[MrMustang1965]

It could be 100-0 but they won't do that to us.

What makes you think that they won't?

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

Forfeit? ----> You can't be serious?

I think for SMU to forfeit a game without "just cause" would set our program back years.

We would lose all credibilty and the NCAA would not look kindly on that at all.

It would probably ensure a move out of Division 1A.

What message would that send to potential recruits?

No, we must take our "lumps" and trudge on through the mud.

The key is: we must at least be competitive , people will sit and watch a football game if there is a remote chance, if a team is competitive, but people will begin to bail if we are completely out of games at half-time.

It's a long season, and we all knew the first three games would be difficult, we could still show alot of competiveness, heck we did just last week against Tech.

Copeland & Turner are not about to start to forfeit games.

This season is a long ways from over!

[HFvictory]

Forfeit? ----> You can't be serious?

I think for SMU to forfeit a game without "just cause" would set our program back years.

Ummm, I think there was a hint of sarcasm in that other post.....

[Higher Authority]

Look, here's the thing. Forget for a moment the whole Gary Patterson vs. Mike Leach comparison. Despite all the numbers that Tech normally puts up, it's the difference in style that showed through. Tech has some big guys, but they are not a physical team -- they're largely a finesse team. That's not an indictment of the Red Raiders, because they can be very good, at times. But TCU is a power team that can play some finesse. We have bigger, faster players, but nowhere near enough of them. TCU is 3-deep and 4-deep at nearly every position, while we're 1-deep or 2-deep, at best. TCU's M.O. is to line up and shove it down the defense's throat with the spread passing game and the power running game. Tech runs its version of the spread offense, but has no running game, and their offensive line looked comatose compared to TCU's. Line the Ponies up against a finesse team, and we can compete. Against a strong, deep power team like the froggies, it's tough, as shown last night. When we get into the largely finesse-driven WAC, we'll be OK. We won't win the conference or anything, but we'll see a few wins.

On the way home, I was listening to ESPN radio, and Rocket Ismail was on. After they let him celebrate Notre Dame's win over Michigan, they asked him about the pressure on Coach Willingham to win now. Rocket said that even if Michigan had whipped Notre Dame, the expectations exceed reality. He said that any coach who takes over a new program -- especially if he implements new schemes on one side of the ball or the other -- that coach deserves at least four full recruiting classes so that he can make sure every player in the locker room is "on the same page" (I hate that phrase), and they all were recruited for roles within that coach's system.

There are athletes on this team, and some good ones. But we saw last night that there aren't enough. Yet. Coacn Bennett has 2.5 recruiting classes under his belt. Any growing process can have its growing pains, and god knows ours has. We're in for another long week in Stillwater, too. After that, we'll be in most games (Fresno and Boise scare me, though.)

Go PONIES!

[Charleston Pony]

everyone needs to remember that we tried to get out of this trip to OSU, but couldn't work out the schedules, so the Ponies will make this trip knowing that we are once again outmanned...and they will do their best to compete.

We all know not to expect much. I personally hope we don't suffer any more injuries because it sounds like this team is pretty beat up already...and I'd like to see some new faces get more playing time so the injured starters can heal. Phillips and Eckert need their snaps, but Romo probably deserves a couple of series at QB, too. Let's see what some of the RS frosh can do with more minutes.

[Pony Up]

I'm glad you brought that up. After Eckert's second pick, I thought for sure that Romo would go in, just to get some snaps.

I didn't think Eckert played bad overall, but those INTs were bad. Trying to force his throws, and I think he was hit on his second one, so who knows where that ball was going had he not been hit.

If I'm the coach, Eckert starts against OSU. Or do you start Romo, just to offer an element of surprise?

[Stangs FB]

I think the real problem lies within the offensive system. Our new offense under Rusty Burns is a pure passing offense. Chris Phillips is not a pure passing quarterback. He is a great dual-threat quarterback. My problem is we must design our offense around our players. I would love to see option with Phillips and Munlin. Foy Munlin is a great running back who doesn't get enough touches. He is a workhorse type back and we don't give him the amount of carries he needs to wear down a defense. Bobby Chase made a great catch on a 3rd and long last night and then we didn't even throw him the ball the rest of the game. He's 6'4 and has a height advantage with every DB he goes up against. Why not throw him the ball more? Defense is a different story. There was more blown coverage than I have ever seen and all around there was no sense of urgency, no pride, no nothing. I was embarrased to watch the game and it seemed like we'd given up early in the game. After watching last week's game vs. Tech, I was optimistic and thought we had a shot to play with these first three teams. Now, it is a big set back and we best start utilizing our strengths and designing an offensive package around our current players.

[mrydel]

That idea might work if you were a pro team and could maintain the same players for years. But we are not. Players leave on a continuing basis so it is better to get players to match a system rather than having to keep changing the system to match players. If so you are starting over every year. That is why it will take 3 to 4 years for Bennett to show whether or not he will be successful. And remeber even though Bennett is in his 3rd year, the system chosen in in its 1st. Build up a reserve of big, fast lineman on both sides of the ball and then get other players that fit your scheme. This was never more clear when Troy Aikman left Oklahoma for UCLA. Oklahoma would not change their wishbone to match his abilities so he left. Oklahoma won the National Championship without him, but he kinda did alright for himself also in a system that was made for him. He was not a bad QB because he could not play for Oklahoma, he just did not fit their scheme. This is also why it would be nice to have some looser JUCO rules in order to fill immediate gaps in the system.

[localcoach]

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give a cheer for TCU!