Letter to Rick Hart

[FroggieFever]

Well articulated.

[ponyboy]

No one would read that entire thing, especially Rick.

It's a letter, not a text message. Do big words, full sentences, and actual paragraphs make you uncomfortable?

While I disagree with the need for the letter since JJ's on his way out -- and all everybody's continual hate and whining will do is hurt the situation -- I appreciate the effort and passion.

[East Coast Mustang]

I have a feeling June will pull one of his tricks and win 10 games plus bowl game like he did in Hawaii in 2006...

My expectation is that next year will be brutal, but as I've stated before, JJ seems to have a knack for pulling out some big Ws when he needs them most (last season notwithstanding). And make no mistake about it- he knows the pressure is on now. Little to no buyout after 2014, basketball program is surging, I think he knows it's time to put up or shut up.

I could see us going 4-8 and JJ being canned, and I think that's the most likely scenario because of the talent we have to replace, but I wouldn't be totally shocked to see us beat TCU and go 8-4 or something wild and surprising pretty much everyone. Yes, a lot of things would have to break right for us, but stranger things have happened in college football.

[Big12Mustang]

I have a feeling June will pull one of his tricks and win 10 games plus bowl game like he did in Hawaii in 2006...

My expectation is that next year will be brutal, but as I've stated before, JJ seems to have a knack for pulling out some big Ws when he needs them most (last season notwithstanding). And make no mistake about it- he knows the pressure is on now. Little to no buyout after 2014, basketball program is surging, I think he knows it's time to put up or shut up.

I could see us going 4-8 and JJ being canned, and I think that's the most likely scenario because of the talent we have to replace, but I wouldn't be totally shocked to see us beat TCU and go 8-4 or something wild and surprising pretty much everyone. Yes, a lot of things would have to break right for us, but stranger things have happened in college football.

This is the make or break year for June. The only way he could ever redeem himself with our fans is to do what you said and go beat TCU + go 8-4, win the bowl game. 9-4 would be his best year to date and if he can get his act together in recruiting, I would have no problem keeping him around. But then again, that may all just be "too little too late"...

[ponyscott]

Don't post much but, read and follow here a lot. Felt motivated to post this email I sent to Rick Hart and his response.

Some of the info in my email was taken from posts on this board, so thank you for the info to the entire community!


Subject: June Jones and Football Team

Director Hart,

I am a SMU Mustang, class of 2005. I am writing you today to tell you how dissatisfied I am with the recruiting efforts and overall performance of the coaching staff.

When coach Jones was hired it was some of the most exciting news I have ever received. For a few years after that I was a huge June supporter and showed up at events in NY to personally thank him for his help, however it seems our team and coaches have settled into a rut and seem resigned to our perpetual mediocrity.

Most upsetting about this is the Head Coach's lack of hands on recruiting effort. He rarely if ever conducts in home visits and seems to be vacationing or doing charity work when most other big time college football coaches are on the recruiting trail.

Since June has been here these are the results:

0 conference titles
0 weeks ranked
1-10 record vs ranked teams
6-30 record vs winning teams
2-17 record vs A&M, Baylor, TCU, Tech and Houston

Pretty sub par.

Does coach Jones believe we are destined to forever languish in mediocrity? That's what it sounds like when he implied this week regarding recruiting that they we're not even trying to compete against the P5 schools, but did throw in "we do play TCU" as if to say we should try to compete against them for some kids.

This wasn't always the case. He once said:

"We are 1 1/2 recruiting classes from competing for a BCS Bowl"

That is the kind of verve and positive vision I want an SMU Mustang Head Football coach to have. What happened to that guy?

As an alumni that lives in NY I even bought a pair of season tickets to support the team, but that was the season before the Arizona State debacle where coach Jones single handedly cost us all our best recruits.

I don't mind the team losing, I would buy tickets to support the team if it was 1-11 but the coaching staff was clearly putting forth 100% effort, and had a clear vision, strategy and plan to return us to National Prominence. Most of all I need the Coaches to believe it is possible for SMU, like TCU, and University of Miami to be forces to reckon with on a National Stage. Not some middle of the road school destined to wallow in a mediocre existence.

I don't know if the answer is re-energizing Coach Jones by letting him know the level we are competing at is unacceptable or if we just need a new Coach. That's your job to figure out. The point of this letter is to express my disappointment and beg for some sort of action. SMU Fans will except nothing less than greatness. As you can see with Coach Brown and the Men's Basketball team, we will show up and cheer our butts off for a winner and Coach who puts everything into recruiting and winning.

For all of our sake, I wish you luck and hope to hear how these issues are being addressed at the Administrative level within the Athletic Department.

Thank you.

D. Justin Massimo
Go Ponies

Response:

"Mr. Massimo:

Thank you for your e-mail. We are working hard to position all of our programs for championship success. No one is satisfied or complacent. Building a football program requires consistent effort and investment over time. The recent success of the men’s basketball program will only help to advance the football and our entire athletics department.

We appreciate your support. Go Mustangs!

All the best,
Rick"

I had this information as well:



As below --this list was compiled BEFORE the 2013 season which will make the record over the past 5 years even worse than below-----We're discounting the 1-11 2008 season, so June now has 16 ROAD losses to 1 win vs. teams with a winning or ranked record ( 6.24% ) as three more losses came this year on the road vs. teams that ended up with a winning record.

SMU won 57% of their games in the past four years under June Jones . How did other teams with a comparable overall winning percentage do on the road against winning/ranked teams? Keep in mind that most of those were in much tougher football conferences.

Northwestern: 31-21 (59.6%)- 4-6 (40%)

Georgia Tech: 32-22 (59.2%)- 4-6 (40%)

San Diego State: 30-21 (58.8%)- 3-10 (23%)

Texas Tech: 30-21 (58.8%)- 3-10 (23%)

Iowa 30-21: (58.8%)- 6-7 (46.1%)

Miami: 29-21 (58%)- 5-6 (45.5%)

Air Force: 30-22 (57.7%)- 1-11 (8.3%)

Pitt: 30-22 (57.7%)- 4-10 (28.6%)

Baylor: 29-22 (56.9%)- 2-10 (20%)

Miss State: 29-22 (56.9%)- 3-10 (23%)

Louisville: 29-22 (56.9%)- 3-10 (23%)

NC State: 29-22 (56.9%)- 3-9 (25%)

SMU: 30-23 (56.6%)- 1-13 (7.1%)

Arkansas State: 28-22 (56%)- 2-11 (15.4%)

Fresno State: 29-23 (55.8%)- 2-10 (20%)

[PlanoStang]

Unless you know the full history of what SMU football personell have been dealing with, how
many hours a week they put in and that especially includes JJ, please don't be a jerky rass roll
and pile on.

[GiddyUp]

Planostang - that's just it, work hard and smart - not being done...

[PlanoStang]

and you have the time cards to prove that

[malonish]

I believe the term is "Boarding Pass" not time card.

[GiddyUp]

and you have the time cards to prove that

not visiting local hs is not smart - enough said

[SMULaxer]

If you think this team wins more than three games this year you're crazy. uNT will beat us

[smusic 00]

If you think this team wins more than three games this year you're crazy. uNT will beat us

Been there...

[Mustangsabu]

Time will tell.

[pwnyxpress]

June better be planning to steal that one on the road or the defecation will be hitting the rotary oscillating unit.

[Big12Mustang]

June better be planning to steal that one on the road or the defecation will be hitting the rotary oscillating unit.

good one!