Recruiting Question for Stallion

[SMU88]

Stallion, I have been reading this site for years and I know that you are SMU's recruiting GURU. I try not to let any of the early posturing of the recruits bother me but when other institutions such as Duke (who now has 11 total football commits) start flexing their muscles, I start to get nervous. If we were like the University of Miami which yearly competes for the top recruits in the country (and most committments come in the final days) it wouldn't faze me a bit. I know that there are some recruits whom list us but are there any that look like they might want to commit to us? What positions are we looking at the hardest to fill? Is this recruiting class being handled like the old days when we hide our commitments or request that they not disclose their commitment until the final days?

I am a die hard SMU fan and don't doubt that our coaches are working their tails off to get the best recruits to our school. I am looking forward to this football season. I really believe it has the makings to be something special and I hope that any potential recruits reading this would want to become part of it.

GO SMU!!!!!!!!!

[BUS]

Over the past few years (3) SMU has posted a marque recruit and if this idea has changed it's interesting. It may had to of changed because we do not have the big name right now... or Bennett is changing some things.

He may have better luck after SMU wins some games.

Priority - 40 % big men. One QB, 2 LB's, 2 DB's, 2 RB's, 2 WR's.

Even recruiting to produce depth.

[ClassOf81]

Stallion, I have been reading this site for years and I know that you are SMU's recruiting GURU.

Actually, that title would have to go to the poster Recruiting Guru, who I think still works as a recruiting analyst. But Stallion does follow this stuff.

.... I know that there are some recruits whom list us but are there any that look like they might want to commit to us? What positions are we looking at the hardest to fill? Is this recruiting class being handled like the old days when we hide our commitments or request that they not disclose their commitment until the final days?

There is talk going around that a few recruits either are about to commit, or already have without announcing it yet. That's a rumor, but hopefully an accurate one. But even if it's not, August recruiting lists are relatively unimportant. Give us a couple of wins and we'll see things jumping a little.

GO SMU!!!!!!!!!

Well said, my friend.

[Stallion]

quite frankly the only players that I really see making strong statements about interest in SMU are either players who have brothers already on the team or players with limited options. For example, out of a Database of probably over 400-500 Texas recruits SMU is listed with "High Interest" by 2 recruits and neither have a single offer. Over 115 Texas recruits have committed to other schools already. You are right traditionally Florida recruiting has broken late but UT changed all that in Texas-they are already just about done with 23 commitments. To salvage a decent recruitingt class I really believe SMU must beat Baylor or TCU and then win at least 5 games. Otherwise, I don't see Bennett's message changing a lot of opinions-I notice he has started to admit that SMU just can't compete in recruiting with the big boys-I've heard that message twice in 2 weeks. He's beginning to remind me of Cavan. If he really has been beaten down that far his tenure is just about over. That's not what he was saying 3 years ago and he did have limited success. Even if he did believe it he damn sure shouldn't be saying it in public so recruits can read it. There may not be anyone left in January as we never seen anything comparable to the early recruiting this year.

[ponyboy]

Bennett's recruited well at SMU, but the honeymoon is probably over, a development which is perfectly normal and expected. Improvement in the W/L column will jumpstart recruiting. He has this year and next to capitalize on the well-maturing first few classes.

[Stallion]

yes it is perfectly normal and expected-I even predicted the end of the Honeymoon Period two years before it happened. BUT what I'd like to know is why in the hell is SMU hiring coaches and then having to tinker with the Model 2, 3, 4 years into the tenure of its 4th head coach since the DP. If a Coach is only going to get a 2-3 year Honeymoon you better damn sure give him as much ammunition as he needs from Year 1. This is why SMU is referred to as a Graveyard of Coaches because the administration doesn't make a Commitment to a Head Coach and a strong Division 1A program from the beginning of the Coaches' tenure. Sooner or later it just wears coaches down-you can see it especially in their commments. In the first year the coach attempts to raise expectations and boldly predicts bowl games and winning seasons, in the second year when the losses are piling up they start referring to the complete absence of good recruits from their predecessor while by the 4th year the Coach is lowering expectations "under the circumstances of where the program was when he took the job" to save his own neck. You can only sing that song for so long and if SMU doesn't upset some team in the first 6 games Bennett is a "dead man walking"

[jtstang]

Stallion, by "recruiting with the big boys" I assume you refer to UT, A&M, OU, and like schools. Surely you don't believe that SMU can ever compete again for those type of recruits.

[Billy Joe]

Same old song and dance every year. How can the coaches compete when their competition is getting GOOD Juco players and Division 1-A transfers to compliment their rosters. SMU is at an unfair competitive advantage every year. Until changes are made, expect SMU to continually get outrecruited by our rivals and, more importantly, get out classed on the field. It is a shame when most on this board are so fed up with the athletic department that almost no one has anything positive to say about the state of SMU athletics. Fact: no commitments to date for next year. Fact: Tulsa, Rice, Tulane, UTEP, and Tulsa all have commitments for next year. Maybe it is time to drop to Divisoin 1-AA so we can compete.

[SoCal_Pony]

Stallion, to your credit, you did indeed call this a couple of years ago.

I feel a lot of people on this board are in denial about the quality of last years’ recruiting class. That, coupled with the lost of so many of our star recruits from Bennett’s first class leads me to the conclusion we are a 3-win per season team until there is a major shakeup.

Question to you Stallion. If Bennett does not have early success and becomes a ‘dead man walking’, how likely do you think he, and more importantly, Copeland will be fired and do you think this will finally lead to implementing a model that gives us a fighting chance to win?

And Billy Joe, you ever play a round of golf with a bunch of losers and find your game slipping that day? It is called playing down to your competition. We have done that once when going from the SWC to the WAC. What makes you think we wouldn’t do it again by going to 1-AA???

[SMU88]

I just can't imagine that Coach has given up. I do agree with you that the administration has done a huge disservice to the football program. The worst thing that the university could have done after the dp is let the professors and faculty get more involved in the process. I remember when they tried to kill the football program in the 90's. The university has loosened some requirements but it is time for them to step out of the picture. After all, if Duke can have 11 comittments (including 3 and 4 star rival recruits) and still have a high graduation rate then SMU can to.

I am holding on to the hope that Coach has some tricks up his sleeves and doesnt want to show all his cards to Texas, A&M, Baylor, TCU and others.

We also can't be down either. I am sure numerous potential recruits read this site. We need to stay positive and show them that we believe in this university and their presence only enhances the football program. What a perfect time that we are promoting the top 90 moments in SMU football history. It's good to show the recruits and the world how great those times were and how we can get to that level again with their help.

Stallion...I know it will be a great year for the SMU football team!

[Grider]

quite frankly the only players that I really see making strong statements about interest in SMU are either players who have brothers already on the team or players with limited options. For example, out of a Database of probably over 400-500 Texas recruits SMU is listed with "High Interest" by 2 recruits and neither have a single offer.

On that same note I noticed Renfro's interest in us has gone back to medium. I'm guessing that means it was a "misprint" to begin with.

[ponyboy]

I'll reiterate. It's perfectly normal for the honeymoon to have just ended. No coach with an empty cupboard -- and no one can seriously deny that's what Bennett had when he arrived -- can reasonably expect to escape this pattern of nature. He sold kids his first two years here that this is the place to be. NO ONE should expect that those kids -- the backbone of the team this year -- would be able to carry the team as freshmen and non-redshirted sophomores. They've matured, recruiting's naturally fallen off, so NOW is the time for those solid recruits from Bennett's first two full recruiting years to perform.

I believe they will.

GO MUSTANGS!

[Stallion]

a lot of people just like YOU denied there was an empty cupboard which I warned about on signing date 5-6 years ago. And I guarantee YOU were probably the BIGGEST CHEERLEADER of all.

[EastStang]

The bottom line is that the upperclassmen have to step up this year or it will be a tough recruiting year. You can explain the first year, you can even explain 0-12, but then a 3-8 year followed that. You need to show recruits that the corner is being turned. We have televised games with the Aggies, the Frogs, the Owls and the Cougers. We need to win at least two of those games and not be embarrassed in the others. Then recruits will think that SMU is a place worthy of a look. Then next year if we beat UNT and those junior colleges we have on the schedule and play well in CUSA, recruits will believe the corner has been turned. I have said all along, this is a very important season for Bennett. I agree if we go 0-6, he's on life support.

[ponyboy]

a lot of people just like YOU denied there was an empty cupboard which I warned about on signing date 5-6 years ago. And I guarantee YOU were probably the BIGGEST CHEERLEADER of all.

Cut the self congratulation crap, pal. And I don't need to apologize for excitement and hope on a fan board.

Let's get something straight, counselor. NEVER did I deny that Bennett had an empty cupboard. Never. I've been very consistent in my message that Cavan knocked 'em dead pre-Malin and stunk it up post Malin.

At least try to get your facts straight before you set someone up as a straw man.