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Re: Sonny's reputation with HS coaches?

Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 2:08 pm
by HireSabin78
Watched Dykes press conference. What a disaster hire. Recruits are in no way going to connect with this guy. Coach Cavan would connect better with recruits then this guy. Not only is he boring, but he has zero to sell them as far as his own personal accomplishments. I'm surprised that given that SMU decided to go this route, they didn't just hire someone like Les Miles. At least Les could show the recruits his National Championship Ring. The End of SMU's program has finally come. Does anyone know what he's getting paid? Hopefully, it's under $75K. This guy would have taken the job for free. I love his baseball analogy to the players. HE SOLD THEM FOR SURE!!

Re: Sonny's reputation with HS coaches?

Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 2:24 pm
by HubbaHubba
I don't know what his meeting with the current players was like. Probably rough. Also don't know how much difference there is in his performance in front of cameras vs behind closed doors. Comparing his press conference to Chad's (which was with the players) I did think Sonny did a better job. He seemed more genuine and thoughtful without as much bombast. I also thought Chad sounded like a grade school teacher talking to the players with his "sit up straight" BS. I would think recruits would want someone who would treat them like adults and not like children. They also want to believe they'll get playing time and a chance at the next level. Hopefully, Sonny can sell it or can get assistants who can. I think it vitally important to have the high school coaches, who see these kids every day, have a good opinion of Sonny and the program moving forward.

Re: Sonny's reputation with HS coaches?

Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 4:38 pm
by The Falcon
HubbaHubba wrote:I don't know what his meeting with the current players was like. Probably rough. Also don't know how much difference there is in his performance in front of cameras vs behind closed doors. Comparing his press conference to Chad's (which was with the players) I did think Sonny did a better job. He seemed more genuine and thoughtful without as much bombast. I also thought Chad sounded like a grade school teacher talking to the players with his "sit up straight" BS. I would think recruits would want someone who would treat them like adults and not like children. They also want to believe they'll get playing time and a chance at the next level. Hopefully, Sonny can sell it or can get assistants who can. I think it vitally important to have the high school coaches, who see these kids every day, have a good opinion of Sonny and the program moving forward.


I agree strongly with your comments. I saw a very good man speak from the heart without
all of the coachspeak I have heard at SMU coaching changes over the years. I also remember
that when Hayden Fry was let go that the players wanted Bum Phillips, but in our great
wisdom we chose Dave Smith who was clueless. I'm certainly cheering for SD to keep us
moving in the right direction. Hope he can hire a skilled DC. Just win the game next week
coach, and that will make us feel a little better going into August 2018.

Re: Sonny's reputation with HS coaches?

Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 5:25 pm
by mavsrage311
HireSabin78 wrote:Watched Dykes press conference. What a disaster hire. Recruits are in no way going to connect with this guy. Coach Cavan would connect better with recruits then this guy. Not only is he boring, but he has zero to sell them as far as his own personal accomplishments. I'm surprised that given that SMU decided to go this route, they didn't just hire someone like Les Miles. At least Les could show the recruits his National Championship Ring. The End of SMU's program has finally come. Does anyone know what he's getting paid? Hopefully, it's under $75K. This guy would have taken the job for free. I love his baseball analogy to the players. HE SOLD THEM FOR SURE!!


Yeah! We should have hired Sabin instead! WTF Hart?

Re: Sonny's reputation with HS coaches?

Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 5:50 pm
by HireSabin78
Does anyone know the terms of SD's contract? How bad are we getting scammed? Did Santa Claus negotiate this time on SMU's behalf?

Re: Sonny's reputation with HS coaches?

Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 6:25 pm
by 78pony
The Falcon wrote:
HubbaHubba wrote:I don't know what his meeting with the current players was like. Probably rough. Also don't know how much difference there is in his performance in front of cameras vs behind closed doors. Comparing his press conference to Chad's (which was with the players) I did think Sonny did a better job. He seemed more genuine and thoughtful without as much bombast. I also thought Chad sounded like a grade school teacher talking to the players with his "sit up straight" BS. I would think recruits would want someone who would treat them like adults and not like children. They also want to believe they'll get playing time and a chance at the next level. Hopefully, Sonny can sell it or can get assistants who can. I think it vitally important to have the high school coaches, who see these kids every day, have a good opinion of Sonny and the program moving forward.


Time will tell but I agree. This is good man. Not a lot of flash but that red bull induced blather was beginning to wear thin on me, especially the night at Ozona when he proclaimed success, we have arrived. Ill take low-key integrity any day.

Re: Sonny's reputation with HS coaches?

Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 7:31 pm
by Mustangsabu
I was impressed with his demeanor and what he had to say. I learned more about him in those five minutes than I learned about CM over three years. Of course it doesnΓÇÖt matter how he comes across to me, the kids need to buy in.




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Re: Sonny's reputation with HS coaches?

Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 8:10 pm
by AusTxPony
Have to agree with 78, the coach speak and hype were wearing me out, especially with the lackluster results this year. I expected at least a Navy and Houston win after our fast start and offensive improvement. I do not denigrate what he did for his 3 years in terms of rebuilding. That was great, just got tired of listening to him rave about how much they had accomplished. At any rate we are where we are, what does complaining get us.

Re: Sonny's reputation with HS coaches?

Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 10:20 pm
by SMU_Alum11
HireSabin78 wrote:Does anyone know the terms of SD's contract? How bad are we getting scammed? Did Santa Claus negotiate this time on SMU's behalf?


IΓÇÖm surprise that no one has said that IΓÇÖm you or the other way around. IΓÇÖm not happy with the hire either and hope IΓÇÖm wrong. For your comment about the press conference, IΓÇÖll say the same thing to the crowd that liked it. Who cares? All that matters is what the recruits and players think. We can tell once he has a chance to show what those recruits look like.

Now, IΓÇÖm with you (except the $75k part) that we should have negotiated a lower contract amount with him like $1.2-$1.5m salary. I hope we donΓÇÖt lose any big donors but if theyΓÇÖre all there then we could take the $0.7-1.0m extra towards recruits and coordinators that will be more a ΓÇ£splashΓÇ¥ hires. ThereΓÇÖs no reason to give him the ceiling because he took a much lower base at TCU and nobody was calling his number from the P5 or even the G5. That should have put SMU for a rare moment in the power seat. If we paid more than $1.5m, IΓÇÖll be very disappointed in Hart.

Re: Sonny's reputation with HS coaches?

Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 10:43 pm
by SMU Pom Mom
Watching Dykes in the press conference I have to say he seems way less [deleted] than CM. Whether that's good or bad I can't say.

Re: Sonny's reputation with HS coaches?

Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 10:44 pm
by Stallion
The fact that he didn't have a Head Coach's job last year is a red-herring. He was the last Coach fired in mid-January 2017 so there were no jobs left even if he had wanted one. It was a very unusual situation where Cal decided to let him go after he showed interest in Baylor which waited until after Bowl Season to hire Rhule from Temple. He was being paid anyway-its not unusual for a Coach to wait until the next hiring year

Re: Sonny's reputation with HS coaches?

Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 10:56 pm
by SMU_Alum11
Yeah thatΓÇÖs true. With the openings that came up, unless Hart made an interim agreement with him before all the coaching changes this year, it didnΓÇÖt seem like he was in consideration for any of them, right? Maybe I didnΓÇÖt see them but it seem like everybody else was in consideration. Oh well. IΓÇÖm curious though. DidnΓÇÖt we announce the salary of June and Chad when they were hired but we are keeping it quiet with Sonny. Is that normal for the industry to do with someone whoΓÇÖs not ΓÇ£fully employedΓÇ¥ or is that something that gets negotiated with the coach or is it because they donΓÇÖt want it seem like SMU canΓÇÖt afford the higher G5 salary anymore? I know we should find out in a year when the record of top salary employees are revealed. Just curious of the inconsistency.

Re: Sonny's reputation with HS coaches?

Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 8:55 am
by redpony
doesn't he still have some money coming from cal.? that could possibly be the reason for no pub.

Re: Sonny's reputation with HS coaches?

Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 9:42 am
by ponyinNC
redpony wrote:doesn't he still have some money coming from cal.? that could possibly be the reason for no pub.


Actually now that he has a job, Cal's buyout is substantially reduced.

"This could be potentially fantastic for Cal regarding buyout mitigation, as DykesΓÇÖs contract made it clear that getting hired for another job would alleviate the Bears of the need to pay him for the years of unemployment (similar deal with the TCU contract, although obviously Dykes likely got paid much less in that position). SMUΓÇÖs old coach Chad Morris made an estimated $2 million annum. A similar contract for Dykes would significantly cut into what Cal still owes him."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaafb ... ar-BBGyIkZ

Re: Sonny's reputation with HS coaches?

Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 9:51 am
by redpony
I would suspect they are still on the hook for any difference between what we are paying and his previous contract. IMO that is the way it usually works. i.e. the whorens are still paying charlie strong the difference between his contract with them and what he is current being paid.