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October 28, 2007

Bennett out at SMU

And the mid-season firings have begun.

Eight games into his sixth season as the Mustangs head coach, Phil Bennett has been fired by Southern Methodist University.

The firing came less than a day after SMU lost to Tulsa 29-23. The game means the Mustangs, 1-7, are eliminated from bowl consideration. Bennett is 18-48 in his sixth season at the school.

Bennett, 51, signed a contract extension in January 2006 that runs through the 2009 season. He has agreed to stay through the 2007 season.

News flash to SMU: This isn't the '80's.

Bennett was a fairly decent coach with poor-to-average talent. The big booster days are over at SMU, so recruiting (which has never been easy as an also ran in the shadow of Texas, A&M, Tech, Oklahoma, TCU, and the Dallas Cowboys) is only going to be harder.

You can hire anybody you like, it's not going to matter. Going .500 is going to be a "great" season at SMU for many, many, many years to come.

Posted by Kevin Donahue

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Comments:

  1. 40 Acres of Burnt Orange Author Profile Page said:

    posted on October 28, 2007 8:37 PM — 192.94.94.105 — link — abuse?



    Anytime a team recieves the "death penalty" especially a team in Texas your not gonna be fielding a .500 bowl team too often. Very high unrealistic expectations unfortunately cost Bennett his job. Maybe Nutt or Fran can trun SMU around.

  2. TE Author Profile Page said:

    posted on October 29, 2007 10:48 AM — 204.68.245.11 — link — abuse?



    That guy will be a VERY highly sought after DC in the offseason...

    Bennett's a former LSU DC...Great human being. I agree with you, 40 Acres...SMU just wasn't looking at things realistically, though, to their boosters and fans, you couldn't exactly excuse the constant losing.

    I can tell you one thing...if Nebraska goes after Bo Pelini, I know who I want as our replacement Defensive Coordinator...

  3. Lennie Collins Author Profile Page said:

    posted on October 29, 2007 2:32 PM — 162.89.0.47 — link — abuse?



    SMU AD and President...get rid of your College Football Program! No coach can have success there!

  4. Zac said:

    posted on October 29, 2007 9:51 PM — 64.12.116.136 — link — abuse?



    I think it's sad, and we have the NCAA to thank for it. SMU hasn't been the same since being given the "death penalty". That's what's wrong with the rules. Instead of punishing only those involved and responsible, the NCAA punishes the entire team. They apply the age, old, grade-school "bad-apple" theory to young men and coaches. It's unjust, it's wrong, and it's stupid.

    I would just like to see SMU become competitive again; that's all.

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