Comparison

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

I've noticed the theme around here so far this season is how totally unacceptable it is that we are not competitive with quality BCS programs at this stage of June's tenure (year 5). So, I got to thinking, how did Patterson and the Frogs do against BCS competition in the first 5 years of his tenure? I think most here agree that while TCU is completely disgusting and abohrrent in every way, what they've accomplished on the gridiron since 1998 is a model for what we are trying to do at SMU. So here's a comparison of where we stand right now compared to where the Frogs were in 2002. I don't have an agenda here; you can draw your own conclusions on how we stack up.

TCU

1998 - played 4 BCS schools (TCU final record 7-5)

Iowa State (final record 3-8). W
Oklahoma (5-6). L
Vanderbilt (2-9). W
USC (8-5). W

1999 - played 2 BCS schools (TCU final record 8-4)

Arizona (6-6). L
Northwestern (3-8). L

2000 - played 1 BCS school (TCU final record 10-2)

Northwestern (8-4). W

2001 - played 2 BCS schools (TCU final record 6-6)

Nebraska (11-2). L
Texas A&M (8-4). L

2002 - played 1 BCS school (TCU final record 10-2)

Northwestern (3-9). W



SMU

2008 - played 1 BCS school (SMU final record 1-11)

Texas Tech (11-2). L

2009 - played 1 BCS school (SMU final record 8-5)

Washington State (1-11). L

2010 - played 2 BCS schools (SMU final record 7-7)

Texas Tech (8-5). L
Washington State (2-10). W

2011 - played 2 BCS schools (SMU final record 8-5)

Texas A&M (7-6). L
Pitt (6-7). W

2012 - play 3 BCS schools

Baylor (3-0 so far). L
Texas A&M (2-1). L
TCU (3-0). TBD

[ghost]

Don't forget Patterson almost didn't make it past his first game as I recalll....a home loss to the mighty Northwestern State Demons who came into Amon Carter and thrashed the froggies. Even the most ardent supporters and sportswriters were saying TCU had made a mistake hiring this assistant after losing the polished Franchione to Alabama! Time can really make us look stupid when we look back!

[PonySnob]

However, in those first 5 years, Patterson wasn't making near the kind of money that we've been paying JJ since he got on campus. In addition, we haven't come close to even sniffing a double digit winning season in JJ's first 5 years...........

[FroggieFever]

I would also point out that Coach Patterson coached his first season as head coach in 2001, not 1998.

http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/di ... ?year=2000

[alamocitystang]

However, in those first 5 years, Patterson wasn't making near the kind of money that we've been paying JJ since he got on campus. In addition, we haven't come close to even sniffing a double digit winning season in JJ's first 5 years...........

And Patterson did not bring national intrigue. June was making way more than Patterson at Hawaii. G-Pat had zero name recognition. If that's the model, then let's go get an assistant at some sorry mountain west school....I can just hear see the meltdown on this board...this analogy is a bigger beat down than replacement ref talk. Look, TCU decided they would let anyone with talent in regardless of criminal record or ability to read. Open and shut case...it will come back to bite them...and let's not continue the lie that admissions standards are similar in general: SMU 58 TCU 92. SCOREBOARD (40-33 just for good measure)!

[PonySnob]

However, in those first 5 years, Patterson wasn't making near the kind of money that we've been paying JJ since he got on campus. In addition, we haven't come close to even sniffing a double digit winning season in JJ's first 5 years...........

And Patterson did not bring national intrigue. June was making way more than Patterson at Hawaii. G-Pat had zero name recognition. If that's the model, then let's go get an assistant at some sorry mountain west school....I can just hear see the meltdown on this board...this analogy is a bigger beat down than replacement ref talk. Look, TCU decided they would let anyone with talent in regardless of criminal record or ability to read. Open and shut case...it will come back to bite them...and let's not continue the lie that admissions standards are similar in general: SMU 58 TCU 92. SCOREBOARD (40-33 just for good measure)!

I'll take talent and a few criminals if it would make SMU a perennial top 25 program................they seem to be laughing all the way to the bank now. I guess we have our 1930's Rose Bowl victory..........

[gostangs]

You mean we can have a great team and all we have to do is deal with bad press every four years? Bad press like players not paying their hookers?

if we are going to have to deal with it anyway (and we are) then we might as well get in the gutter and get a good team out of it. This halfway thing dont work.

Back up the truck full of delinguents and lets play some football!

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

"I would also point out that Coach Patterson coached his first season as 'head coach' in 2001, not 1998."

Yes, I should have clarified that. You're right of course that Fran was the head coach at first. What I was trying to illustrate was TCU's performance against BCS schools from the time they made the commitment to football (which I trace back to 1998) until 5 years out (2002) to compare against our first 5 years of commitment (2008-2012).

[couch 'em]

What was the score of each of those games?

[ponyboy]

In the ten years before TCU turned it around, they had a 47-63 record and were ranked #72 out of 120 teams in wins during that time period. They had two winning seasons during that decade before the Fran/Patterson turnaround.

In the ten years before June, we were 30-85 and ranked #112 out of 120 teams. Here are the teams with worse records than us before June got here: Idaho, Florida International, Temple, Buffalo, and Duke.

We are now #50 in wins since June got here, jumping 72 places. TCU is #2, jumping 71. And it took them 14 years to get there.

[redpony]

I seriously doubt if they got blown out in the way that we did against baylor and a&m.

[Bergermeister]

the kind of money that we've been paying JJ ...........

Finally, a Circle of Champions poster! Thanks for your contribution.

[SMUSIC 07]

I seriously doubt if they got blown out in the way that we did against baylor and a&m.

So we're now comparing SMU to TCU based on 2 games that were close for a while until a handful of mistakes (albeit huge mistakes) put the game out of reach?

Stop freaking out, people.

Everything that has happened in these two games is due to June not being comfortable opening the playbook because he views these games as warmups to the conference schedule. I'm in no way defending him, but he's not concerned about beating anyone but C-USA opponents right now. He's on record as saying that the season goal is to win the conference, and you do that by winning your home games and stealing two or three on the road. After we win a C-USA championship, he will move his focus to beating the "better" competition.

I just hope it's this year because we will be playing better competition EVERY WEEK in the Big East. Not to mention one of the toughest non-conference schedules: Tech, Baylor, @TCU, plus one TBD

[SoCal_Pony]

What a ridiculous thread and once again further proof that this site is comprised of far too naïve posters, JJ lovers or simply those in denial. In a nutshell, this explains the decline of Ponyfans.

In 2000, TCU defeated Northwestern 41-14. That Northwestern team played in the Alamo Bowl.

In 2001, TCU lost to Nebraska at Lincoln 21-7. The score was 13-7 at halftime. This was the Nebraska team which lost to Miami in the Rose Bowl for the NC.

In 2001, TCU also lost to A&M in their bowl game in Houston 28-9. The score was 14-7 at halftime and competitive throughout.

The bigger issue here in not that we have gotten blown out by both Baylor and A&M. I think most could deal with that if our future looked brighter, but it doesn't. THAT is the issue.

JJ’s 4-20 record against teams with winning records shows he has not been able to ‘coach-up’ inferior players. This is at the crux of the issue with most reasonable people. Our recruiting stinks and we are trending downward. Heck, even Alex Lifeson at countingp*sts acknowledges it.

And once again, as for TCU, look at their recruiting class of 2001 vs ours this year. Big Difference. Trying to compare us today with TCU of 2001 is misleading, but unfortunately what I expect around here.

[Mustangsabu]

However, in those first 5 years, Patterson wasn't making near the kind of money that we've been paying JJ since he got on campus. In addition, we haven't come close to even sniffing a double digit winning season in JJ's first 5 years...........

"We" don't pay Coach Jones.