A good Bennett interview summary

Harry · January 19, 2021

Received this nice summary of the Bennett interview from a fan and wanted to share:

1. Arrangement sounds a lot like the one with Skaldany--he s going to coach. Doesn't even sound like he is going to live in Denton in the off-season. Mentioned Littrell initially--he presumed--consulted with him about possible names for the job and philosophy.

2. He addressed coaching the defense on a team with this style of offense. To me, I cannot describe how important that is from a philosophical perspective. He will coach the defense realizing there are going to be a fair amount of 3 and outs and quick possessions.

3. Implied within his comments is Littrell's belief that we will be markedly better on offense next year

4. He is confident that the defense can be fixed good enough and quick enough to produce wins. In what I have heard so far he has not said anything about getting HIS players.

5. Made a comment or 2 about moving players while at Baylor--he knows what he wants each position to be and produce. Implication is, he will put square pegs in square holes

6. Littrell and Baker's comments about where we are and where we want to be and how we plan to get there convinced him of the commitment at North Texas--I found this incredibly interesting and important. (Hopefully, Tennessee won't come looking at Baker for AD.)

7. He is definitely going to hire more than Gush. This too is important if what I suspect is true--everybody it appeared on the prior defensive staff was not on the same page. These guys will know each other and know how the defense has to be played at every group to work--CONSISTENT expectations and application of philosophy. (BTW: as I look back on it, that was why we were (at times) highly effective on defense in the past --maybe not great and certainly not embarrassed with talent but effective through execution.)

8. He seemed excited. He seems to respect Littrell a lot and not just as a person but also because of his ability to coalesce folks.

9. Wasn't addressing how NT is all of a sudden gonna be Georgia or Alabama or Clemson on defense like they were a few years ago.

10. Let slip Oregon had contacted him.

El Paso Eagle · January 19, 2021

He referenced in one of his segments how excited he was when they beat Texas and referenced to his team how none of them were offered by texas. Seems he knows how to "coach-up" talent.

UNTLifer · January 19, 2021

You lost me at coalesce.

Seriously, great summary. I have clearly been one to hope SL succeeds here and have never believed that he had one foot out the door or had mailed it in after the flirtations with Kansas State, because I think he has more character than that. It has been obvious to me from how he conducts himself and I appreciate that in a coach. This was obviously important and a reason that Bennett took the job. We have good people running our program and I believe Baker and Littrell won't waiver from their expectations that we can do this the right way.

DentonStang · January 19, 2021

30 minutes ago, El Paso Eagle said:

He referenced in one of his segments how excited he was when they beat Texas and referenced to his team how none of them were offered by texas. Seems he knows how to "coach-up" talent.

Didn't someone already post that Bennett said he failed at SMU because he didn't rescind his predecessor's offers and thus didn't get "his" talent in quick enough?

MCMLXXX · January 19, 2021

4 minutes ago, DentonStang said:

Didn't someone already post that Bennett said he failed at SMU because he didn't rescind his predecessor's offers and thus didn't get "his" talent in quick enough?

Insufficient time to change roster, so at this point you play the hand you are dealt.

El Paso Eagle · January 19, 2021

12 minutes ago, DentonStang said:

Didn't someone already post that Bennett said he failed at SMU because he didn't rescind his predecessor's offers and thus didn't get "his" talent in quick enough?

Not sure why he failed at smu. smu has had 6 sub-.500 seasons since Bennet left. Some people are better coordinators than Head Coaches. Perhaps this is the case for him. Seems to have still been well thought of since then as a DC. Seems like one of the the that has helped other since Bennett left was smu changing the admissions standards to "legally" allow more players in back in 2010 and Dykes doing a good job with transfers.

Edited January 19, 2021 by El Paso Eagle

NorthTexasWeLove · January 19, 2021

22 minutes ago, DentonStang said:

Didn't someone already post that Bennett said he failed at SMU because he didn't rescind his predecessor's offers and thus didn't get "his" talent in quick enough?

Yes. But his year 6 record is beyond the pale for an excuse. A coach can only make that as a legitimate argument early in the tenure. Years 1-3.

I don't know if I like the hire. I can tell you this, I'm not going to blister my fingertips typing as fast as I can that I like the hire. I'm going to sit back and let the results speak to me. If they're good, I like the hire. If they're not, then I won't.

Udomann · January 19, 2021

He's saying all the right things. Only #1 has me concerned.

As for his head coach record, good coordinators don't always make great coaches, and vice versa. Different talent sets, so I'm hopeful.

Fingers crossed, I want to see them succeed but I've been hurt too many times

MCMLXXX · January 19, 2021

29 minutes ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

Yes. But his year 6 record is beyond the pale for an excuse. A coach can only make that as a legitimate argument early in the tenure. Years 1-3.

I don't know if I like the hire. I can tell you this, I'm not going to blister my fingertips typing as fast as I can that I like the hire. I'm going to sit back and let the results speak to me. If they're good, I like the hire. If they're not, then I won't.

Are you, by any chance, from Missouri?

Edited January 19, 2021 by MCMLXXX

DentonStang · January 19, 2021

20 minutes ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

Yes. But his year 6 record is beyond the pale for an excuse. A coach can only make that as a legitimate argument early in the tenure. Years 1-3.

I don't know if I like the hire. I can tell you this, I'm not going to blister my fingertips typing as fast as I can that I like the hire. I'm going to sit back and let the results speak to me. If they're good, I like the hire. If they're not, then I won't.

I'll give my true unbiased opinion - he sucked as a head coach, made a ton of bonehead decisions and in-game management was very poor. Personnel and other decisions that I would assume the HC and not a coordinator would make were also poor. That doesn't mean much at all about his ability as a DC.

Bennett's recruiting was relatively good given the situation at the time. Defenses were poor. The statistical improvement from Bennett to June Jones at SMU was in defense, not offense until June got a top shelf QB transfer. His DC was Gush. Not sure how applicable or not that is to his stop in Denton.

He seems to be liked at his other stops.

PlummMeanGreen · January 19, 2021

51 minutes ago, El Paso Eagle said:

Not sure why he failed at smu. smu has had 6 sub-.500 seasons since Bennet left. Some people are better coordinators than Head Coaches. Perhaps this is the case for him. Seems to have still been well thought of since then as a DC. Seems like one of the the that has helped other since Bennett left was smu changing the admissions standards to "legally" allow more players in back in 2010 and Dykes doing a good job with transfers.

Harry mentioned on his podcast that during that era at SMU it was tougher grade-wise for players to matriculate.

🦅❇️🦅

bstnsportsfan3 · January 22, 2021

On 1/19/2021 at 1:23 PM, DentonStang said:

I'll give my true unbiased opinion - he sucked as a head coach, made a ton of bonehead decisions and in-game management was very poor. Personnel and other decisions that I would assume the HC and not a coordinator would make were also poor. That doesn't mean much at all about his ability as a DC.

Bennett's recruiting was relatively good given the situation at the time. Defenses were poor. The statistical improvement from Bennett to June Jones at SMU was in defense, not offense until June got a top shelf QB transfer. His DC was Gush. Not sure how applicable or not that is to his stop in Denton.

He seems to be liked at his other stops.

See when your not trolling us, you actually bring some quality information and conversation. I have given you a plus one now for the first time! Appreciate the input!

97and03 · January 22, 2021

14 minutes ago, bstnsportsfan3 said:

See when your not trolling us, you actually bring some quality information and conversation. I have given you a plus one now for the first time! Appreciate the input!

To be fair, he is easier on us that most posters here. 🤣