Can the SMU Mustangs football program really win big ever again? That is the question that faces new head coach Chad Morris. Morris was named SMU head coach last week as he became the seventh head coach to try and revive the program to sustained success since it came off the NCAA death penalty in 1989. The historic evidence suggests that SMU’s days of glory in their “Pony Express,” or make that “Pony Excess,” era of 1980-84 was an aberration and exception to the “rule(s).” Morris will try and revive a program that reached its peak in 1948-49 with back to back Cotton Bowl appearances and had a record of 1-11 this year.
Lost Program in Dallas
Even if you “count” the success of the Mustangs when they had a payroll to meet in the 1980’s this has been a program that has long been lost in the obscurity of being located in the heart of a pro sports town. The NFL Dallas Cowboys rule the headlines and airwaves of the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex and when it comes to college football, the Texas Longhorns and Texas A&M Aggies capture the attention of the masses.
Within the area, the TCU Horned Frogs have recently been the standard of success as a national title contender in the power five Big 12 Conference. SMU wallows in the American Athletic Conference, which is not Power Five and basically comprised of left overs from Conference USA, where SMU used to compete.
When watching SMU games on TV the first impression that comes to mind is an empty Gerald Ford Stadium. Even when the program went to four consecutive bowl games under head coach June Jones from 2009 through 2012 there was little fan interest and embarrassing visuals that were a turn off to prospective recruits wanting to play in a big time atmosphere.
One of the superstars of the Pony Express era, record setting RB Eric Dickerson, challenged the SMU administration to either get serious about putting a winning team on the field or just fold the program and focus on basketball.
It is from this starting point that Morris will try raise the program from the dead.
The Baylor Formula
The Baylor Bears, co-champions of the Big 12 Conference, have the formula that more and more failed college football programs are looking to adopt. Baylor hired a highly successful and innovative head coach in Art Briles, who was wired into all of the top high school programs in the state of Texas. Briles has used his Texas high school connections and his reputation for being an offensive mastermind to completely transform the Baylor program from being a doormat to a national power.
Like Briles, Morris’ coaching roots come from the high schools of Texas. Morris has a brilliant offensive mind as evidenced by his most recent success as offensive coordinator of the Clemson Tigers. With Morris calling shots on offense, Clemson regained its status as a respected national power that could run up points at a rapid rate.
Potential for Success
Today Morris enters a dead program that is operating in obscurity. But that does not mean things have to remain that way. Morris will begin work in the middle of one of the most fertile recruiting bases in the country. SMU “ponied up” with $2 million per year in salary which states that they are committed to winning. While Jones whined and complained about having to recruit in-state against Power Five schools, Morris insists that he is ready to do battle with anyone to lure top talent to the Hilltop.
“I think this is a gold mine,” said Morris. “There is a lot of low-hanging fruit that will allow us to go out and make an immediate impact. We’ve got some great universities in this state, but we’re not going to play second fiddle to anybody.”
Morris warned current SMU players of a massive culture change and that they “better hang on.”
If SMU is to finally win consistently it will seem to be Morris as the man to lead them to the Promised Land.
