SMU Still Looking For QBs

[Stallion]

I was kinda surprised to see the story yesterday on Southeast Rivals that SMU has interest in 3 star QB recruit John Hundley(6-3, 208 4.81) from Lafayette(La) St Thomas More. Threw for 1,845 yards and 24 TDs with 7 Ints. says "SMU called me for the first time the other day" Only offer Louisiana Lafayette. Says LSU, Ole Miss and A&M backed off-of course Ole Miss has had a coaching change. Rated No. 19 Pro-Style QB in Country by Rivals.

[SWC2010]

Perhaps with Bennett's past experience with QB's ( one's a rock star & one left to be CPA), he may feel he needs a couple in the barn until somebody steps up as the real # 1.

Also, we may see Phillips as a wideout in some WR sets this spring. His athleticism may be better used in other places than behind center & create a need for add'l backups at QB.

Is there any reason to only offer 1 QB in this recruiting class?

[Mike Damone]

I've got no problem going after a 3-star QB. Heck if he commits and a four start guy shows up on our radar, sign him too. We need as many quality football players as we can get. Also, remember that we didn't sign a qb last year (other than the Juco's who are now Sr.'s). We've had a problem of putting all our eggs in one basket for too long (either by choice or not), and I'm glad that the coaches want to at least have options at some point.

The thing about Phillips playing wideout, is that a legit statement or an opinion? I've thought he has good speed for a qb, but not near enough for a wideout, but I might be wrong.

[Stallion]

I'll be willing to bet if Chris Phillips isn't the starting QB over the next 3 years then Phil Bennett won't finish out the term of that nice new contract. If we are hoping for next year's freshman redshirt to take us to the next level anytime soon then we are in big trouble. The freshman we sign this year hopefully won't hit the field until at least 2008.

[GoRedGoBlue]

I'll be willing to bet if Chris Phillips isn't the starting QB over the next 3 years then Phil Bennett won't finish out the term of that nice new contract. If we are hoping for next year's freshman redshirt to take us to the next level anytime soon then we are in big trouble. The freshman we sign this year hopefully won't hit the field until at least 2008.

I will take your side of that same bet...

[Mike Damone]

I hope the days of us starting a freshman QB are way behind us. I don't see any situation where a freshman would crack the two or even three deep next year.

I think the ony situation where a freshman would ever play would be one where we offered the earth, the moon, and the stars in the sky to someone like Stafford. And I feel pretty secure in saying that even that wouldn't be enough.

[MUSTANGFOREVER69]

Stallion and Damone, I hope you're both right, but things do happen. Don't forget that game in Austin in 1980 when Ron Meyer made the gutsy call to switch from Mike Ford to (true freshman) Lance McIlhenny at QB and we won 20-6. Remember that we're looking for "difference makers". And, if we happen to sign 2 or 3 or 22, I think we'll see them on the field making differences - i.e. "W"s. Coach Bennett and the Staff are down here in Houston right now (the Lombardi Award) trying to convince some "difference makers" to become Mustangs. Let's all wish them luck.

[PerunaPunch]

Interesting. Since both Romo and Eckert will be seniors next year and since the offense was way more productive this year than last, I figure it'll be open competition again in the spring.

I seriously doubt Phillips will win back the starting job just by virtue of him being in pads again.

[Stallion]

the day we recruit "difference makers" like McIllhenney, Dickerson and James is the day a freshman might make a difference. Please don't suggest that the kids we are recruiting can step in and perform at that level. It's not fair or honest. If Rivals had been around in those days Dickerson would have been rated the No. 1 Player in America, James a Texas Top 5, and McIllhenney would be rated the No. 1 option QB in Texas without question.

[DallasDiehard]

Certainly a topic of a good debate, since Rivals, etc., didn't exist then.

But as for the current team, we have four scholarship QBs coming back next season, and three of them -- Eckert, Romo and Nixon -- will graduate next year. With that said, I would be very surprised to see Phillips at WR, even in practice. He's a terrific athlete, but he's not going to be the only experienced QB on the roster in 2006. I can't see that being messed up. So with the graduations of Romo, Eckert and Nixon next year, that leaves Phillips and Eric Johnson on the roster for 2006. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see another QB (either HS or JUCO) sign this year, and maybe two next year. No way Bennett's going to allow the lack of depth that crippled the team before.

[ALEX LIFESON]

One of the Juco's might redshirt.

[04stang]

stallion, you are so full of crap...i hate to break it to you guys, but phillips is very likely to redshirt next year. my God, you guys act like we cant win without phillips, what was his record as starting qb? oh yea thats right 0-8!!! i believe romo did a terrific job of running the ball this year, but romo is a wide reciever playing qb. Eckert is going to be our man guys. He can kill defenses when he has a running game around him, and as long as he has time to throw the ball,(which he didnt have either this year) he doesnt make mistakes. Think of the int's he threw, almost every one of them were with a guy right in his face. The FACTS about next years team is that the coaches are looking for offensive and defensive lineman to come in and make an impact, because that is where the game starts. Not with qb's, not with running backs.

I believe romo will see a lot of time at wr in the spring, and our o-line will hold up very well when throwing the ball. Eckert is our guy for 06.

[ALEX LIFESON]

Phillips redshirted last year.

[MUSTANGFOREVER69]

Stallion, in 1979, we recruited not only ED and Craig, but we also recruited James Collier, Michael Young, and ...oh yeah... Charles Wagoner who like ED and Craig was also a Parade All American. And of all of the '79 RBs we recruited in the Spring, Charles Wagoner was the best that ensuing fall when he ran for the most yardage of all of our new young horses. ED was pissed because of his lack of playing time and was talking about transferring to OU to go play for Barry Switzer. Craig was thinking about Bear Bryant's prior pleas for him to come be the salvation at RB for Alabama. Collier and Young were afterthoughts and Ron Meyer's problem at RB wasn't solved until Charles Wagoner tragically broke his neck in the TTech game. How would Rivals have rated all of these RBs, Stallion? Which ones would Rivals have known to be "difference makers" coming out of high school? Would Rivals have rated Charles Wagoner behind ED? And how would Rivals have rated Johnny "the Wrecker" Hector who signed with A&M? Was he a "difference maker"? I think that the coaches had some ideas about who among the '79 high school RBs (remember ED played WR before he was an RB at Sealy) were going to be "difference makers". Rivals is nothing more than a 2004 sophisticated on-line version of the crap we had back in 1979 like Max Emfinger and the assembly-line worker from the Ford Motor Car factory in Flint, Michigan who started all of the recruiting rags. I personally think that college coaches like Phil Bennett who personally evaluate talent with the help from other college and high school coaches who make a living at it are just a little bit better equipped to do so than the Max Emfingers, Jamie Newbergs, and the other self-annointed recruiting experts who produce their product in order to sell it - the latter are entreprenours - not coaches. And, like all entreprenours, they're in the business to sell what people want to buy. I prefer to put my faith in the coaching profession since coaches - unlike the entreprenours who sell recruiting information - stake their own careers on their ability to evaluate talent. They're not out to sell in a magazine or on-line what they determine from their evaluations. They're out to coach it and to hopefully sell the end product to us fans when we actually see what they've evaluated and coached. There's a BIG difference in that and what Rivals sells.

[GoRedGoBlue]

Phillips redshirted last year.

Phillips played his TRUE freshman year.

He played in a few games (2) this year...and was injured.

He will get a Medical for THIS year...and have 3 remaining.