ORSINI'S HANDS TIED?

[2112]

Our new AD said before and during the season, that the football team had to have a winning year, and we had to go to a bowl. Well evidently he should have been more specific, because Orsini evidently wasn't talking about this year! 22 years without a bowl will now go to 23. CUSA has 5 of their 12 teams going to bowls, and SMU is not one of them, again! SMU has the best stadium, facilities, location, academics, and traditions of any school, and yet the job was not done. SMU's administration sits back and laughs and says, what are you going to do about it? SMU played 12 games, we beat 4 pitiful division 1 teams, 1 better than average team(Tulsa), and one Division 1AA school. Did Turner hogtie Orsini?

[Peruna_Ate_My_Rolex]

Honestly, I think the only reason that Bennett didn't get fired is because Orsini looked out on the coaching landscape and didn't see anyone that he thought would be a significant upgrade. Not just someone who's a slightly better coach...I'm talking significant upgrade. That or he couldn't get the guy that he really wanted for the job. I think he figured he might as well wait out another year and let Bennett stay and see how things go. However, if he doesn't get the desired results and there is someone out there, then yes I think he'll make a change.

[NavyCrimson]

SMU's administration sits back and laughs and says, what are you going to do about it?

I don't think that is necessarily the case. In fact, I'll bet my next years income on it. Frankly, they could care less because they got us in this mess in the first place. It wasn't Coach Bennett.

[VarsityShop]

I wondered myself about who really made this decision?

I have a gut feeling Orsini was "convinced" to not do what he really wanted to do.

There were probably alot of factors. Prez Turner may have been against it?

Maybe Orsini felt like he had made so many changes and fired so many people already that he better hold off on anymore big changes?

Maybe Orsini felt like he and the new athletic staff he brought in needed another year under their belt at SMU before trying to put together a huge compensation package for a big name coach.

I am sure money was a factor, it always is in everything.
Aren't we still paying Cavan or Copeland and then you add in a Bennett pay-off plus the money needed to get a big name like Gary Barnett and thats alot of money being doled out.

Of course most of the time players and parents will oppose a change for self interest. Think about it. The players that are on the team were courted by Bennett. The players were "Bennett's guys". With a new coach it's whole new ballgame. People always says "well lets wait until he gets his own players". It's a little like when a company gets bought out the employees know they may be on the way out. Players and parents are keenly aware when a new coach is hired it's about the future and current players/parents are naturally more interested in the present.

[ponyte]

Maybe Orsini looked at Lord Rossley's awesome 15-48-3 record over SIX seasons and figured Bennett deserves as much time as Rossley had. Imagine the cries from the PF faithful in ten years that Bennett wasn't given enough time if he was fired after a mere 5 seasons. Rossley, as we all know was on the verge of a national championship (all those great recruiting classes for not one but two 1-10 seasons, you know). It is somewhat odd to see people demand Bennett's job with pathetic 17-41 record but in the next thread demand that Rossley with a wonderful 15-48-3 wasn't given enough time.

[bagice]

Our new AD said before and during the season, that the football team had to have a winning year, and we had to go to a bowl. Well evidently he should have been more specific, because Orsini evidently wasn't talking about this year! 22 years without a bowl will now go to 23. CUSA has 5 of their 12 teams going to bowls, and SMU is not one of them, again! SMU has the best stadium, facilities, location, academics, and traditions of any school, and yet the job was not done. SMU's administration sits back and laughs and says, what are you going to do about it? SMU played 12 games, we beat 4 pitiful division 1 teams, 1 better than average team(Tulsa), and one Division 1AA school. Did Turner hogtie Orsini?

This is the best post I have seen on the assessment of the football team. I am not sure why people think we made progress just because we got one more win against a non D1 school. Our conference record was the same as last year. This year was no improvement from last year, no matter how you spin it. There is no reason why we should not be a top program in this conference for all the reasons 2112 gives. So, where to look?? Subpar recruiting and coaching, both of which fall squarely on Bennett. IMO, he has had plenty of chances and has not made the progress he should have.

[Stallion]

FACT CHECK: The "great" Tom Rossley had 3 one win seasons plus a 2 win season. Not to mention and 0-6 record against the great Rice Owls

[SMUguy]

.... SMU's administration sits back and laughs and says, what are you going to do about it?....

So you're suggesting that the administration WANTS the football team to lose, wants the athletic department to hemmhorage money, wants its alums to get heckled and not admit to being fans? Come on, you're smarter than that. Pull your head out -- Orsini wasn't brought to town to fight the administration. He may have to on occasion, but you can't honestly believe the administration is holding back the success of the program intentionally.

[SMU_is_bowling]

Bagice, did you watch the games? that team is better than last years squad, records be damned.

[mr. pony]

[quote="ponyte"]Maybe Orsini looked at Lord Rossley's awesome 15-48-3 record over SIX seasons and figured Bennett deserves as much time as Rossley had. Imagine the cries from the PF faithful in ten years that Bennett wasn't given enough time if he was fired after a mere 5 seasons. Rossley, as we all know was on the verge of a national championship (all those great recruiting classes for not one but two 1-10 seasons, you know). It is somewhat odd to see people demand Bennett's job with [i]patheti[/i]c 17-41 record but in the next thread demand that Rossley with a [i]wonderful[/i] 15-48-3 wasn't given enough time.[/quote]

Rossley had a MUCH tougher job, against MUCH tougher competition.

Case closed. Not even close.

[jtstang]

Bagice, did you watch the games? that team is better than last years squad, records be damned.

We were one game better in the win column, against a d-2 team, and the same in the loss column, your subjective opinion be damned.

[mrydel]

Maybe Orsini looked at Lord Rossley's awesome 15-48-3 record over SIX seasons and figured Bennett deserves as much time as Rossley had. Imagine the cries from the PF faithful in ten years that Bennett wasn't given enough time if he was fired after a mere 5 seasons. Rossley, as we all know was on the verge of a national championship (all those great recruiting classes for not one but two 1-10 seasons, you know). It is somewhat odd to see people demand Bennett's job with pathetic 17-41 record but in the next thread demand that Rossley with a wonderful 15-48-3 wasn't given enough time.

Rossley had a MUCH tougher job, against MUCH tougher competition.

Case closed. Not even close.

Tougher job against tougher competition does not close the case. Yes there was tougher competition overall but with the BCS the competition levels have changed. We are competing against lesser level teams but we do not get to operate with the same pool of recruits. All things equal the best players do not consider the mid majors if they can go to a BCS school. So although the competition with Rossley was harder, the recruiting pool was deeper. It is like the story of not having to outrun the lion you only need to out run your companion. We do not have to worry about beating Texas, AM, USC right now. We need to beat Rice, Tulsa, Houston, etc. As we get better recruits and can accomplish the goal of winning within our realm, then we can move on to the bigger boys much the way TCU has done. The sooner the better as far as I am concerned, but before we can dream BCS game we had better take care of CUSA upper division.

[Stallion]

I think we were clearly a better team during our glorious Texas State 1-A Division II Championship season of 2005. We finished dead last this year losing to everybody in the state-UTEP, Rice, Houston, North Texas.

[J.T.supporta]

Yea, the only 2 texas teams we lost to last year were Baylor and TAMU...

this year we lost to UNT of all texas teams...pathetic...

[Stallion]

Baylor and A&M were in the Division I Big School bracket