The Bottom Line is...

[GoRedGoBlue]

...and I preface this with a big caveat of this team REALLY is young...but,

Shumann had us in the top40 in Defenses playing in the pass happy WAC (big and small) consistently, with (very) arguably less talent.

Moreover, Shumann dominated option teams (Navy, Rice, AFA, etc.). Bennett has shown that he cannot scheme to defend the option in 3 years year.

I still give him next year, unless we get blown out by the next three games, we gotta win 2 to have any shot of decent recruiting.

Otherwise, call Todd Dodge and let him have it. He'd have 2-3 years of HS name recognition, pull some of the best Area talent (the 200 mile radius theory is still in play), and fire up what should be some maturing talent. I am not a fan of the HS to Div-1a move (especially since we are S-M-U and not UNT), but what other options do we have if it comes to that?

I really do think that NEXT year, we HAVE to have a 6'2" JUCO WR burner to complement our WRs, plus a 6-footer, or else this offense is destined to fizzle.

[Charleston Pony]

I wouldn't say Shumann was working with less talent. I seem to recall a couple of DBs on NFL rosters (Rhinehart, Turner, Garrett) and I can recall when we had two senior DTs tipping the scales close to 300 lbs (Croy and Post), Kevin Aldridge and Luke Johnson applying pressure from the outside, Vic Viloria achoring the middle of the defense, etc... Shumann was a good coach, but let's not make him out to be a miracle worker. While coaching makes a difference, the team with the most talent will still win 80-90% of the time.

[PK]

Shumann was good at adapting his schemes to the talent he had. I don't think Bennett has ever had to do that. He has tried to get the talent we have play his schemes. To some extent that has merit in that when the talent matures to the level necessary to play his defensive schemes, they will be well versed in them, the down side is that the wait is excruciating. Bennett's defenses have been very good at other places, but as Stallion will point out, he had the luxury of loading up with older JUCO talent and players that would probably never make it here academically.

[GoRedGoBlue]

I wouldn't say Shumann was working with less talent. I seem to recall a couple of DBs on NFL rosters (Rhinehart, Turner, Garrett) and I can recall when we had two senior DTs tipping the scales close to 300 lbs (Croy and Post), Kevin Aldridge and Luke Johnson applying pressure from the outside, Vic Viloria achoring the middle of the defense, etc... Shumann was a good coach, but let's not make him out to be a miracle worker. While coaching makes a difference, the team with the most talent will still win 80-90% of the time.

I agree with your post, however, don't judge Shumann's TALENT based upon what they did vs. what these guys have done...compare the relative recruiting strenghts ...and Bennett's are > than Shumann's (though younger, which is why I have a BIG caveat to allow these guys 2-3 more years).