The Come to Jesus Moment for Recruiting

[Mitch McConnell]

In the short run, losing Adrian Klemm hurts. In the long run, you would hope that this coaching staff feels completely naked by his departure and realizes how much it really botched its recruiting philosophy to the point where it has no choice but to MAKE Texas its base.

The risk of having Klemm as your recruiting coordinator was anchoring him in Los Angeles and other parts of Southern California. That was flawed to begin with because we always ran the risk of his leaving and leaving us without a chair when the music stops -- i.e. Southern California recruits bailing as well.

Your recruiting coordinator should make the home state the base. People said Klemm had a lot of Southern California connections because he's from there. But others described his personality as being engaging. I don't see why it could have worked in Texas.

By keeping Texas as your base and if Klemm left, your chances of retaining those Texas kids would have increased. If a Gabe Marks type of player committed to SMU from Houston, I would have liked SMU's chances of keeping him,

More often than not, kids want to play close to home and have their family see them. There are exceptions.

Now, this coaching group appears to be in total scramble mode. And instead of January being a time of fortifying the class, it's now become a month of trying to save face. It somewhat feels like 2008.

It is a recruiting truism that you need to protect your backyard first and then go cherry pick from other states. It's really not that hard but when your lazy staff thinks they're all that and believes everybody should come to them and play for this obsolete offense, then they're not only arrogant but they're also pretty [you can fill in the blank here].

I really hope the lesson these guys have learned is that you have to go to these TEXAS KIDS and convince them that SMU should be in their thinking.

And you don't have to go to Watts to do that.

[Mitch McConnell]

I'll also add that we kept maintaing that this program needed the big win to get Texas kids to notice. It looked like TCU was that win.

This was the time to strike while the iron was hot in Texas for 2012 and 2013.

This staff blew it.

[originaloverthehilltop1]

whatever positive message recruits need to get about smu, they won't get it reading this board.

[SMUer]

apparently they are coming on here (see Eddie Printz' dad)

although with only 11 guests when most kids are on x-mas break...we are in trouble

[OR-See-Nee]

Those guys who are 3 or 4 star prospects and are scared away from the negative comments on this forum need to understand:

1. Comments on forums of other schools can be much worse than ours.
2. Much of the negativity here is a function of decades of frustration.
3. If you are the stud athlete, you would be worshiped as a god here by the fans, media, and 99% of the posters on this board.

You have an opportunity to make history here. You can make a difference that will be recorded in the record books.

Don't make a bad choice because of a couple of lousy posts here. We need you and you can have a tremendous time at the Hilltop.

Pony Up.

[SMU 86]

In the short run, losing Adrian Klemm hurts. In the long run, you would hope that this coaching staff feels completely naked by his departure and realizes how much it really botched its recruiting philosophy to the point where it has no choice but to MAKE Texas its base.

The risk of having Klemm as your recruiting coordinator was anchoring him in Los Angeles and other parts of Southern California. That was flawed to begin with because we always ran the risk of his leaving and leaving us without a chair when the music stops -- i.e. Southern California recruits bailing as well.

Your recruiting coordinator should make the home state the base. People said Klemm had a lot of Southern California connections because he's from there. But others described his personality as being engaging. I don't see why it could have worked in Texas.

By keeping Texas as your base and if Klemm left, your chances of retaining those Texas kids would have increased. If a Gabe Marks type of player committed to SMU from Houston, I would have liked SMU's chances of keeping him,

More often than not, kids want to play close to home and have their family see them. There are exceptions.

Now, this coaching group appears to be in total scramble mode. And instead of January being a time of fortifying the class, it's now become a month of trying to save face. It somewhat feels like 2008.

It is a recruiting truism that you need to protect your backyard first and then go cherry pick from other states. It's really not that hard but when your lazy staff thinks they're all that and believes everybody should come to them and play for this obsolete offense, then they're not only arrogant but they're also pretty [you can fill in the blank here].

I really hope the lesson these guys have learned is that you have to go to these TEXAS KIDS and convince them that SMU should be in their thinking.

And you don't have to go to Watts to do that.

Mitch, they may have been trying but because of our reputation and other factors we may have a harder time recruiting here. We have to go where our recruiting has the best chance. But if we have been trying and Texas HS coaches still not helping us then we have to go to the areas that people will listen. Phil Bennett tried to recruit mostly Texas didn't he?

[Stallion]

If you hire the wrong coaching staff for the wrong school its gonna be a [deleted] recruiting in Texas

[Mitch McConnell]

In the short run, losing Adrian Klemm hurts. In the long run, you would hope that this coaching staff feels completely naked by his departure and realizes how much it really botched its recruiting philosophy to the point where it has no choice but to MAKE Texas its base.

The risk of having Klemm as your recruiting coordinator was anchoring him in Los Angeles and other parts of Southern California. That was flawed to begin with because we always ran the risk of his leaving and leaving us without a chair when the music stops -- i.e. Southern California recruits bailing as well.

Your recruiting coordinator should make the home state the base. People said Klemm had a lot of Southern California connections because he's from there. But others described his personality as being engaging. I don't see why it could have worked in Texas.

By keeping Texas as your base and if Klemm left, your chances of retaining those Texas kids would have increased. If a Gabe Marks type of player committed to SMU from Houston, I would have liked SMU's chances of keeping him,

More often than not, kids want to play close to home and have their family see them. There are exceptions.

Now, this coaching group appears to be in total scramble mode. And instead of January being a time of fortifying the class, it's now become a month of trying to save face. It somewhat feels like 2008.

It is a recruiting truism that you need to protect your backyard first and then go cherry pick from other states. It's really not that hard but when your lazy staff thinks they're all that and believes everybody should come to them and play for this obsolete offense, then they're not only arrogant but they're also pretty [you can fill in the blank here].

I really hope the lesson these guys have learned is that you have to go to these TEXAS KIDS and convince them that SMU should be in their thinking.

And you don't have to go to Watts to do that.

Mitch, they may have been trying but because of our reputation and other factors we may have a harder time recruiting here. We have to go where our recruiting has the best chance. But if we have been trying and Texas HS coaches still not helping us then we have to go to the areas that people will listen. Phil Bennett tried to recruit mostly Texas didn't he?

Didn't Phil have the philosophy of recruiting in a 300-mile radius and only offering kids who went to his camps?

If that was the case, then that was flawed to.

Why can we not just canvas the entire Lone Star State? What's so hard about this?

I'm also going to take issue that recruits are more influenced by what's on a message board than the relationship they have with the SMU coach.

If the coach has done a good job selling the program and the attributes with it, that kid will be fine. If the coach hasn't done a good job, then the results will speak for themselves.

Plus, the current temperature on this board is one full of frustration and angst because of one man's actions. And if recruits are telling these sites his flirtation and bungling of that situation has given them cold feet, it's on him.

[SMU 86]

In the short run, losing Adrian Klemm hurts. In the long run, you would hope that this coaching staff feels completely naked by his departure and realizes how much it really botched its recruiting philosophy to the point where it has no choice but to MAKE Texas its base.

The risk of having Klemm as your recruiting coordinator was anchoring him in Los Angeles and other parts of Southern California. That was flawed to begin with because we always ran the risk of his leaving and leaving us without a chair when the music stops -- i.e. Southern California recruits bailing as well.

Your recruiting coordinator should make the home state the base. People said Klemm had a lot of Southern California connections because he's from there. But others described his personality as being engaging. I don't see why it could have worked in Texas.

By keeping Texas as your base and if Klemm left, your chances of retaining those Texas kids would have increased. If a Gabe Marks type of player committed to SMU from Houston, I would have liked SMU's chances of keeping him,

More often than not, kids want to play close to home and have their family see them. There are exceptions.

Now, this coaching group appears to be in total scramble mode. And instead of January being a time of fortifying the class, it's now become a month of trying to save face. It somewhat feels like 2008.

It is a recruiting truism that you need to protect your backyard first and then go cherry pick from other states. It's really not that hard but when your lazy staff thinks they're all that and believes everybody should come to them and play for this obsolete offense, then they're not only arrogant but they're also pretty [you can fill in the blank here].

I really hope the lesson these guys have learned is that you have to go to these TEXAS KIDS and convince them that SMU should be in their thinking.

And you don't have to go to Watts to do that.

Mitch, they may have been trying but because of our reputation and other factors we may have a harder time recruiting here. We have to go where our recruiting has the best chance. But if we have been trying and Texas HS coaches still not helping us then we have to go to the areas that people will listen. Phil Bennett tried to recruit mostly Texas didn't he?

Didn't Phil have the philosophy of recruiting in a 300-mile radius and only offering kids who went to his camps?

If that was the case, then that was flawed to.

Why can we not just canvas the entire Lone Star State? What's so hard about this?

I'm also going to take issue that recruits are more influence by what's on a message board than the relationship they have with the SMU coach.

If the coach has done a good job selling the program and the attributes with it, that kid will be fine. If the coach hasn't done a good job, then the results will speak for themselves.

Plus, the current temperature on this board is one full of frustration and angst because of one man's actions. And if recruits are telling these sites his flirtation and bungling of that situation has given them cold feet, it's on him.

We could but we may not get enough of the high caliber kids to help us compete in the Big East. However, we could be successful by doing that and staying in CUSA. Remember when our coaching staff goes out in Texas several say that the HS coaches don't let them look a the BCS players only the 2nd tier players whereas that seems to happen a lot less as we recruit outside of the state. Just telling you like it is.

[Mitch McConnell]

I don't know if I buy that. That just sounds like an excuse as to why they can't compete for these kids. I share Stallion's opinion that the wrong staff is here to recruit Texas.

And even if were the case, then they have to find a way to break down the barrier, don't they?

This regime should no longer deliver excuses as talking points for ANYTHING. The clock is ticking.

[Wuba]

Plus, the current temperature on this board is one full of frustration and angst because of one man's actions. And if recruits are telling these sites his flirtation and bungling of that situation has given them cold feet, it's on him.

To be fair, it is at least two men's actions. Klemm had a choice whether he left, and obviously his departure is a big part of the frustration and angst you refer to.

Do not disagree that is on June though to rectify the recruiting situation though. He is the man in charge, he obviously knew the risk he was taking leaning on klemm so heavily, and besides he is the one still here so it is his mess.

[Billy Joe]

Look folks-- recruiting will continue to get better for these reasons:
1) most of the restrictions have been lifted to allow the coaches to recruit from a bigger pool of prospective athletes
2) we are moving to a higher profile conference
3) we are going to a third straight bowl game
4) we will continue to win and field competitive teams
5) SMU academic standing and nationwide reputation is getting stronger

It does appear that Klemm's efforts in CA will not benefit us from June's interview debacle and Klemm's departure. The CA commits would more than likely stick with us if they were TX commits so I agree with many that TX and the surrounding states should be the focus and it should be going forward. Let's hope June hires a really good recruiter to replace Klemm.

[SMU 86]

I don't know if I buy that. That just sounds like an excuse as to why they can't compete for these kids. I share Stallion's opinion that the wrong staff is here to recruit Texas.

And even if were the case, then they have to find a way to break down the barrier, don't they?

This regime should no longer deliver excuses as talking points for ANYTHING. The clock is ticking.

Mitch for what it is worth the current staff will recruit mostly Texas if not Texas only. We will just go from seeing SMU compete with Oregon, USC and all of the Pac 12 schools for highly rated recruits for the last few years to seeing SMU go up against mostly Texas State, UNT, Arkansas State, ULM, and UTSA for recruits. But you will get your wish. Aren't you happy?

[Mitch McConnell]

That's your opinion, 86. I don't share that. I think you're too narrow minded there. How did TCU get over the barrier and win battles against those biggers schools? Hard work and they had a clear message. And they stuck with it.

What I'm saying is that SMU has enough to sell to win a couple of battles against the likes of Tech or whoever. And consider the Texas kids who committed to the Big 10 schools or out of state Big 12 schools. There's no reason why SMU can't win on that battlefield -- as long as the message is clear and the staff CAN SELL IT.

Did you ever look at SMU competing against those Pac 12 schools for those highly rated West Coast kids, scratch your head and say, "that's odd. How is this kid going to wind up here?'' That was because the California base was set up when ti should have been established in Texas.

I think what you're being told about Texas high school coaches witholding BCS kids from our staff is nothing but talking points.

I think you're foolish conceding Texas. It's time for SMU to plant its flag in this state.

[SMU 86]

That's your opinion, 86. I don't share that. I think you're too narrow minded there. How did TCU get over the barrier and win battles against those biggers schools? Hard work and they had a clear message. And they stuck with it.

What I'm saying is that SMU has enough to sell to win a couple of battles against the likes of Tech or whoever. And consider the Texas kids who committed to the Big 10 schools or out of state Big 12 schools. There's no reason why SMU can't win on that battlefield -- as long as the message is clear and the staff CAN SELL IT.

Did you ever look at SMU competing against those Pac 12 schools for those highly rated West Coast kids, scratch your head and say, "that's odd. How is this kid going to wind up here?'' That was because the California base was set up when ti should have been established in Texas.

I think what you're being told about Texas high school coaches witholding BCS kids from our staff is nothing but talking points.

I think you're foolish conceding Texas. It's time for SMU to plant its flag in this state.

Somehow TCU has a rep of a common person type school and we don't. Also, I really don't care if you don't buy what I am saying. And you are a fool if you think I am totally conceding Texas but for now until we win and change some perceptions. because the close to Dallas he worse the perception. But if Jones can get a good recruiting coordinator. Jones is here for the long haul like or not . So deal with it.