Does SMU Need Its Own Version of Bobby Ross?

[MrMustang1965]

Let me first say that I am still willing to give Phil Bennett the benefit of the doubt as far as the Mustangs are concerned for the remainder of this season. If we show improvement and etch a "W" over Louisiana Tech, Nevada and UTEP, I'll be a happy Mustang fan. But I couldn't help but wonder - after reading this story - "Who will be SMU's Bobby Ross?"...or do we need one?

WEST POINT, N.Y. (AP) -- Army coach Bobby Ross breathed a big sigh of relief.

His Black Knights snapped the nation's longest losing streak at 19 games Saturday, with Tielor Robinson scoring five touchdowns and Carlton Jones running for 180 yards in a 48-29 victory over Cincinnati.

``You can't imagine how the pressure starts to mount with your football team when'' you have a losing streak, said Ross, who came out of retirement to take over the struggling program. ``When you read about, hear about the longest losing streak in the country, it's difficult to deal with.

``It's a great win for us, a monkey off our back.''

Robinson scored his fifth touchdown on a 93-yard pass from Zac Dahman with 11:32 left to secure the win for Army (1-4, 1-2 Conference USA). Robinson ran for 82 yards as Army amassed 284 yards on the ground, and had 111 yards receiving.

Thousands of West Point cadets swarmed the field and tore down the goal posts in celebration. Ross wiped tears from his eyes as the academy's alma mater was played.

[Corso]

We have our version: Phil Bennett. Both coaches have ridden their teams through rough times - which will continue for both teams, to some degree - and both coaches will get their teams back to respectability. I hope Coach Bennett gets us there first, but I like both coaches and think both will get things straightened out. I was very happy for Coach Bennett when we beat San Jose, and I was happy for Coach Ross when they beat Cincinnati.

[EastStang]

Looking at Cincinnati, they are playing pretty bad this year. They were much better when they had our offensive coordinator. It looks like Eckhart was getting comfortable in the offense there in the first quarter and then they rotated him out for Romo.

[Corso]

Both QBs have had their moments. But the timing of that rotation was curious, to say the least.

[mrydel]

I do not think the timing was "curious" at all. It is obvious that Coach B had decided that he was going to alternate by quarter. Romo went in the first offensive play of the 2nd quarter. What was perhaps wrong was that Eckert was performing OK, not great but OK, and also that Romo was forced to begin on the 1 or 2 yard line due to penalty. That is tough for a first snap. I think that Bennett has learned by his comments today and will stick with one as long as he is performing. A decision on which one is not set yet. Remember that not only are we very young, immature physically and mentally, but so is our head coach as far as making these types of decisions. Of course, the players will be around for 4 or 5 years regardless but Coach needs to perfrom or he will be gone sooner. I still have the utmost confidence in Coach Bennett and feel strongly that we will see appreciable progress next year. My gosh, I am willing to wait one more year, I have waited so long. Some one mentioned earlier if we would have to wait until 2017. Right now I think I would take a contract on success in 2017 if it were placed in front of me. (That's a joke)

[Ikus]

.... I still have the utmost confidence in Coach Bennett and feel strongly that we will see appreciable progress next year. My gosh, I am willing to wait one more year, I have waited so long...

Me too. I firmly believe Coach Bennett is the man to get this straightened out, and that he's learning and maturing as a coach, just like the players are learning and maturing. He's making decisions (i.e. redshirting some very talented guys) that might be tough to swallow now, but will pay off in the long run.

Go Ponies! Beat LaTech!

[PonySnob]

Me too. I firmly believe Coach Bennett is the man to get this straightened out, and that he's learning and maturing as a coach, just like the players are learning and maturing. He's making decisions (i.e. redshirting some very talented guys) that might be tough to swallow now, but will pay off in the long run.

How can you say that Bennett is learning and maturing as a coach? He is halfway into his third year as a head coach and yet he still has not learned how to get players prepared for a game. He said once again on Saturday night that he and his coaches have to do a better job of getting the players ready. It is hard to point out any area of the way the team plays today that has improved from when Bennett started.

[Corso]

Start with the secondary. If you don't think the secondary's better now than it was three years ago, you're nuts.

And doesn't every coach this side of Pete Carroll and Bob Stoops and Larry Coker, etc., have to coach better? At least he has the stones to admit when a gameplan was faulty, rather than just doing like Parcells the other day and saying "don't blame me, it was the players' fault." Yes, you have to learn to be a head coach, no matter how much experience you've had as an assistant.

I listened to the Bill Parcells press conference on the radio the other day, and for a minute, it sounded like he was talking about the Ponies.

He said (paraphrasing) that he had a team some years back that started out 1-11 after losing a bunch of games the year before. "The first four games, we weren't very good. The next six games, we were a little better. The next couple games, we were a little better than that. For the last four games .... we really weren't that bad, and won the last games on our schedule." He talked about how outsiders were "not impressed" but he really enjoyed that team because the players and coaches saw the progress from day to day and week to week, even amid the losses, and they believed in what was being taught. At the end, we started to see some results, which carried us into the next year."

Hopefully our guys are continuing to work like that, and will be rewarded with some victories!

[HixsontoLeVias]

I say we cut our losses.....Phil is a nice guy, but seems to be a pretty darn weak coach, sorry. This program needs IMMEDIATE help, today! Now!! Cut Phil and hire a big time NAME coach........Steve S comes to mind...Long Live Chalmer Woodard.

[MrMustang1965]

Steve Spurrier? You're dreaming. Besides, the Teasips are making a bid for him, according to ESPN.