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OkieStang#92 wrote: He has done a phenomenal job at Desoto, and he would be a great recruiter for us because he has a ton of credibility in the greater South Dallas area. However, I am also a bit concerned. He is notorious for his sideline antics. Some call it passion. Some call it lack of class. I've coached high school football for 12 years, and I don't know if I can remember a sideline as vulgar and rough as his was last year. I certainly have mixed feelings about the hire.

SMU2007 wrote:SMU football could use a little fire on the field and on the sidelines after the 7 year museum curator experiment.

SMU2007 wrote:Coach Morris will keep him in check. He will be a role player more than running the show so I'd hope his antics would be kept more in line.

SMU football could use a little fire on the field and on the sidelines after the 7 year museum curator experiment.

OkieStang#92 wrote:
There's no doubt that energy is needed. I worked JJ's camps the first year he was at SMU and went to a few spring practices. I couldn't believe the environment. It was so quiet. When you've been around the game for a while, you can close your eyes and tell whether or not what you are hearing is "good football." At JJ's practices and camps (where recruiting happens), you literally couldn't hear anything but some coaches talking. It was like sitting in a classroom. Coach Gansz had more energy than any of them. We took a HUGE hit when he passed away.

As for Coach Morris, you can tell by the staff that he is putting together that energy is high on his list of requirements.

PonyFan32 wrote:I appreciate the concerns about sideline antics, but we're not hiring him to be head coach. Pretty sure HCCM will keep any potential sideline antics to a minimum.

Also, I seriously hope this isn't in any way a hang up on our end or for frivolous reasons. Not exactly the best look for us to be slow playing one of the minority coach hires.

Get it done!

Bergermeister wrote:

OkieStang#92 wrote: He has done a phenomenal job at Desoto, and he would be a great recruiter for us because he has a ton of credibility in the greater South Dallas area. However, I am also a bit concerned. He is notorious for his sideline antics. Some call it passion. Some call it lack of class. I've coached high school football for 12 years, and I don't know if I can remember a sideline as vulgar and rough as his was last year. I certainly have mixed feelings about the hire.

^

red&blue wrote:The young DeSoto Board President is an SMU/SMU Law graduate - and he's lobbying Mathis to take the SMU job. He wrote about SMU & Mathis here on his personal blog, saw this on facebook last week:

http://www.ambitiousfew.com/smu-footbal ... ight-away/

Update: This piece was written Monday night. Tuesday morning, Coach Mathis informed me that SMU’s Chad Morris is at DeSoto High School. Pony Up, anyone? Great day to be a DeSoto Eagle and an SMU Mustang!

If I’m newly-hired SMU football coach Chad Morris, I’d be on the phone Tuesday morning with a job offer for Claude Mathis at DeSoto - or at least, Joey McGuire at Cedar Hill.

Let me back up a bit. As DeSoto’s Board President and an SMU/SMU Law alumnus, I know full well how frustrating it is for pundits and sideline spectators to pretend to know what needs to be done in any given situation at any given time. So, before the trolling begins, rest assured that I will support Coach Morris and SMU till the good Lord calls me home (or at least until we have consecutive losing seasons and lackluster recruiting, read: June Jones).

However, in order for SMU to finally get over the hump, we must get significant buy-in from southern Dallas County, and this buy-in needs to happen immediately. Unlike in basketball, where just one stud-of-a-shooter like Keith Frazier can turn the eyes of Dallas upon the Hilltop, and have locals salivating at the thought of playing for the legend Larry Brown - the turnaround for SMU Football will require much more effort. Besides, Texas is a football state, and as grateful as we are for having a really good basketball team (the only team in the Nation to sweep UCONN last season) - it’s almost like getting a full ride to Baylor or TCU when your first choice was obviously…eh, I guess beggars can’t be choosers. Extremely excited but a bit unsatisfied. [Couldn’t resist a small dig at our long-time rivals - in reality, I’m rooting for both schools to make the CFB Playoffs this season]

Nevertheless, Morris is a home-run hit for SMU. He’s the most highly touted assistant in the country; he has Texas ties as a long-time high school football coach. He’s young, innovative, and not afraid to battle with the big boys - all of which will aid him at the helm of Mustang Nation. But SMU needs a strong showing among Dallas-area recruits for two reasons:
1.The surest way to consistently snag 3-star, plus recruits in Texas is to persuade them that they can get a world-class education, play football for a major University and stay in DALLAS. Not Waco. Not Fort Worth.
2.SMU must urgently get more fans in the stands. We must create a loyal fan base by showing a strong, unapologetic interest in the south-side of the Trinity. Say what you want about southern Dallas County, but LOYAL, we are. (See: SMU alumna Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson; Senator Royce West, et. al.)

If SMU relentlessly pursues athletes from the DeSoto, Cedar Hill, Lancaster, SOC and Skyline’s of the world - our fan bases will follow because we will finally see the only Division I school in Dallas giving a damn about our kids. It still baffles me that June Jones and staff never once offered scholarships to Desmond White (TCU) or Taylor Young (Baylor) - both of whom went months without an offer from any D-1 school at all.

Back to my point: Claude Mathis. In just over seven years, he’s turned DeSoto from simply a talent-rich football team into a super-competitive, nationally recognized football program. You can’t go anywhere in the country and mention DeSoto - without someone knowing our story. He’s a player’s coach, which suggests he’d be one helluva recruiter. He’s a winner, having lost only four games in the last three seasons. He’s tough but charismatic; smart, but willing to learn. He’s young, innovative, and not afraid to battle with the big boys. And doesn’t that sound familiar?

03Mustang wrote:He makes an outstanding point about the loyalty factor....we sure could use some of that emotion and loyal following at Ford (and Moody).

Might chase off a few of the "sit down, be quiet" blue hairs while they're at it.

photopony wrote:

red&blue wrote:The young DeSoto Board President is an SMU/SMU Law graduate - and he's lobbying Mathis to take the SMU job. He wrote about SMU & Mathis here on his personal blog, saw this on facebook last week:

http://www.ambitiousfew.com/smu-footbal ... ight-away/

Update: This piece was written Monday night. Tuesday morning, Coach Mathis informed me that SMU’s Chad Morris is at DeSoto High School. Pony Up, anyone? Great day to be a DeSoto Eagle and an SMU Mustang!

If I’m newly-hired SMU football coach Chad Morris, I’d be on the phone Tuesday morning with a job offer for Claude Mathis at DeSoto - or at least, Joey McGuire at Cedar Hill.

Let me back up a bit. As DeSoto’s Board President and an SMU/SMU Law alumnus, I know full well how frustrating it is for pundits and sideline spectators to pretend to know what needs to be done in any given situation at any given time. So, before the trolling begins, rest assured that I will support Coach Morris and SMU till the good Lord calls me home (or at least until we have consecutive losing seasons and lackluster recruiting, read: June Jones).

However, in order for SMU to finally get over the hump, we must get significant buy-in from southern Dallas County, and this buy-in needs to happen immediately. Unlike in basketball, where just one stud-of-a-shooter like Keith Frazier can turn the eyes of Dallas upon the Hilltop, and have locals salivating at the thought of playing for the legend Larry Brown - the turnaround for SMU Football will require much more effort. Besides, Texas is a football state, and as grateful as we are for having a really good basketball team (the only team in the Nation to sweep UCONN last season) - it’s almost like getting a full ride to Baylor or TCU when your first choice was obviously…eh, I guess beggars can’t be choosers. Extremely excited but a bit unsatisfied. [Couldn’t resist a small dig at our long-time rivals - in reality, I’m rooting for both schools to make the CFB Playoffs this season]

Nevertheless, Morris is a home-run hit for SMU. He’s the most highly touted assistant in the country; he has Texas ties as a long-time high school football coach. He’s young, innovative, and not afraid to battle with the big boys - all of which will aid him at the helm of Mustang Nation. But SMU needs a strong showing among Dallas-area recruits for two reasons:
1.The surest way to consistently snag 3-star, plus recruits in Texas is to persuade them that they can get a world-class education, play football for a major University and stay in DALLAS. Not Waco. Not Fort Worth.
2.SMU must urgently get more fans in the stands. We must create a loyal fan base by showing a strong, unapologetic interest in the south-side of the Trinity. Say what you want about southern Dallas County, but LOYAL, we are. (See: SMU alumna Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson; Senator Royce West, et. al.)

If SMU relentlessly pursues athletes from the DeSoto, Cedar Hill, Lancaster, SOC and Skyline’s of the world - our fan bases will follow because we will finally see the only Division I school in Dallas giving a damn about our kids. It still baffles me that June Jones and staff never once offered scholarships to Desmond White (TCU) or Taylor Young (Baylor) - both of whom went months without an offer from any D-1 school at all.

Back to my point: Claude Mathis. In just over seven years, he’s turned DeSoto from simply a talent-rich football team into a super-competitive, nationally recognized football program. You can’t go anywhere in the country and mention DeSoto - without someone knowing our story. He’s a player’s coach, which suggests he’d be one helluva recruiter. He’s a winner, having lost only four games in the last three seasons. He’s tough but charismatic; smart, but willing to learn. He’s young, innovative, and not afraid to battle with the big boys. And doesn’t that sound familiar?

You won't find better people than Warren Seay. Great SMU alum and community member.