Did JJ rid SMU of ingrained culture of losing?

[Mustangsabu]

he had 6 JUCOs and/or Division 1A Transfers on that team which for example Mike cavan couldn't get in including

Shanwbrey McNeil
Marcus Frazier
The LB from Texas A&M

Much appreciated. Thanks.

[leopold]

I absolutely believe the model has changed, but I'm wondering - did June help in that in any way? Did Bennett? Orsini? Turner?

What was the catalyst, outside of simple losing? Who was it that finally said 'Okay. This is stupid and pointless' and actually instituted the change?

[Stallion]

also Rock Dennis who was among the leaders in tackles that year. That's 5 team leaders and several All CUSA players right there.

Look as for the changes in admission standards-we have the published evidence from June Jones first 2 recruiting classes in comparison to the last 2 Bennett year. I've posted that article detailing the facts about 20 times. The number of marginal recruit tripled to quadrupled under Jones in comparison to Bennett's last few years. The quote from June Jones in my signature line is before June Jones ever coached a game at SMU. The evidence is overwhelming that he was offered the admission changes as an inducement to take the job. No recruit has ever been offered by June Jones at SMU, denied admission by SMU and ever started a Division 1A football game. We've stuck with about 15 kids that June offered who failed to qualify-the fact we waited to see if they qualified late is a big big hint-the fact the non-qualifiers weren't admitted somewhere closes the deal

[Mustangsabu]

I loved Rock Dennis, except for a couple of plays that remind me of Shak....

[leopold]

Okay, so you're saying it was before JJ ever stepped foot on campus, someone in the admin, possibly Turner or Orsini.

[feelthehorsepower]

Phil Bennett is trash...period. He would have never gotten us to win...June Jones got us there, he is a good coach, period. Our fans have higher expectations now, so we will get a new P5 coordinator to be our HC

[Stallion]

Yes-Turner in his opening remarks at the June Jones hiring announcement said something to the effect that "SMU can now admit the same student athletes that all our competitors can". Paraphrasing but that was obviously part of the deal to June Jones to induce him to take the job.. I wish a C of C member would clear this up. I'm not saying there haven't been tweaks since his hiring but essentially the evidence speaks for itself from his first 2 recruiting classes

BTW the next SMU fan that wants to refuses to note the difference in the admission models needs to explain where he thinks SMU would be this year without Garrett Gilbert who was a Division 1A Transfer who took 28 hours mostly internet courses in one semester. Under former Coaches SMU would not have accepted those correspondence courses-it was a written part of their transfer policy. SMU had only a hand full (as in 1 hand) of Division 1A Transfers or JUCOs in the first 15 years after the DP-we even turned down a potential transfer QB from Northwestern that went to HP. June Jones has loaded up on these kids and they have been essential part of our teams- All-Conference type players several of which have made it to the NFL

[mustangxc]

David Page went to JUCO after a season at Cal so getting transfers is not a new thing.

[ponyte]

Jones did change things. First, he commanded a respectable salary. Money talks, BS walks.

Whether Jones demanded a change or the CofC demanded their investment get the resources needed to make a change is irrelevant. The money involve got the attention of the decision makers and changes were made.

For that, we have to be very thankful to Jones.

And then he produced. 4 straight bowls speaks volumes. The rest of the nation doesn't care about Caven's conference record or what caliber of talent SMU played for a generation. ALl they know is we were big time losers.

What the future holds is in the hands of others. Nobody ask my opinion and nobody that makes a decision will care about my opinion. So whether Jones is here, goes elsewhere or some other option isn't up to me. Others are making those critical evaluations and determination.

What I do know is that Jones did change things.

[ponydawg]

I thought Gilbert graduated from UT, no transfer hours for smu to accept, just his diploma.
Not arguing about smu lightening their restrictions because they did.