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Surprised no one posted this article from last week. I forgot about it. So I will post now and hope someone hadn't already posted on it.

Is June Jones The Savior of SMU Football?
He's not going anywhere. At least not yet.
by Zac CrainPublished 8.22.2012 From D Magazine SEPT 2012

After morning practice wraps up and before he has to do anything else, SMU football coach June Jones likes to take a walk. Usually he goes with an assistant coach, and usually they walk around the perimeter of Gerald J. Ford Stadium. It takes Jones 15 or 20 minutes, depending on how his ex-quarterback knees are feeling.

Even if his knees are up to it, he never goes very fast. Tan and tall, Jones maintains the unhurried pace of a golfer coming off the 18th green. If you happened to see him ambling along one morning, you wouldn’t mistake it for exercise. These post-practice strolls are his way to unwind and reflect.

http://www.dmagazine.com/Home/D_Magazin ... tball.aspx

I post this not to cause discord. not much new - a knid of rehash of everything that went on last year, but interesting to see it in D magazine and at this time (August 22nd).

Ominous last paragraph don't like it.

Good overview of what went down last December. Say what you will about June's offense, sideline demeanor, recruiting, and the multitude of other issues PonyFans posters seem to have, but you can't argue with the fact that June will leave our program in FAR better shape than how he found it.

-His reputation allowed him to influence the SMU administration to change the model
-There are more Mustangs in the NFL now than at any time in the past three decades
-Three bowl games, and I don't buy the argument that it's so easy to get to a bowl game. These lower tier bowl games have been around since the late 90s. If it were so easy, then why did it take us so long to get to one?
-The players seem to respect him and like playing for him, and the same couldn't be said for the previous coaching staff
-The win over TCU last year definitely got us on the radar for Big East expansion. That may have been the biggest win for the program since the death penalty.

Finally, I ask this question honestly and as someone who has only been involved with SMU athletics since 2003. When was the last time that another school actually wanted to hire SMU's coach in Football or Men's Basketball? According to this article, June had a few other suitors besides ASU. That alone speaks volumes for how far we have come as a program.

Like many of you, I know this program has a higher ceiling and I hope we can get there - top 25, competing for Big East championships and major bowl games - but I am profoundly appreciative of how far we have come. I can now talk about SMU athletics with my friends and colleagues and be taken seriously.

GoMustAAngs2007 wrote:Good overview of what went down last December. Say what you will about June's offense, sideline demeanor, recruiting, and the multitude of other issues PonyFans posters seem to have, but you can't argue with the fact that June will leave our program in FAR better shape than how he found it.

-His reputation allowed him to influence the SMU administration to change the model
-There are more Mustangs in the NFL now than at any time in the past three decades
-Three bowl games, and I don't buy the argument that it's so easy to get to a bowl game. These lower tier bowl games have been around since the late 90s. If it were so easy, then why did it take us so long to get to one?
-The players seem to respect him and like playing for him, and the same couldn't be said for the previous coaching staff
-The win over TCU last year definitely got us on the radar for Big East expansion. That may have been the biggest win for the program since the death penalty.

Finally, I ask this question honestly and as someone who has only been involved with SMU athletics since 2003. When was the last time that another school actually wanted to hire SMU's coach in Football or Men's Basketball? According to this article, June had a few other suitors besides ASU. That alone speaks volumes for how far we have come as a program.

Like many of you, I know this program has a higher ceiling and I hope we can get there - top 25, competing for Big East championships and major bowl games - but I am profoundly appreciative of how far we have come. I can now talk about SMU athletics with my friends and colleagues and be taken seriously.

+ 1

GoMustAAngs2007 wrote:I don't buy the argument that it's so easy to get to a bowl game. These lower tier bowl games have been around since the late 90s. If it were so easy, then why did it take us so long to get to one?

How about the argument that over half of ALL teams play in a post season bowl every year? It's actually about 60% and climbing. Them's facts. You don't even have to be mediocre.

I agree with GoMustAAngs2007. Before June came here, this program was a total disaster. He was the only quality coach with a good reputation at the D-1A/NFL level who would even dream of considering the SMU job in 2008. We should appreciate that.

Since June has been here, the program has made tremendous strides. A lot of that is due to Turner, the COC, etc. But there is no question that the on-the-field product is ages better than it was in 2008. That's on June and his staff. They've done a great job. Again, we should appreciate that.

THAT BEING SAID, at this point I think June has probably taken this program as far as he can. To take the next step and reach the next level (especially in recruiting), its going to take someone new. But I don't mean that as a slam against June. When its time to find a new coach, we will be able to offer an on-the-field product, an off-the-field product, terms of employment, and terms for assistants that are vastly better than any time since we hired Bobby Collins in 1981. It will be a very attractive job and I think we'll be able to bring in a top-notch staff. June Jones deserves a hell of a lot of credit for his role in helping to create those conditions and I'm grateful that he took a chance on SMU in 2008 when no one else would touch it.

SMUer wrote:

GoMustAAngs2007 wrote:I don't buy the argument that it's so easy to get to a bowl game. These lower tier bowl games have been around since the late 90s. If it were so easy, then why did it take us so long to get to one?

How about the argument that over half of ALL teams play in a post season bowl every year? It's actually about 60% and climbing. Them's facts. You don't even have to be mediocre.

Sure you do ... and for 20 years, we didn't get there. We're nowhere near where I want us to be or any PonyFan wants us to be. But we're obviously better than we were. Here's to getting better still.

GoMustAAngs2007 wrote:-Three bowl games, and I don't buy the argument that it's so easy to get to a bowl game. These lower tier bowl games have been around since the late 90s. If it were so easy, then why did it take us so long to get to one?
taken seriously.

Because we sucked.

1983 Cotton Bowl wrote:I agree with GoMustAAngs2007. Before June came here, this program was a total disaster. He was the only quality coach with a good reputation at the D-1A/NFL level who would even dream of considering the SMU job in 2008. We should appreciate that.

Since June has been here, the program has made tremendous strides. A lot of that is due to Turner, the COC, etc. But there is no question that the on-the-field product is ages better than it was in 2008. That's on June and his staff. They've done a great job. Again, we should appreciate that.

THAT BEING SAID, at this point I think June has probably taken this program as far as he can. To take the next step and reach the next level (especially in recruiting), its going to take someone new. But I don't mean that as a slam against June. When its time to find a new coach, we will be able to offer an on-the-field product, an off-the-field product, terms of employment, and terms for assistants that are vastly better than any time since we hired Bobby Collins in 1981. It will be a very attractive job and I think we'll be able to bring in a top-notch staff. June Jones deserves a hell of a lot of credit for his role in helping to create those conditions and I'm grateful that he took a chance on SMU in 2008 when no one else would touch it.

Bang! Pretty much sums up my thoughts as well. However, with a stud recruiter or 2 I think we can win the nBE and get into a top bowl game with JJ as head coach in the next 2-3 years (size of OL recruits the last few years plus Burcham, Dieter, Stewart, the LBs, Holloway, Jeremiah Gaines if he stays committed, just need a stud DT or 2 and we are very close in terms of talent with THIS roster IMHO, just have to get those guys a bit more experience and physically grow ... need the 2013 class to produce 2-3 studs and then a kick [deleted] 2014 class and we're there).

SMUer wrote: How about the argument that over half of ALL teams play in a post season bowl every year? It's actually about 60% and climbing. Them's facts. You don't even have to be mediocre.

But we used to be in the less than half that stayed home. Now, we're not. Them's facts. We're at least mediocre now. That's improvement. I like that.