Does anyone remember at the end of last year

[Junior]

Nope, don't recall the ASU thing. What was that all about again?

[PerunaPunch]

but it wasn't easy to defend last year at times such as against TCU etc...

Last year, JJ McDermott got so beat up that by the last half of the season he wasn't even practicing during the week. Of course, a lot of the fans (better known as the JJ sucks faction) didn't know this and went on a rampage about how bad our QB was. June could have easily made the excuse that the arm of his sole veteran QB was about to fall off, but with no backup ready, that would be like painting a great big target on JJ McDermott's back ("Hey guys, you don't have to respect the pass. Just load the box up and see if you can KO our only quarterback").

But JJ won 5 in a row including wins over TCU and UCF. Then, after some time off to rehab, came back and stuck it to Pittsburgh in the bowl game.

So yeah, I think the offensive scheme we run has plenty of potential. I personally like the idea of lining up and blowing the other team off the ball. But I do believe June's scheme (and Tom Rossley's before that) can give lesser talent a means to be competitive.

[ponyboy]

Yet more rationality rearing its ugly head.

[StallionsModelT]

Been told by several in the know that JJ accepted the job.

God how I wish that had actually happened.

[The Q]

We all seem to forget that ASU's attempt to steal Jones from us is EXACTLY what we did to Hawaii, and we hailed his arrival as an absolute coup.

I'm ecstatic that for the first time in 30 years, we have a coach other schools, even those in big conferences and with lots of money, actually want.

[skurtn]

We all seem to forget that ASU's attempt to steal Jones from us is EXACTLY what we did to Hawaii, and we hailed his arrival as an absolute coup.

I'm ecstatic that for the first time in 30 years, we have a coach other schools, even those in big conferences and with lots of money, actually want.

Heh, +1

[PonyKai]

We all seem to forget that ASU's attempt to steal Jones from us is EXACTLY what we did to Hawaii, and we hailed his arrival as an absolute coup.

I'm ecstatic that for the first time in 30 years, we have a coach other schools, even those in big conferences and with lots of money, actually want.

Not sure I would trumpet that Lisa Love and Debbie Yow were after our coaches as a positive sign...

[SMU 86]

I think Lisa Love got fired behind doing that.

[PonyKai]

"Clearly if you're looking for a surprise, the firing of Lisa Love hardly qualifies. This move has been a fait accompli since the June Jones debacle; it was simply a question of when. Perhaps Dr. Michael Crow will argue that progress was made in regards to academics and fringe sports. In the only metrics that matter, football, football and a smidge of men's basketball, the tenure of Love was a colossal failure."

[SMUFan]

They were (are) Ads at big schools in legit conferences. Q's point is perfectly valid.

86: is that why she got fired? Weren't there a whole bunch of factors that had her on thin ice before the football coaching search even started?

[couch 'em]

but it wasn't easy to defend last year at times such as against TCU etc...

Last year, JJ McDermott got so beat up that by the last half of the season he wasn't even practicing during the week. Of course, a lot of the fans (better known as the JJ sucks faction) didn't know this and went on a rampage about how bad our QB was. June could have easily made the excuse that the arm of his sole veteran QB was about to fall off, but with no backup ready, that would be like painting a great big target on JJ McDermott's back ("Hey guys, you don't have to respect the pass. Just load the box up and see if you can KO our only quarterback").
.

You'll recall, or maybe you didn't see it, players posting on here (which was quickly deleted as it should be) how angry they were their season was wasted by a coach too stubborn to change game plans to accommodate an injured QB situation when we have a great RB.

[PonyKai]

They were (are) Ads at big schools in legit conferences. Q's point is perfectly valid.

86: is that why she got fired? Weren't there a whole bunch of factors that had her on thin ice before the football coaching search even started?

The AD was incompetent and fired for colossal failures in revenue sports, including the [deleted] clown of a coaching search. I would look beyond Debbie Yow & Lisa Love for endorsements.

[lwjr]

Blah Blah Blah
I don't like JJ and I am ready for him to move on, but it is time to move on from this
Talk about beating a dead horse. No offense, Peruna

[I'm4Peruna]

I remember farther back to where Jones said we were a recruiting class and a half from being able to compete with BCS. Gee, how is that working out for us?

[PoconoPony]

My thought is that June Jones got sold a bill of goods by a deeply in debt drunkard who was desperate to make something happen. And then he got double crossed by ASU, who reneged on a clear promise. And then, after all he's done here, some SMU "fans" get selective amnesia as to who saved this program from extinction. The team is over it. Time you do so too.

I speak for a number of posters when I have posted in the past that it appears that JJ lost his interest and focus in SMU after the ASU fiasco. You just do not get any sense of intensity, adequate game preparation and total focus in the program by JJ. My biggest argument in support of this position is this year's very poor recruiting class. This is JJ's fifth recruiting class and during the almost 5 years he has been on the job this should be his finest recruiting class. He has had the time to establish a Texas pipeline, build a competitive team and entry to the Beast should have given him a real solid recruiting basis. This year we have only had 3 coaches who appear to even be recruiting, we constantly hear of offers through the high school coach and no follow up or contact with a recruit, the staff has no time to meet for even a minute with many kids who have been offered and make an unofficial visit to campus, you never hear of JJ making an in-home visit, we have offered and have verbals from 6 kids who have no other offers or interest from any level of program....etc. and the list goes on. We are looking for intensity, fire, recruiting aggressiveness....etc. and we are seeing none of this. Throw in a disasterous loss to Tulane and the picture painted as to the current and future status of the program is not that which most of us want to see.