Sugar Bowl, part 2

[PerunaPunch]

I'm not one of the crazy, over-reactionary crowd; I'm fine with June. He's a good coach who has brought us a long way.

I don't necessarily like his style of play, I didn't particularly care for Tom Rossley's either, but I do think it's a high risk/high reward offense that allows smaller and less athletic teams to be competitive. When June came here from Hawaii, what I was hoping to see was his offense combined with the ability to recruit marquee players from D/FW.

What I saw last night was basically a rehash of Hawaii's trip to the Sugar Bowl. The disparity in size and speed was simply too much for the offense to overcome. With the exception of the one sure pick that was (thankfully) dropped by UCF, Gilbert had a fine night whenever he wasn't being flattened.

Having a little more offense would have certainly helped the defense out, but the DL was basically getting blown off the line. Small, fast backers are fine for most of CUSA, but especially when Pittman wasn't in their offensive line was blasting huge holes through our defense.

Anyway, my only point in this rant is that while we'll never have a zillion walk-ons like June had in Hawaii or at Mickey Mouse's favorite commuter school, so we need to level the playing field by using the advantages we have in the quality of the school, facilities and the meaning of an SMU diploma to get 20 solid recruits in here every year. We have to get bigger, faster and deeper -- especially on the O and D lines.

[CalallenStang]

2012 UCF is not 2007 Georgia, so the fact that such a disparity exists should be quite disconcerting to you

[sbsmith]

2012 UCF is not 2007 Georgia, so the fact that such a disparity exists should be quite disconcerting to you

True, the fact that June allows C-USA teams to be this much better than us is absolutely inexcusable. June may have brought us a long way but he'll drag us right back down too.

[PK]

Anyway, my only point in this rant is that while we'll never have a zillion walk-ons like June had in Hawaii or at Mickey Mouse's favorite commuter school, so we need to level the playing field by using the advantages we have in the quality of the school, facilities and the meaning of an SMU diploma to get 20 solid recruits in here every year. We have to get bigger, faster and deeper -- especially on the O and D lines.

That requires much better recruiting efforts than we have had the last 5 years. I think the results indicate the effort that has been exerted and the effectiveness of same.

I respect and support every kid who is willing to put on an SMU uniform and work their butt off to give us their best, but there will always be differences in talent, size and speed available to recruit. We have had some really good kids with the necessary talent, size and speed, for which I am thankful, but just not enough of them.

[couch 'em]

Tired of the myth that the basic June RnS helps less athletic teams win.

1. This was true when everyone ran the ball. Defenses were set up to stop the run, so the RnS exploited the mismatch of undersized under-recruited players vs bigger slower defenses since big running offense players couldn't be recruited.

2. Everyone passes now, so defenses aren't set to stop the run. This is why you see new wrinkles to counter the defense - receiving TEs, shotgun option attacks, fly sweep attacks, pistol, etc. to get the mismatches. Running an old school RnS doesn't give an advantage anymore.

3. We don't even run a real RnS, June himself said most of our offense is closer to west coast, which is still outdated.

Speaking of #3, has June succeeded anywhere without Mouse Davis? I know he showed up in Hawaii around the time Colt Brennan did......

[sbsmith]

Tired of the myth that the basic June RnS helps less athletic teams win.

1. This was true when everyone ran the ball. Defenses were set up to stop the run, so the RnS exploited the mismatch of undersized under-recruited players vs bigger slower defenses since big running offense players couldn't be recruited.

2. Everyone passes now, so defenses aren't set to stop the run. This is why you see new wrinkles to counter the defense - receiving TEs, shotgun option attacks, fly sweep attacks, pistol, etc. to get the mismatches. Running an old school RnS doesn't give an advantage anymore.

3. We don't even run a real RnS, June himself said most of our offense is closer to west coast, which is still outdated.

Speaking of #3, has June succeeded anywhere without Mouse Davis? I know he showed up in Hawaii around the time Colt Brennan did......

Mouse was at Hawaii 2004-2006 (ST and RB coach, didn't call plays), left before the 2007 Sugar Bowl season with Jerry Glanville to coach at Portland State.

[PlanoStang]

Anyway, my only point in this rant is that while we'll never have a zillion walk-ons like June had in Hawaii or at Mickey Mouse's favorite commuter school, so we need to level the playing field by using the advantages we have in the quality of the school, facilities and the meaning of an SMU diploma to get We have to get bigger, faster and deeper -- especially on the O and D lines.

I have heard the quality of school, meaning of an SMU diploma, etc. argument since I started to
SMU way back in the last year of the Hayden Fry era. The 20 solid recruits you want in here every
year have dreams of playing pro ball, though most won't make it, and most all of them want and
will go to a top 20 pro football farm team.

Only time this wasn't true was when we were paying for play We have to have a finesse type
offense that allows smaller athletes to compete, until we can establish a winning tradition, and
gradually attract better athletes like TCU started 14 years ago.

[Treadway21]

offense that allows smaller athletes to compete, until we can establish a winning tradition, .

I am sorry to say this offense hasn't allowed us to complete, except for inferior teams.

Baylor: 24 points
ATM: 3 points
TCU: 16 points
UCF: 17 points

If the RnS is supposed to equalize, so far it hasn't. If it is supposed to be fast paced, it isn't. If the RnS is supposed to be exciting, it isn't. System, coach or both, we are not where we should be or where we were promised to be.

[Charleston Pony]

It would be nice to have a TE and actually use the middle of the field on occasion

yes, most teams run spread offenses, but I'm tired of the R&S