Jones's comments on McNeal

[me@smu]

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/ ... ave-stayed

[that's great raplh]

Agreed

[SMUSA2013]

I get he has family issues, but he could really improve his draft stock for next season.

[mr. pony]

Yep.
Plus, I guess I don't get how this looks: you just have to get back to Dallas to play near home, then bolt for who knows where one year later?

[SMU2007]

I think like everyone was saying several weeks ago that academics also played a role here. don't think he had the grades to play next year. makes the decision a lot easier.

also, yes he came back to dallas to play near home but he wants to get money for his family.

[EastStang]

If he gets drafted and has a decent NFL start, that would be a great thing for this program. Because it means that a solid running back can come out of a June Jones offense, and get drafted and make it in the NFL. Here's hoping that he tears up the combine.

[TheBestAvailable]

As I've said before, it's a lot easier to wait 12 more months when you have money in the bank (to feed your kids).

McNeal is obviously in a desperate situation and he's laying it all on the line. It's pretty simple.

Option 1.Play at SMU another year and have the kids starve.


Option 2. Leave SMU early, get drafted in the same place he would have a year later(barring injury) and have a chance to change his family's financial outlook.

[George S. Patton]

We've all done a great job of mastering the talking points about how his kids are hungry and his mom is sick from diabetes.

To play the devil's advocate:
1. He's been working out in Tampa to get ready for the combine and then has the combine in Indianapolis in late Feb. So what's going on with his kids and his mom in the interim and how are getting along during this time? How is he providing for them right now? Does he have an agent who frontloaded a lot of things to him so the family can be taken care of?

2. And since it's been talked about so much on this board, to what extent are his kids and mother suffering? We've accepted all of this stuff at face value and I don't doubt there is some validity to it.

The other part of me is more convinced McNeal left because his academics were a mess -- remember we were rolling the dice as to whether he would even play in the Hawaii Bowl -- and "the story" was there was no way he was going to see the field in 2010.

I want him to succeed at whatever level he winds up in, NFL, Practice squad, Arena or CFL. He's just going to have to be committed to it.

[f4shionablecha0s]

Do you guys really expect someone who can't manage to use a condom to have the foresight to value a college education?

Of COURSE he was gonna run to the NFL the first chance he got.

[ponydawg]

Best of luck McNeal, tear it up!

[PoconoPony]

I am convinced that McNeal was very weak academically and it would have been a huge battle to keep him eligible for 2010. As others have pointed out, it was touch and go as to whether or not he would be eligible for the 2009 season and everyone was holding their breath to see if he would be bowl eligible. I agree that bolting from SMU for a chance at the NFL was the most simple decision he could make. I agree; however, with JJ who tried to implore him to stay at attempt to get a degree as McNeal is obviously thinking short term only. I wish him well in his attempts to make the NFL and hope he does well. Statistics indicate that the average life expectancy for an NFL running back is 4.2 years. Where is he then??? No degree, minimal academic aptitude, no other skills and the same or more financial responsibilities. I thank him for being the right guy at the right time to help turn around the SMU program; however, have great reservation regarding his long term prospects.

[Alaric]

Rule #1 of the Luncheons: What's said at the Luncheons is supposed to stay at the Luncheons.

spilling a few beans, JJ said at the last one that McNeal said he just didn't think he could stay eligible again. He said he'd worked as hard as he possibly could but barely stayed eligible...that coupled with the two kids plus the sick mom and sick uncle and he was going to try. pretty tough. jj said his counsel was to stay here, work on his degree and that he'd work to help him stay eligible. tough deal. if it was a little easier for him to stay eligible, i think he'd be here regardless of personal issues

[couch 'em]

Someone isn't getting these players to the right professors.

[EastStang]

The guy needs a paycheck and we don't do that anymore. Again, I hope he thrives in the NFL and then perhaps comes back to get his degree with a little something in his pocket. Personally, I'd love to see the Redskins draft him. Clinton Portis needs someone to stick a boot up his......

[CalallenStang]

Someone isn't getting these players to the right professors.

Exactly. Had he taken EE 1301 with Gosney, he would have had no problem staying eligible.