I believe that SMU can compete

[LHS81]

Basketball- yes/Football-no. . . At least until they go to an 8 game playoff. Plus, a staff that embraces SMU, and the passion to win and recruit.

[Charleston Pony]

agreed. remember Ron Meyer coming in with a plan to take recruiting beyond Texas? he scheduled road games against Florida, Penn State and Ohio State - all recruiting hotbeds - to announce SMU football is back!

[East Coast Mustang]

agreed. remember Ron Meyer coming in with a plan to take recruiting beyond Texas? he scheduled road games against Florida, Penn State and Ohio State - all recruiting hotbeds - to announce SMU football is back!

Going to need that kind of bold thinking to make the next step IMO

[SMU_Alumni11]

All you can hope for is the schools that aren't privilege to the P5 conferences ban together and petition the NCAA to open the tournament to more than just one spot.

For SMU, it would require the strength of alumni base (big $$) to donate to the program so much so that it would have its own mini endowment. Also require people to work their way into the Big 12 administration to eventually include us when we are ready.

In the mean time, we need to win the big OOC games consistently, we need to destroy our conference like louisville is doing and thus hopefully building a fanbase that actually sees success on the field. Til then with JJ we are doomed to be those who are begging for attention or those who have decided to quit all together and just let their conference coast.

[Statler]

Bottom line - it's whatever the billionaires want

[sbsmith]

Yeah, but at the same time you don't want to play 12 powerhouses a year. And if you're going to play a team outside the P5, why not play a team that gives you great exposure in a recruiting hotbed?

You want exposure in a recruiting hotbed you play a team that people actually want to watch (see Bama v Michigan, LSU v Oregon, LSU v TCU, etc).

[East Coast Mustang]

Yeah, but at the same time you don't want to play 12 powerhouses a year. And if you're going to play a team outside the P5, why not play a team that gives you great exposure in a recruiting hotbed?

You want exposure in a recruiting hotbed you play a team that people actually want to watch (see Bama v Michigan, LSU v Oregon, LSU v TCU, etc).

I think people would want to watch ND/SMU or SMU/USC. And they would view the game as an easy W

[sbsmith]

Yeah, but at the same time you don't want to play 12 powerhouses a year. And if you're going to play a team outside the P5, why not play a team that gives you great exposure in a recruiting hotbed?

You want exposure in a recruiting hotbed you play a team that people actually want to watch (see Bama v Michigan, LSU v Oregon, LSU v TCU, etc).

I think people would want to watch ND/SMU or SMU/USC. And they would view the game as an easy W

I don't think anyone would want to see those games and attendance would reflect that. I don't see ND or USC fans flocking to Arlington to play an irrelevant team (even if it will be an easy win). ND, USC and UCLA are getting their Texas exposure by scheduling games versus Bevo U (playing against the state's flagship will get pub in every major Texas market).

[dirtysouthpony]

agreed. remember Ron Meyer coming in with a plan to take recruiting beyond Texas? he scheduled road games against Florida, Penn State and Ohio State - all recruiting hotbeds - to announce SMU football is back!

This is a great idea. I'm hoping that we adapt that strategy again. I would add Georgia Tech to the list. It could be a recruiting windfall for both schools. All of the SEC and ACC schools try to schedule games here for recruiting and alumni relations purposes.

[SMU 86]

I think some posted that we scheduled Michigan a few years from now.

[SMU2007]

Serious question: would losing to Ohio state, Florida, or michigan by 50+ points help out recruiting?

[PlanoStang]

Ron Meyer was 34-32-1 after 6 seasons recruiting with money, and the prospect of playing in the
big time SWC.

June Jones is 32 - 35 after 5.25 seasons with hopefully clean recruiting, and the prospect of
playing in a non-BCS average conference.

It seems we have a lot more players in the NFL nowdays. I think that's how June attracts recruits
offering the coaching, schooling in football, and NFL contacts that will get you a chance to play
in the NFL. See Margus Hunt SMU will gradually get better as it gets known as a school that
puts people in the NFL.

No, I don't think we really have a chance to compete for national championships in the next 5 -
10 years given our current conference, and the landscape of NCAA Div 1A football in general.

I'd only give us a 1- 3 % chance to win a BBall national championship in the next 10 years. Lot's
of good teams seem to want to do that.

Firing our coach every 5 - 6 years does nothing to help our football reputation, and has given
us the reputation as a football coach's graveyard

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

No, we cannot compete for national championships in football under the current system. Even if we had the world's greatest IPF with gold-plated door handles and were able to admit any JUCO thug in the country, the system would not allow us to play for a NC. First, we are not in a P-5 conference. I can assure you that in a four-team playoff format, all four teams will be P-5. Second, look at the last 15 years of the BCS era. Underdog schools from non-BCS conferences often finished undefeated (Utah, Hawaii, TCU, Boise). They would be permitted to play in a BCS game, but not in the NC game. I see no reason why that would change. The powers-that-be can always hang the "strength of schedule" albatross around our necks. The only way to even arguably overcome that (and even this is doubtful) would be to stack our OOC schedule with top-teir programs. Of course, we would have to play every single one of those games on the road. So you tell me, do we have a shot at winning four road games in a row against Alabama, Ohio State, Oregon, and Clemson? That would be a tall order for ANY program in the country, even the biggest and best.

But hey, if we did that and then ran the table in conference play, just maybe they'd give us a shot. Somehow, I doubt it though.

[CalallenStang]

I see people reaching different conclusions based on different methods of reaching the conclusion.

Those who say that we cannot compete for national championships reason that this is due to the current landscape of college sports. Those who say that we can compete for national championships are not hampered by this as they acknowledge that SMU can improve its position within the landscape through realignment (this takes hard work).

I restate that I believe that SMU can compete for, and win, national championships in football.

I further believe that despite the answers given, you all believe the same.

Does Turner believe the same?
Does Hart believe the same?
Does June Jones believe the same?
Does Sewell believe the same?
Does Ford believe the same?
Does Hunt believe the same?
Does Dallas believe the same?
Does SMU Nation believe the same?

Only if we all align our beliefs can we achieve our potential. That means putting people in place who believe the way we do.

SMU is special. We are a fantastic university in a vibrant and growing major city with a beautiful campus and a tradition of winning. We have a donor base whose potential is second to none in terms of funding. But those donors aren't stupid - they aren't going to fully give to a school and program that isn't also fully giving.

Some may read my recent posts and say that I am asking too much of our administration and heavy-hitting donors. Am I? Doesn't great power always come attached to great responsibility?

We need a culture change. We need to commit to competing with the best in the nation, or we will forever toil in mediocrity. And I dare each of you to demand accountability toward bringing this culture change about. What we lack in terms of size of pocketbooks, we make up for with strength in numbers.

I'm not on the warpath against our administration. I'm simply asking them to take responsibility for setting us forth on a comprehensive plan toward competing for titles. If they don't want to do that, might I suggest that they are not willing to perform all responsibilities of their positions at SMU.

We need to start now.

[Peruna_Ate_My_Rolex]

I think that's how June attracts recruits
offering the coaching, schooling in football, and NFL contacts that will get you a chance to play
in the NFL. See Margus Hunt

He didn't recruit Margus. Margus was handed to him by Dave Wollman. We were very lucky to have such an athletic freak handed to us on a silver platter.