PonyFans.com

Found this on the DMN blog today:
Who's SMU's next coach?
Phil Bennett's farewell from SMU is all but official. It's time to stick a For Sale sign in the yard when the AD says he won't engage in public speculation when a 1-5 team still has a chance of making a bowl.

Time to turn the page, Ponies, and start looking at candidates to be your next coach. Oh, you've been doing that for a couple years? Well, here's my contribution, based on rumor-mongering and pure speculation.

Dennis Franchione: Coach Fran might want to take some time off after his disastrous tenure in Aggieland ends, but he'd be a great fit at SMU. For all his failures at A&M, Fran proved at New Mexico and TCU that he can breathe life into a bad mid-major program. Fits AD Steve Orsini's M.O. of hiring a high-profile coach who hit tough times.

Paul Johnson: It'd be pretty cool if the Ponies returned to their option roots. Johnson, who has turned around a downtrodden Navy program, is the premier option coach in the country.

Terry Bowden: The man who went undefeated at Auburn in 1993 has made it clear he wants back in coaching after spending several years at ABC. Word is he'd hop on the SMU job.

Major Applewhite: Hiring the ex-Texas QB would create a huge buzz. But would Applewhite be ready for a head coaching gig after two years as an offensive coordinator? And would he want the SMU job or rather wait for something better?

Dave Christensen: Mizzou offensive coordinator is a hot name, thanks in large part to ex-Southlake Carroll QB Chase Daniel.

Rick Neuheisel: Fits Orsini's profile of big name who had a messy exit at his last head coaching stop. But Neuheisel probably step down as the Baltimore Ravens' offensive coordinator to take over SMU.

Bob Davie: Ex-Notre Dame coach is a name folks would recognize, and he recruited this state for years as Texas A&M's defensive coordinator.

Gary Barnett: If you can win at Northwestern, you can win anywhere. Not sure if the SMU administration would accept a coach with the baggage Barnett would bring from Colorado.

Jon Tenuta: The associate head coach and defensive coordinator at Georgia Tech briefly crossed paths with Orsini in Atlanta. Spent six post-Death Penalty seasons as an SMU assistant.

G.A. Moore: The winningest coach in Texas high school history proved himself as a premier recruiter time and time again. Most of his success came at the Class 2A level, but Conference USA really isn't much of a jump.

Posted by Tim MacMahon at 11:32 AM (E-mail this entry) | Comments

Looks like someone from the DMN reads Ponyfans.com

Or Mustang Maniacs.

PonyFans.com has had folks discussing every one of those candidates.... and yes, they read it regularly.

Yes, I know the DMN folks read ponyfans. At least, Kate does; not Tim McMahon.

And to my knowledge, there are only two people that have ever mentioned Jon Tenuta. Me and the guy at Mustang Maniacs (which appears to be down at the moment).

SMU Football Blog wrote:Or Mustang Maniacs.

Or, Mustangmaniacs.com by way of Ponyfans.com (like me)

shouldn't Glen Mason be in the mix?

Yes definitely

No mention of Turner Gill.

Turner Gill needs to continue his early season success at Buffalo to really get strong consideration.Even then, his name probably only gets added if some of the former head coaches with experience drop out-or delay for some of the bigger BCS jobs-which you must realize can happen. Let me say in no uncertain terms that hopefully Gill continues to have success and he is considered as a legitimate not token alternative. I think the kid has potential star quality. Don't just dismiss him without deeply investigating the athletic, academic and community accomplishments of this guy. He has been a winner all his life in everything he does.

Stallion wrote:Turner Gill needs to continue his early season success at Buffalo to really get strong consideration.Even then, his name probably only gets added if some of the former head coaches with experience drop out-or delay for some of the bigger BCS jobs-which you must realize can happen. Let me say in no uncertain terms that hopefully Gill continues to have success and he is considered as a legitimate not token alternative. I think the kid has potential star quality. Don't just dismiss him without deeply investigating the athletic, academic and community accomplishments of this guy. He has been a winner all his life in everything he does.

Under the 'Black Head Coaches' thread you posted the following:

Stallion wrote:3 Reasons To Consider Turner Gill:
1. Outstanding Recruiter-it would be kinda exciting to see what he could do recruiting the Metroplex-very very familiar with all the high schools coaches in Texas since he recruited Texas for Nebraska-considered one of the Top Recruiters in the Big 12
2. Former QB Coach then Coordinator for Nebraska I think he would mesh with Willis since they are similar types at the position when he was third in Heisman
3. I believe he would know how to use Martin in the I-Formation after spending time at Nebraska

Biggest ? whose going to be his Defensive Coordinator and his assistants. Just like Dodge at NTSU-he's already proved he is a quality Offensive Head Coach-but he hired 4 high school coaches including the defensive coordinator and they are getting scorched. I don't think any of his defensive Coaches have recent experience at the Division 1A level. That wouldn't be acceptable unless you were reasonably sure that he had the connections to hire a quality staff.

I agree.

you get what you pay for

and the bank of typhoon is open to the mustang club

wow, if Terry Bowden is really that interested in our program, that is very encouraging

PonySnob wrote:Found this on the DMN blog today:
Who's SMU's next coach?

Terry Bowden: The man who went undefeated at Auburn in 1993 has made it clear he wants back in coaching after spending several years at ABC. Word is he'd hop on the SMU job.

Word from who, other than posters on this board?

MrMustang1965 wrote:Word from who, other than posters on this board?

Unnamed Sources close to Bowden.



Really, he's thrown his name out there. The real question is whether he's actually interested, or if he's just trying to increase his market value by doing so.

-CoS