Poll - Who Was SMU's Best Game Day Coach?

[PlanoStang]

Way back then, I can imagine Ray Morrison drawing up plays in the sand as he saw stuff
happening, and went along.

[No Quarter]

The comment by myrdel is well taken and I'd like to hear his take on Hayden Fry although its unlikely because my trips to games are very rare. But I do seem to remember the Dallas newspapers once crediting Fry with the ability to make good half time adjustments after his team was sometimes less than well prepared at the kickoff.

And I remember the entire OL and so on being substituted as Stallion noted. It was in those days that Monday Night Football commentator Frank Gifford visited SMU and called the "117 man" squad he saw "awesome."

[PerunaPunch]

How do you explain our losses in opening games?

Opening against TTech 2013
Opening against Baylor 2012
Opening against A&M 2011
Opening against TTech 2010
Does losing those opening games really require explanation? I don't know what those opponents' final records were in each of those years, but I imagine they were all significantly better than ours.

When we opened against Stephen F in 2009, we won. In June's first year ('08), we lost to Rice, but we also lost to just about everyone else that year too.

[PlanoStang]

I think I'll change my vote from Ray Morrison to JJ, so just do a +1 when you see his total.

[mustangxc]

How do you explain our losses in opening games?

Opening against TTech 2013
Opening against Baylor 2012
Opening against A&M 2011
Opening against TTech 2010
Does losing those opening games really require explanation? I don't know what those opponents' final records were in each of those years, but I imagine they were all significantly better than ours.

When we opened against Stephen F in 2009, we won. In June's first year ('08), we lost to Rice, but we also lost to just about everyone else that year too.

That is not overachieving. You need to ammend your statement to say that if he has a long time to prepare for a mediocre to slightly above average opponent, he does an amazing job.

[ghost]

Mrydel. WE share common factors with Hayden Fry. I didn't think he was a good gameday coach either.However, I don't recall ever playing a game for him where we didn't think we had a good chance to win based on our preparation and maybe a few trick plays and the thought we could exploit a minor weakness that was unknown to everyone else but our team. Fun to play for if winning but threatened players that he would give them a roadmap and an apple if they kept playing bad. Great knack for picking quality assistants who would go on to be top head coaches. How many guys would pick an offensive coordinator from a small college in Sherman, Austin College, who would turn out to be arguably the greatest turnaround artist(TWICE) in the history of college football....Bill Snyder.

[mrydel]

Totally agree. My definition of game day coach pertains only to the 3-4 hours of the game being played. He was very good in preparation, inspiration, and dedication, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

[redpony]

Incredible that there are some who think jj's game day coaching is as good as or equal to Bobby Collins.
No comparison in the w-l results (and yes, I am aware of the $ issues).

[Stallion]

without question the coach who made the best halftime adjustments to turn games around was Bobby Collins-but again I think there was a lot more to that than just coaching. Some might question why some of those games required second half adjustments in the first place. Both Bobby Collins and especially Ron Meyer had a bunch of coaches on staff who went on to have long NFL/College coaching careers

[Arkpony]

Stallion is right. I remember the talk back when Collins was coach: Meyer was a better recruiter and Collins was a better coach.

[Treadway21]

Not that I ever saw any of his teams, but I understand Rusty Russell was a very accomplished coach. I don't believe he had a good record as head coach, but by all accounts was a great offensive mind.

Of the coaches I have seen, would have to say Bobby Collins.