SMU Mustangs Still Recovering From Death Penalty

The SMU Mustangs remain the best argument against the death penalty, a punishment handed down to the football program in 1987. Nearing 30 years later, this program has still never recovered.

Did the punishment actually fit the crime?

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Well, some will say yes, and others will disagree.

I, for one, have never been a believer that college athletes should not share in the spoils that their respective competitions generate. This is especially true of the football program, where millions and millions of dollars are created each year for the program.

I understand that SMU, at least back in the mid-1980s was found guilty of numerous infractions, which were basically akin to paying athletes who didn’t have much money. When you know the rules and still decide to break them, you’re going to face consequences, right?

Further, SMU was already on probation when the drastic punishment was levied.

But what happens when the rule you’re breaking is morally bankrupt?

At the very least you fight to change it, but this generally doesn’t work out as easily as it may sound – if so, the term ‘fight’ wouldn’t be necessary when talking about making change.

It seems that the death penalty of 1987 sent a loud message, one loud enough to not only destroy a football program but basically set the framework for the dismantling of the Southwest Conference.

Then again, we’ve never seen anything quite like that kind of destruction again, and it’s not like the scandals have stopped.

There was University of Miami back in the early to mid 1990s – that was a real party going on there, yet by 2001 the Hurricanes were national champions.

Just a few seasons before that we had Barry Switzer’s Oklahoma Sooners, but they won another national championship in 2000.

About a decade ago there was University of Southern California and its relationship with Reggie Bush. The Trojans did end up with Lane Kiffin as head coach for a year, a fate almost as bad as the death penalty, I suppose.

Just a few years ago, the “U” was at it again. Remember Nevin Shapiro?

There’s been other violations in the college football world that I won’t mention, but not one of those post-SMU-death penalty cases drew anything close to what the Mustangs continue to endure to this day.

Yes, head coach June Jones was able to guide SMU to a couple of Conference USA championships near the end of the last decade, but even these came some 20 years following the NCAA’s horrible example made of a program that did make its own bed.

Just a year ago, Jones was out the door following a few years of promise that ultimately led right back to square one, literally. Jones arrived in 2008 as the Mustangs went a dismal 1-11, only beating Texas State in a shootout in Dallas. Last season, Jones resigned after just a couple of huge losses to both Baylor University and University of North Texas, the latter obviously being a complete humiliation en route to 1-11 once again.

Now it’s Chad Morris’ turn to try to keep the arrow pointing up for the Mustangs, a task that will certainly get him a big-time job elsewhere if he’s successful. He’ll be the seventh head coach, post-death penalty, to try to put SMU back on the map of contention in college football.

Morris will bring an offensive system that should make starting quarterback Matt Davis, assuming he keeps the job, a much better player in 2015. We know there’s talent at the wide receiver position, which should help the Mustangs generate some points this year. The running game should be better as well.

However, when two of your first three games are against No.4 Baylor and No.2 TCU, defense is where the difference has to be made. New defensive coordinator Van Malone and his new TCU-like 4-2-5 scheme will have his work cut out early on.

But the rest of the way, there should be some winnable games for the Mustangs in ’15.

No, they won’t be the “Pony Express” of the early 80s, but this squad still has a pulse as it tries to completely recover from the unnecessary damage inflicted some three decades ago.

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