TOM MASON gets defensive

[PonyPride]

When a school signs its recruiting class each year, it often is easier to analyze offensive players, since their statistics are considered more obvious to the obvious fan. So PonyFans.com sat down with the man who will add the newest pieces to SMU's defensive puzzle: defensive coordinator Tom Mason, who discusses the strengths of each incoming defensive player and how they might fit with the Mustangs' defense.

Enjoy!

Webmasters
PonyFans.com

Full story: Tom Mason gets defensive

[Hilltopper]

Not quite as long as your Recruiting Roundup, but fantastic work nonetheless. After reading Mason's comments (and learning about schools going after our guys late), I'm liking the class more and more.

[JoeKidd]

If you look at the success Jones/Mason have had in developing and getting the most out of their defensive players over the last few years I am not worried about this side of the ball at all. Again the frame and speed of this defensive recruiting class is as good as any we have had in the JJ era.

[Charleston Pony]

this coaching staff has done a better job than any we've had since the death penalty in finding guys who they have developed into quality Division I players. Hope Coach Mason is right about this year's recruits

[Stallion]

SMU's defense got run off the field against higher quality athletes. That tells you what you need to know about a class made up primarily of sleepers

[Charleston Pony]

there is no denying we need higher caliber players, but we aren't going to go head to head against the power conferences and win enough of those battles to fill our our recruiting classes. It's still pretty important for SMU to do better than our competitors in identifying the sleepers

[PonyFan]

this coaching staff has done a better job than any we've had since the death penalty in finding guys who they have developed into quality Division I players. Hope Coach Mason is right about this year's recruits

And better in finding guys who developed in to NFL players. What do we have now? 9? 10?

Not where we need to be, obviously, but on the right track.

[ojaipony]

We aren't going to get the 4-5 four stars each year we need right out of high school right now. I always thought the way to build is how we're starting to do now by getting guys like Gilbert, Lowe, and Shead. Throw in a 4 star here and there out of high school and a boatload of high 3s like Minor, Gaines, Taylor, Sanders, Acker, etc and we can compete. Pick up a signature win or 2 over a big name school and run the table in our conference and the momentum gets rolling - very few schools can compete with our brand, we just have to WIN.

[Charleston Pony]

clearly we aren't going to have a lot of impact Frosh; at least not until we start winning those games against our former SWC mates and people start taking SMU serioulsy again.

[Stallion]

SMU was below .500 last year against Division 1A compeetition during regular season. .500 including Hawaii Bowl. Recruiting sleepers gets you to mediocrity

[PonySnob]

Pick up a signature win or 2 over a big name school and run the table in our conference and the momentum gets rolling

Any idea as to win this might happen? 5 years in and we haven't beaten a big name school yet..........

[ojaipony]

Pick up a signature win or 2 over a big name school and run the table in our conference and the momentum gets rolling

Any idea as to win this might happen? 5 years in and we haven't beaten a big name school yet..........

I'm sorry, I'm not understanding your point. I have no idea when it might happen. I had hoped it would have happened by now of course. Maybe this year (I would love to beat TT and TCU). But who knows. I don't see us beating aTm directly for many recruits right out of high school right now (although we beat them to get Myers . . . a high 3 star). If we can't get several 4 stars directly out of high school, the idea then is to get them when they come back home like a Shead, GG, Lowe, etc, either via JUCO or lack of playing time at a major program and build from there. Couple those guys with guys we CAN get like Sanders, Acker, Minor, Gaines, Taylor, Richards, etc and then we can start competing in terms of just talent level. Coaching is a whole other topic (I think Sumlin can coach circles around JJ unfortunately). I was very disappointed we couldn't get Kingsbury but of course TT was where he wanted to go and it opened up perfectly for him. Bottom line is we need to get this program to respectability so we can get on the radar of a REAL coach with lots of recruiting energy and competitiveness to bring us back to a true top 25 program. I had hoped we would have been there by now.

[Mustangsabu]

TCU is the biggest name we have a win against. But we have not played that many games against big name schools either.

The key thing with judging a recruiting class is don't, until they have seen the field. If we have to play players who are not ready that is a problem, but assuming we can chose when to put them on the field, then we can judge the class.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

[PSCA]

Pure speculation on my part … but I would think that if JJ was looking to ease the OCS, it would be A&M and not Baylor. We have a better chance of being competitive with Baylor next season, and it’s a home game that should result in a good home crowd. Unfortunately, I believe A&M will be another hard lesson … on the road in front 85,000+. A&M will be just as tough to deal with next season … FOR EVERYONE.

I’m more inclined to think Baylor had more input on the change then SMU, I’m sure we were willing to accommodate also. JJ did say we need to lighten the OCS to build ”MO” and success … every program does it … and replacing one game is not tucking your tail. We have not played many BCS programs in the last 4yrs (I’m not counting yr 1). But;

1) We played TT very comp in Lubbock, we were in it in the last qtr with a chance to tie
2) 1-1 against WS, should have won in Pullman
3) We have been very comp against TCU the last 3 if not 4 games … with a HUGE W
4) Beat Pitt … I know that does not count for some
5) Baylor spanked us (although we shot ourselves in the foot a few times), and A&M spanked us twice … but ask OU what It’s like to get spanked by A&M .. this might keep our game in perspective, not to mention Johnny Heisman.

Our “D” finished 26th nationally in 2011 and 60th this year (but 32nd against the run). We dealt with a lot of injury issues before and during the season to key players, plus the “O” at times put the “D” in repetitive tough spots … the “D” improvement from year 1 to now is recruiting and coaching. I understand it’s a total team effort, and the “O” has not kept pace with the “D”. If it had, our results would be much different IMO.

I think our recruiting has gotten better. Look at the transfers, the number of recruits in yr 1,2,3 who did not even now who SMU was vs. now. We’ve got some nice in-roads at Lamar now and in the Dallas area. I truly think the quality of recruit is better. Anyone who thought we would compete for 5 star and high 4stars by now … I think you might be guilty of what you have accused others about (the sunshine crowd}. Even if we had gone 9-3 and two bowl W’ the last two years we would not compete for these guys IMO… SMU is not enough of a compelling story yet for a kid the big boys are going after … but we are getting there. ASU is not and did not impact this. Coaches always leave; look at the last few years … its part of the game. Unless someone has hard factual evidence that suggest JJ recruited for ASU that weekend (I have not heard or seen any), this is all Tabloid Journalism. It’s very doable and possible to meet with recruits (sell) for your current employer all day, and have dinner with a potential new employer at night and not conflict your obligations. More then a few on this board have done it in their professional life … that’s called answering the door to listen when opp knocks, and we have all done it. Back to recruiting … recruiting is selling, but are you going to spend 80% of your time on a deal you have a 10% chance of getting (5 and high 4 star), and lose out on quality 3’s and the occasional 4 … or spend 80% on a deal you have real shot at closing … that quality 3 and occasional 4, while you build to the other and ultimate goal. I’m still not a huge star rating fan … I understand the BCS offer logic a little more

I’m not going to hang the coaches for what many suggest is pure laziness in recruiting. Because, I don’t have their travel schedule, their phone records, their text records, their e-mail records, the videos they watch etc. … we don’t know. Unless the coach or the prospect is talking regularly to the recruiting services, they don’t either. Sort of “until you walk in another mans shoes” kind of thing. But, I do think recruiting/recruits have improved IMO. I still think we are 2-3 yrs away for consistently being able to comp for the cream. I think that would have been the case irrespective of our record … for a lot of reasons IMO. Ultimately, until the class hits the field of play, you don’t know what you have.

[ponyte]

We have needs and I think some of these kids can help us the first year. Most will require time to grow, learn and develop. One might not have faith in JJ’s recruiting but Mason seems to know what he needs and find kids to meet those needs. And Mason did well getting kids even though he was looking at Nevada. Plus, we have some upside potentially. Our linebackers could actually be better than this last year’s group. Acker is truly a strong CB. We have options in the secondary and we have experience in the Dline. I don’t anticipate that we have an Alabama like D this year but we may actually be better than last year.

Our real Achilles Heel is at the Receiver position. I do hope that group as a whole improves.