Jason Phillips finally swipes one from the cougs

[ojaipony]

Aren't we already a middle of the road team?

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No, we have been to 3 straight bowl games and perhaps on our way to another one (4 straight bowls starts putting us in more "elite" company). We are slightly better than middle of the road team right now trending towards a top 30 team (got votes last year for top 25 briefly which has NEVER happened or even come anywhere close to happening post-DP) which is MUCH better than we've been in the last 30 years. Now, we need to take this and keep improving which I think we are and will.

[abezontar]

I am a Pre DP grad (1986) and I do like how were are finishing the class but I wish we had started like we are finishing because we only have 3 more scholarships to give. The 2014 class will be extremely important. I would hope that the the majority of the kids in that class have BCS offers if not we could be a kind of middle of the road team which I don't believe anyone wants. Just sayin.

Aren't we already a middle of the road team?

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In C-USA yes, but this type of effort in the Big East will make us a bottom of the barrel team.

Exactly

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[ojaipony]

I am a Pre DP grad (1986) and I do like how were are finishing the class but I wish we had started like we are finishing because we only have 3 more scholarships to give. The 2014 class will be extremely important. I would hope that the the majority of the kids in that class have BCS offers if not we could be a kind of middle of the road team which I don't believe anyone wants. Just sayin.

Aren't we already a middle of the road team?

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In C-USA yes, but this type of effort in the Big East will make us a bottom of the barrel team.

Again, you are assuming we can't compete in the BE. What specifically can you refer to? Our last 2-3 recruiting classes competes with the top BE teams we will be facing. I think you are over-rating some of these NBE teams. I think we will be competitive from the very beginning. But what do I know. I'm an optimist which apparently you can't be on this board.

[Rebel10]

Look I like your desire for the team to win but do you do any research before you make statements like that?

Yes, and I'm going with the product I saw on the field and Baylor looks to me to be much better than Louisville and Rutgers the last 2-3 years talent-wise across the board. Also taking into account the transfers Baylor got outside of the official recruiting classes ala Lache Seastrunk, etc . . . And Terrance Williams was a 2 star with only CSU as the only other offer per Rivals. That guy will definitely be playing on Sundays and neither Louisville or Rutgers has anyone close to that kind of talent. Either he was under the radar or developed or whatever. That's the kind of talent to which I am referring. Oh, and there was also that RG3 guy.

RG3 was a 4 star player. Seastrunk could be a good player but has not seen the field too much this year. Louisville and Rutgers and some good O and D lines. Louisville has some serious team speed as well. Charlie Strong is bringing in a lot of kids from FL and Rutgers got a 4 star DE transfer from Penn State over the summer as well. We will see how well Baylor does once Petty takes over at QB next year because the Baylor's defense is just awful.

[sbsmith]

Again, you are assuming we can't compete in the BE. What specifically can you refer to? Our last 2-3 recruiting classes competes with the top BE teams we will be facing. I think you are over-rating some of these NBE teams. I think we will be competitive from the very beginning. But what do I know. I'm an optimist which apparently you can't be on this board.

I'm only assuming we can't compete in the BE with our current effort, we can't even win C-USA but we're going to hop up and contend for a league against Louisville, Boise State, Cincinnati, and Rutgers (at a minimum) who all recruit better and develop talent better than us. You're a lot closer to overrating our team than I am to overrating their teams.

[Rebel10]

Again, you are assuming we can't compete in the BE. What specifically can you refer to? Our last 2-3 recruiting classes competes with the top BE teams we will be facing. I think you are over-rating some of these NBE teams. I think we will be competitive from the very beginning. But what do I know. I'm an optimist which apparently you can't be on this board.

You sounds like those ESPN analyst who say that the BE is not very good. Even though now they are changing their minds a bit.

[couch 'em]

Just another athletic department employee or "corso" here for damage control or just a troll.

[ojaipony]

Just another athletic department employee or "corso" here for damage control or just a troll.

Yep, I'm a troll.

So funny that if anyone ever expresses any kind of optimism, they have to be a troll.

Here you go: my name is Matt. I live in Ojai, CA. I graduated from SMU in 1993 cum laude and worked at The White House after graduation. I give money to SMU and have absolutely no affiliation with the athletic department whatsoever. I support my school and the hard-working kids who come here and don't bash anyone personally. We all want what's best. I have a broad perspective based on experience and want what's best for our school and am an optimist by nature.

Never call me a troll again.

[ojaipony]

Again, you are assuming we can't compete in the BE. What specifically can you refer to? Our last 2-3 recruiting classes competes with the top BE teams we will be facing. I think you are over-rating some of these NBE teams. I think we will be competitive from the very beginning. But what do I know. I'm an optimist which apparently you can't be on this board.

I'm only assuming we can't compete in the BE with our current effort, we can't even win C-USA but we're going to hop up and contend for a league against Louisville, Boise State, Cincinnati, and Rutgers (at a minimum) who all recruit better and develop talent better than us. You're a lot closer to overrating our team than I am to overrating their teams.

Outside of Boise (who definitely coaches up their classes consistently), I'm still waiting on a team that's heads and shoulders better than us in the new BE. Cinncy? Rutgers? Louisville? Really? I guess we'll see who's right soon enough. We will be competitive next year in the new BE with a good chance to win it in the next 2-3 years (the last 2-3 years' teams from Tulsa, UCF, UH, and ECU would challenge for top spot in the NBE). And, no, I don't think it will be a bad conference. Better than ACC for sure.

[Rebel10]

Here are the last 3 classes (2012, 2011, and 2010) comparisons of SMU, Rutgers, and Louisville.

Louisville 2012 finished 42nd the the nation, 2011 29th, 2010 48th

Rutgers 2012 finished 24th, 2011 32nd, 2010 64th

SMU 2012 finished 89th, 2011 50th, 2010 76th

That is not something I would call close since we have not yet gotten past the 50th spot.

[ojaipony]

Didn't we play in a CUSA Championship game just 2 years ago in a league with teams that could have challenged for the NBE title (ECU, UCF, Tulsa, USM, UH)?

I'm done responding to the debbie downers. I'm pulling for this team and the kids on this roster and hope to take my family to Hawaii on Christmas Eve this year while you continue to whine and moan and complain.

[ojaipony]

Here are the last 3 classes (2012, 2011, and 201) comparisons of SMU, Rutgers, and Louisville.

Louisville 2012 finished 42nd the the nation, 2011 29th, 2010 48th

Rutgers 2012 finished 24th, 2011 32nd, 2010 64th

SMU 2012 finished 89th, 2011 50th, 2010 76th

That is not some I would call close since we have not yet gotten past the 50th spot.

Yes and this year? Yes and how about transfers? Like our 5 star and two 4 stars? Our "terrible 2013 class" is #41 and the only team ahead of us is Rutgers at #30 and only because they have a 4 star (our 4 star is not even included in our ranking). And the team coming with us to NBE from CUSA we just blew out and we'll see how we do against UCF (I'm slightly pessimistic about that game though). And you are comparing the top 2 teams. I said we would be COMPETITIVE in the NBE right away not win it.

[Rebel10]

I thought you said look 2 or 3 years ago. And Louisville only has 8 commits this year so far so let's wait until signing day before we say we are going to beat out Louisville. And just for fun I looked at Baylor who was 45th in 2012, 46th in 2011, 39th in 2010. Not much different than UL or Rutgers and Rutgers has a high caliber transfers as well.

[PonyPlayer4]

Aren't we already a middle of the road team?

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No, we have been to 3 straight bowl games and perhaps on our way to another one (4 straight bowls starts putting us in more "elite" company). We are slightly better than middle of the road team right now trending towards a top 30 team (got votes last year for top 25 briefly which has NEVER happened or even come anywhere close to happening post-DP) which is MUCH better than we've been in the last 30 years. Now, we need to take this and keep improving which I think we are and will.

6-6 gets you to a bowl game. More teams make a bowl game than don't. It's fair to say you can make 3 straight bowl games and be lesser than a middle of the road team.

[ponyboy]

Well, six gets you *eligible.* But I believe many if not most bowl eligible teams don't go to bowls.

We are number 50 out of 113 teams in win percentage the last the years. That's top 44%.