SMU has everything to lose

[anurep]

Let's see, SMU extends the contract of a coach that has won 6 games in the last three years? 3 out of the last 23? I think its a good idea to let him have maybe another year, but EXTEND? SMU has everything to lose. At best, we wade through mediocrity until 2008 or we continue to suck and have to buy out Bennetts new deal. Why would any recruit with half a brain think this means there is stability? SMU can still fire him and he can still leave.

[GoRedGoBlue]

No one said it was a guaranteed contract. And it will help recruiting. A lot of recruits want to be sure that a) smu plans on fielding a team for the near future (i.e., the next 4 years that that student will be there) and b) the coach that recruits him is going to be there...

ND just f'ed themselves. NO experienced/respectable coach is going to want to take that job knowing that he has a 3 year leash...they will now have to dig lower to get him.

Aside from that, Willingham was a proven success at Stanford. They let him go too soon. Their arrogance probably led them to believe that Urban would take the job - rediculous (we are ND, who are you?).

I suppose now that ND will be pressured to accede to Big11 or Beast...but they got lucky and signed that NBC deal yet again..