I won't say "good game" SMU

[ReedFrawg]

I think he provides a good non-SMU fan perspective.

Sometimes I suspect he is being overly polite as he realizes this is an SMU board.

Honestly I don't think you guys need to hear any BS after the debacle in the 2nd half. I haven't been a june jones fan the last 3 years. He has no passion and no fire. You might not like GP but there is never any question as to whether or not he cares. SMU can do a lot better - especially for $2 million per year. I feel for you guys and gals that are passionate about the football program. And for what its worth, I think SMU should schedule soft OOC to build up some confidence and shoot for some 10 win seasons. Winning 6-8 games per year is like sitting in Neutral.

As for hoops, we lost Durley and some other guy who was supposed to contribute as well. We have basically zero depth at C/F position. It's not gonna be pretty this season (again). Not saying these two guys would have made us contenders but losing them preseason is not good.

[ReedFrawg]

btw, ReedFrawg recommended we sh$t-can JJ after the ASU debacle. He is best non-SMU poster we have. Polite, makes his points, doesn't have too much of an agenda when commenting on Ponies.

Agreed, don't know Mustangsabu personally but as a poster, reedfrawg trumps him and all the sunshiners.

Appreciate it. My only agenda is to talk sports and kill time.

[Frog Barrister]

Fire June. The $2 million can be better spent elsewhere. He had momentum going with the program until the ASU debacle. Your next coach needs to be better engaged with the students and community.

Tough loss guys. I know these kind of losses are no fun. Good luck the rest of the way.

[sbsmith]

And for what its worth, I think SMU should schedule soft OOC to build up some confidence and shoot for some 10 win seasons. Winning 6-8 games per year is like sitting in Neutral.

You were actually making sense until that sentence. Scheduling soft doesn't guarantee confidence will be built (because there's not anyone in FBS we'd beat for sure) but it does guarantee that the stadium will be less than half empty. These OOC slates only look daunting because of how we recruit. That problem needs to be fixed instead of just trying to hide it with wins over junk teams.

[SMU_Alumni11]

I think the best compromise is 1) FCS 2) cupcake (should be -UNT) 3) TCU 4) low level but in P5 conference and we alternate the number 4 sport every other year going between weak P5 and strong P5. That to me could get us a decent 9-3 record assuming JJ is in Hawaii growing a beard and we have an actual coach.

[ReedFrawg]

And for what its worth, I think SMU should schedule soft OOC to build up some confidence and shoot for some 10 win seasons. Winning 6-8 games per year is like sitting in Neutral.

You were actually making sense until that sentence. Scheduling soft doesn't guarantee confidence will be built (because there's not anyone in FBS we'd beat for sure) but it does guarantee that the stadium will be less than half empty. These OOC slates only look daunting because of how we recruit. That problem needs to be fixed instead of just trying to hid it with wins over junk teams.

I wouldnt worry about attendance - it aint great now. Start a couple seasons 4-0 or 5-0 and that will sell tickets. I know you disagree but this is what I would do. I have seen all of the debates on here related to scheduling so I know all the pros and cons. Something has to change and getting some votes in the polls would be a nice place to start. There were a couple years in cusa where we won 10 games with smoke and mirrors and relatively easy schedules....but it got us on the map. Build recruiting through winning.

[sbsmith]

I wouldnt worry about attendance - it aint great now. Start a couple seasons 4-0 or 5-0 and that will sell tickets. I know you disagree but this is what I would do. I have seen all of the debates on here related to scheduling so I know all the pros and cons. Something has to change and getting some votes in the polls would be a nice place to start. There were a couple years in cusa where we won 10 games with smoke and mirrors and relatively easy schedules....but it got us on the map. Build recruiting through winning.

That won't work here, no one will be fooled by 4-0 and 5-0 with a bunch of wins over junk (see 2011). All people care about in this town is beating Texas P5 teams. We don't have the time to build recruiting through winning, we have to build recruiting (see SMU basketball) then start winning.

[SMUer]

Yeah, Dallas is too savy to be fooled by 4-5 bull-s wins. When we pull upsets that get on ESPN...that's when they'll start coming.

[CalallenStang]

The way TCU built their program was by winning 8-10 games per season first to pull in recruits who cared about winning more than they cared about the competition, then scheduling low-level power conference teams after they had the talent built to beat them but the public still considered them upsets, then by beating good BYU and Utah teams.

The TCU fans are simply saying we should follow their model. I agree. We aren't going to go from averaging 20,000 in attendance to needing to expand Ford overnight. We need to do it in steps, in a way that is sustainable when the wins eventually stop coming (as all programs go through ups and downs). See my 10 year plan for more - much of it was inspired by what TCU has done

[RGV Pony]

You guys having fun standing on the runway talking about which seat you'd be in on the planes as they disappear into the clouds?

Hope it's not the case... Looking for evidence to the contrary getting tougher though

[CalallenStang]

You guys having fun standing on the runway talking about which seat you'd be in on the planes as they disappear into the clouds?

Hope it's not the case... Looking for evidence to the contrary getting tougher though

Official filing for Division 4 has been made, and it includes all FBS schools. Look for it to be whittled down to about 80 over the next few years on budgetary rules and guidelines. If SMU commits, we will make it, but we need to commit as an institution...right now.

[ponyte]

I saw a lot of our kids playing hard, so this is not on players or most of their effort. It is the coaching, game preparation, and talent gap.

I thought your team played hard. The mismatch of the game was your wide receivers against our corners & safeties. Gilbert held the ball too long because none of his receivers could get open. Your O-Line did OK on pass pro, but they can't hold blocks all day.

Gotta agree. Our receivers haven't become physical enough to create separation against good DBs. Its hard to find open receivers when they can't get open. The other huge difference at critical points in the game was our punt team. The lack of a decent kick and coverage really gave TCU a boost. We differently lost the game of field position early in the 3rd quarter and TCU took advantage.

We had our chances (like TTU) and didn't execute.

[CoxMustangFan]

The smarter schools are better in basketball, so that fits us better. We will happily take your pass on basketball on the hopes we can be like Stanford and be good at both.

+1

[SMUer]

The overall model has changed with the P5-shift. Recruits know that 10-wins still gets them in the Tiddly-winks Bowl they don't care about. We need to make playing at SMU "fun"...big-time opponents, big-time games, Pro Combat unis, NFL greats in the sideline, and a system that puts up gaudy enough stats that guys passed over by P5 might think they might gets some looks in the NFL...basically, everything June was supposed to be but someone that works harder.

UNT OOC scheduling+TCU ability to identify and position recruits+Tulsa uniforming+USC atmosphere

[ReedFrawg]

Yeah, Dallas is too savy to be fooled by 4-5 bull-s wins. When we pull upsets that get on ESPN...that's when they'll start coming.

Trying ti be objective. Would smu have better attendance for rutgers with a 4-0 record or 1-3 and not competitive? SMU is not at a level right now to compete with most big 12 teams right now. I'd rather create a winning atmosphere to attract recruits who want to win. Continuing to hit your head into the wall over and over isnt going to work. Recruits arent coming until you win...not 6-7 wins but 9, 10, 11 wins. It wasn't going to happen at TCU and it won't happen at SMU either. There is no Larry Brown equivalent in college football who can just attract talent overnight. Saban isn't coming...