If June leaves...Tom Mason is the Man

[mustang addict]

Tom Mason is the Man that would keep it ALL together!
We need to act fast to secure Tom as our NEXT Head Coach. Tom has already been contacted concerning the Head Coaching position at Fresno State (where he coached before coming here 4 years ago). I believe others are following. Coach Mason is directly responsible for 3 straight bowl games as our Defensive Coordinator. (Our defense is our brightest spot).
Coach Mason is a GREAT Recruiter and he will be the only one to ensure that we keep our current elite recruiting class! Mason is well respected and has a great rapport with our players and they would support him as our Head Coach. (This would stop players from transferring.)
We love the Mustangs and want the best for our program.
Mason personally told me "I like it Here and I want to be Here!" How refreshing!

[Barksdale Pony]

Right on. Let's get going on this!

[78pony]

A great recruiter? Great guy, but great recruiter?

[Treadway21]

His defenses have been the strength of the program - looking forward to his LB corps next year. His defenses are a lot better than our last defensive specialist HC.

[GiddyUp]

Mason has done a great job but needs someone else to recruit. I think he's only recruited a small handful himself. Easy on the GREAT recruiter.

I guess he would need to bring in a GREAT recruiter and Offensive coach if he was head coach.

[35straight]

I like defense and I like DC'S, but this team needs an offense. This is all still an "IF" right?

[JasonB]

I love Mason. I really enjoy hearing him talk at the luncheons. I think he is a great guy and a fantastic defensive mind.

That said, our next hire has to have head coaching experience. We aren't in a place where we have a good enough name to promote within. We need visibility and to continue to establish ourselves as a winning school.

I am all for giving him a raise to stay on board as a DC, but I don't think we can move him to HC just yet. Him or Klemm.

[Stallion]

Wes Saun!!! Maintain the Mana

[mustang addict]

No, I don't know IF June leaves. I saw the post about the recruiting and wanted to respond. Alot of people don't know (I didn't) but most Division I Coordinators don't go out and recruit. Coach Mason coordinates the Defense and is on the Recruiting Trail alot. Off the top of my head quickly I wanted to list a few of Mason's recruits:
Ja'Gared Davis
Taylor Reed
Rishaad Wimbley
Aaron Davis
Stephon Sanders
Cameron Rogers
Der'rick Thompson
Jeremy Johnson

[The PonyGrad]

Actually most of our current commits are defensive players so perhaps this can keep most of those recruits here.

[ClickClack]

JG Davis and Tank Reed were both Hundley recruits, not Mason.

Pope is a Mason recruit.

[Webmaster]

I talked to Coach Mason about this after one of the Scouting Reports (he was gracious enough to fill in for the great John Hampton). Mason's ambition was to coach a few more years at SMU, then either retire or go back for one more run at coaching in the NFL. His one caveat was regarding the tenuous nature of coaching (i.e. one bad season and you're on the streets). It was a real eye-opener to see how accustomed a great, senior coach like Mason is to the idea of losing his livelihood based on the way the ball might bounce.

I realize that this is a very emotional time for PonyFans. However, I'm saddened to see the lack of loyalty to June and his staff after what they've accomplished -- both on the field and in the halls of the administration. I think a better, and more productive approach would be to let ALL these coaches know how much we want to keep them on the Hilltop. Either way, a positive environment would be more likely to temp both our current coaches to stay and/or any new coach to want to come to SMU.

[SMU 86]

JG Davis and Tank Reed were both Hundley recruits, not Mason.

Pope is a Mason recruit.

This is true.

[Barksdale Pony]

I talked to Coach Mason about this after one of the Scouting Reports (he was gracious enough to fill in for the great John Hampton). Mason's ambition was to coach a few more years at SMU, then either retire or go back for one more run at coaching in the NFL. His one caveat was regarding the tenuous nature of coaching (i.e. one bad season and you're on the streets). It was a real eye-opener to see how accustomed a great, senior coach like Mason is to the idea of losing his livelihood based on the way the ball might bounce.

I realize that this is a very emotional time for PonyFans. However, I'm saddened to see the lack of loyalty to June and his staff after what they've accomplished -- both on the field and in the halls of the administration. I think a better, and more productive approach would be to let ALL these coaches know how much we want to keep them on the Hilltop. Either way, a positive environment would be more likely to temp both our current coaches to stay and/or any new coach to want to come to SMU.

Loyalty is a two way street. If it is ok for coaches to look around and jump ship for better jobs then it is equally ok for fans to be less than loyal to those same coaches. This does not even take into account the complete lack of cultural embrace that has occurred with this particular coaching staff. If coaches can do whatever they want and the fan base has to stay blindly loyal, then that fan base is a bunch of sheep. I for one am not a sheep.

[78pony]

Going to have to disagree with you webmaster. This is JJ's second round of ill timed discussions with others.