Sure, we could talk about recruiting, but recruiting specifics bore me. Talk to me when the class is finished. I refuse to get wrapped up on any individual kid's decision. Case in point, some people got all worked up because Nathan Dick committed to Rice. As if there were some sign of things to come. Todd Graham, maybe he can coach and maybe he can't. We will see. But he isn't the second coming. Now, DMN's recruiting blog does a good job of explaining the hill SMU had to climb to beat Rice:
When Allen quarterback Nathan Dick committed to Rice last week, a contingent of SMU fans voiced their displeasure, believing one of the area's best quarterback recruits shouldn't get away to a conference rival.
But realize this, Rice had a huge recruiting advantage with Dick: The Owls' coaching staff has five - count them five - Allen coaching alums.
Start with head coach Todd Graham, who was Allen's head coach/AD from 1995-2000. Add in assistant head coach John Peace, another Allen head coach in the 1970s.
Don't forget special teams coordinator Danny Phillips, who worked under Graham at Allen. Or tight ends coach Dean Jackson, who spent six years at Allen before working the last two as Hillcrest's defensive coordinator. Even offensive line coach Todd Dilbeck spent a season at Allen.
This is one kid. One kid with Todd Graham practically living next door. Tap the brakes, as they say. If a trend develops, then we can panic.
Well, what have we learned in the first few weeks of the Orsini regime? SMU athletics will be more visible and more accessible. You need to read the Matt Doherty's Blog; you need to read the Orsini and Bennett chats.
Now, about those chats. By and large, it is generic questions and generic answers. Nobody should be surprised by that. Bennett wasn't going to say SMU will crush UNT and Orsini wouldn't announce that it turned out that Jimmy Tubbs and Gary Vodicka are the same guy. Still, there are nuggets of information in there, such as the basketball practice facility will be built on top of the tennis courts, which was a surprise. As for Doherty's blog, it appears the man likes to eat.
Today is the Doherty chat. Can't wait to find out what other restaurants he recommends.
A couple of rumors out there are that fundraising for the practice facility is all but done and there will be an announcement fairly soon. On some message board, somebody said Orsini was interested in bringing baseball back. I would love to see it, but I won't be holding my breath. There are a lot of things to do before SMU starts adding sports.
The Houston Bowl is saved.
C-USA commissioner Britton Banowsky, who will attend the meeting, described the proposal as "a fresh start, not a continuation of the prior experience." He said a new name is likely for the game if the NCAA approves the plan.
Last year, I did a College Football Preview Mags Survey. I will do so again. The consensus is SMU is 4th in C-USA West and might win six games. As I have already said, six games is meaningless if SMU wants a bowl. SMU is going to need at least seven, possibly eight wins.
I just found out that I will be in Vegas the week before and weekend of the SMU-Tech game. I suppose I will make a number of SMU-related bets. Like getting beat by 50 by Texas Tech.
1 comment:
Where did you read Orsini was interested in bringing back baseball? I'd love to see it - however I think we are still 5-10 years from being able to reinstate that program.
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