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The Pony Express 2-27

Chad Morris talks Junior Day, SMU recruiting
by Adam Grosbard
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SMU head coach Chad Morris has kept himself busy since arriving on the Hilltop and just this past weekend held his first Junior Day with the Mustangs.
The head Mustang was happy with his coaching staff's performance with all the local talent around them.
"I thought it was very well planned, I thought they did a great job making a personal spin on things and being who we are," Morris told the HillTopics. "I thought we had a great group of kids, an unbelievable group of kids, and the staff did an unbelievable job. It was just long enough. I was very pleased with the first one."
Morris said he could tell that the high schoolers responded well based off their social media reactions, in which they seemed to buy in to what Morris and his staff had to say about SMU.
"Just sharing my vision," Morris said. "Just sharing our vision. This university is just hungry to have success. I think coach (Larry) Brown has given everybody such a positive taste in their mouth about what it can be like and the atmosphere that he has at Moody can definitely be here at Ford but it's going to take everybody to lock arms."
One thing that has helped with that is the chemistry the coaching staff has so quickly built together, something that can be partially attributed to the staff's connections with Morris from jobs at Clemson, Tulsa or even the high school ranks.
"That is one thing that I have been as pleased about as any, is the closeness of the staff has really created a bond with each other," Morris said. "You bring people from all walks of life, from all over the area, the east coast and obviously the Texas connection here, and it's been really remarkable. Because of our knowledge of each other it's gone exceptionally well."
One of the big challenges of this staff is to change the perception of SMU in high school coaching circles that the June Jones staff left for them to inherit.
"It's far from being done and there's a lot of work to do. I don't know if it will ever get done, completed," Morris said. "We always talk about hitting the tree in the same spot every day. Just get up and hit the tree in the same spot. Preach our vision, share with our high school coaches in the state that there is a commitment level from SMU."
"And that's the perception, that there has not been a commitment level. Now I'm talking about the high school coaches. Because I'm one of them, it's been easy, it's been a lot smoother. I knew that would be the case but we're constantly preaching to our high schools. We'll probably have over 800 to 1,000 high school coaches show up here over the next month to practice and spring ball."
Morris and his staff plan on making every Saturday of spring practice a "prospect day" where coaches and recruits alike can come out and watch SMU practice, talk with the staff and tour campus.
Morris finished talking about recruiting with a hypothetical situation: If a major recruit had cut his list down to SMU and two perennial powerhouses, what three factors would he use to sell the kid on SMU?
"One, you're not going to find a better academic institution than you will right here in a great city. Number two, you're going to be able to come in and contribute right now. And number three, you won't find a better group of men and women who will surround you and your son, if I'm talking to the parent, we will surround you with, provide you with all the resources you need to be successful in life. Because this is so much more a part about life after football as it is about football itself."
South Grand Prairie athlete visits SMU
by Dacota Taylor
Junior Day at Southern Methodist University set the tempo this year for the school's recruiting purposes. Dozens of students from across Texas were invited, and one in particular was South Grand Prairie's Greg Eisworth. The 6-foot-1 quarterback with a shotgun arm visited SMU unsure about the program, but walked away feeling more than welcome with the Mustangs.
"SMU was nice. I had four or five of my teammates visiting with me, but it was a good visit."
Eisworth talked extensively with the SMU coaching staff, and was pleased with how they handled Junior Day and its participants.
"I really like the coaching staff, they're all easy to get along with," Eisworth explained. "I really like how they're active with the students and players. It wasn't just this 'check out the facilities and let us be' kind of thing, they just wanted to talk to you and interact with you. I really liked that part. It's just a great environment."
When asked which coach he really hit it off with, Eisworth explained he talked the most coaches Chad Morris and Van Malone.
"I actually talked the most with coach Morris, but I also hit it off with the defensive coordinator coach Malone. Coach Malone was always with me wherever I went and we just had a good time talking about anything. Some of the time it wasn't even football related. It was like talking with friends almost."
As for the topic of Morris, Eisworth was impressed.
"I'm really liking him. He came from Clemson and I think he can turn that program around slowly but surely. I understand they kept emphasizing they got the third best recruiting class in the conference so far, and I'm confident in his ability and that of the coaching staff around him."
As for rival schools he's visited, Eisworth has been to Baylor and Oklahoma.
"Their programs are nice as well. They're obviously great football teams, and their coaching staffs are great," Eisworth explained. "I wasn't expecting SMU to be as good as they were honestly, but I feel like they lived up to the same level of competition as Baylor and Oklahoma."
The quarterback holds offers right now from SMU, Iowa, Kansas, Baylor, Oklahoma, Ole Miss and Tulsa, and plans to visit the closer of the schools.
"I'll visit what I can, but probably not the ones that are way out there. The trips are just expensive."
He said that SMU linebacker coach Archie McDaniel is the primary recruiter for him, and had been talking a lot to him through Twitter.
Eisworth and the other recruits were taken on bus tours around the campus, from the academic facilities to the gyms.
"It's a very prestigious college and I love the campus. It has a unique feel. It's not really flashy, it's just a beautiful campus to me."
When asked if there was anything he wanted to say about SMU Eisworth laughed and closed with "Pony up."
Three-star La Vega WR takes in Junior Day
by Adam Grosbard
Three-star La Vega wide receiver Brandon Benson took in SMU Junior Day this past Saturday.
"It was amazing, I liked it a lot," Benson told the HillTopics. "They really care a lot about family. You can tell the staff is like a family, they were laughing together. It was cool."
Benson enjoyed his first time on the SMU campus.
"It's a good place to be. It seemed like wasn't big enough that you wouldn't see people you know but it wasn't small so you would be bored all the time," Benson said.
Benson was pleasantly surprised by the new uniforms SMU rolled out for Junior Day.
"I love the uniforms. I didn't even know they had all the combinations," Benson said. "The one I liked the most was the black with the red jersey."
This was the first time that Benson got to meet SMU coaches Justin Stepp and Claude Mathis in person.
"It was exactly same as over phone, they're real nice energetic people," Benson said. "And they've stayed true to their word so far. I saw what they were talking about, SMU's got a nice campus."
Benson liked SMU's football facilities but was excited for what the future has in store in that regard. He is visiting Kansas on March 7 for the Jayhawks' Junior Day.
Bishop Dunne three-star talks SMU
by Dacota Taylor
A big visitor to SMU on junior day was the 67th ranked player in the state, Bishop Dunne's cornerback Josh Drayden. Another slow believer in Chad Morris' new Mustangs, the 5-foot-10 player from Dallas holds offers from Toledo, Arkansas State, Northwestern, Texas State, and SMU.
"I really think SMU's program is going great places. I can see the future of that program and how nice it's going to be. The coaching staff and everybody around it just seem like they want to get this program started off right."
Drayden's main recruiter has been Jess Loepp, SMU's secondary coach.
As far as conversations with the coaches, he said the coaches were positively about him and his worth to the Mustangs.
"They talked to me about my playing style. They said I'm the kind of corner they're looking for. A fresh at the line type of corner that plays hard, but can also run and make a play on the ball."
Drayden says Chad Morris wants to have him visit during the spring game and the spring practices so he can see just what the team is about.
"I really like coach Morris. He seems like he cares about the players a lot, and he's not just about football but about life in general. He was saying he only plans college football for four years, about sixty game days, and the rest is about life and about building relationships."
The cornerback thinks SMU has done a great job recruiting so far, and explained he knows two of SMU's newest players well.
"I have a couple friends with the team now, Xavier Castille and James Proche. I used to play little league football with Xavier in Rockwall. And then I've played against James, and I know how difficult he is to play against. They got a good pick there."
Drayden says the feel of the staff and the school was a great, and he was impressed with the new program. His Junior Day wasn't spent just with coaches, however. He took time away from athletics to tour the campus with his fellow recruits and was pleased with what he saw.
"I loved the whole campus in general, it's just really pretty and the people are great. It's the best looking campus I've ever been to, to be honest. I love the architecture behind the buildings, it's really built up nice."
As for other schools he's seen, he visited Baylor on their Junior Day, and plans to visit Stanford in the summer, Northwestern in the spring, and he may be visiting Texas State Friday.
SMU offers Houston Christians offensive lineman
by Nikki Chavanelle
When Harrison Barton visited SMU for Junior Day he walked away with his first offer. Barton currently plays for Houston Christian and is six feet, three inches and 285 pounds.
"My visit was awesome. The SMU coaches really showed a lot of love and really emphasized everything that was important to me," Barton said. "I really got to get a real feel for everything at SMU."
Barton was able to talk to coaches and take a lot of pictures on his SMU visit.
"My favorite parts were that they had a DJ setup in the locker room and all the gear was out for us to try on," Barton said. "We also took a tour of campus in a coach bus which was pretty cool. The new gear is awesome, I love it all."
Being from Houston, Barton had been able to take a quick peek at SMU a few weeks before his Junior Day visit but he enjoyed his longer visit much more.
"It was good to be able to see the rec center, dorms, and cafeteria this time. They were all really nice and I loved getting to check out the campus more in depth," Barton said. "The dorms are spacious and really new for college dorms, I could see myself living there."
Besides the photo opp, Barton got a chance to talk to coaches about the program and about his future.
"I spent most of the day talking to coach Dustin Fry and I got to talk a lot with coach Chad Morris," Barton said. "Their energy was something I was impressed with. You can really tell they love being on the hilltop and they are pumped about what they are doing with the program. I think they're going to be really successful. I can tell they care about their players and their knowledge about offensive football is second to none. I don't think many people can compete with their tempo."
Before leaving SMU on Junior Day, the coaches hit Barton with a pleasant surprise.
"Coach Fry, my dad, and I had been having good conversation throughout the visit and in the locker room he told my dad and I that he was offering me. He said I was a big recruit to them but that I shouldn't feel rushed in my choice and that I should enjoy the process," Barton said. "I was really excited. Obviously the first offer is a major milestone for me but especially one from a school like SMU so I was really happy with it."
Though Barton does seem to be in love with SMU, he is going to take his time before making a solid decision.
"I don't have any time period in mind but at this point not many schools compete with SMU for me."
Denton Ryan DE visits for Junior Day
by Tyler Sweet
Like many 2016 recruits, Ken McLaurin was overly impressed with his Junior Day visit this past weekend at SMU and seemed to have had a lot of fun with it.
"It was great. They did it real big!" said McLaurin. "It was nice, and I really liked it. They had a DJ in the locker room, their uniforms and helmets laid out everywhere, and the coaches were around and everyone was very approachable."
The DJ in the locker room seemed to have attracted a lot of attention from the recruits and was definitely a hit for them all.
McLaurin, a defensive end at local high school Denton Ryan, is six feet, four inches and 275 pounds and presents a ton of promising size and potential on his side of the ball. Not to mention, McLaurin qualifies as a definite need for SMU in next year's recruiting class.
McLaurin, aside from the locker room atmosphere, also enjoyed being around the new coaching staff and gained a lot of respect for them.
"You could tell the coaching staff knows what they're doing and they have a plan," McLaurin said. "It was a great group of guys and you could tell they've all been around. Coach (Chad) Morris says he's got a plan and when he says they're going to get it done here, you believe him, and they're going to get it done."
McLaurin had some one-on-one time to spend with Buddy Wyatt, the defensive line coach.
"He (Wyatt) said they are close to offering but they still have to get a few things down," McLaurin said, "We also talked about their plans for the future at SMU."
The big, offensive nemesis is receiving a lot of attention throughout the country right now including Arkansas, Mississippi State, and Kansas and as he inches closer to a scholarship offer to SMU, McLaurin currently holds just one offer from Colorado State going into spring ball.
SMU offers Mesquite Horn wide receiver
by Nikki Chavanelle
The HillTopics caught up with one 2016 recruit who wasn't at SMU for Junior Day. Jared Atkinson, an unranked wide receiver from Mesquite Horn High School, was received an offer from SMU on Wednesday morning. Atkinson is six feet, three inches, 183 pounds, and runs a 4.58 40-yard dash.
"I wasn't at SMU for Junior Day. My head coach just stopped me in the hallway at school and I talked to coach Justin Stepp and he offered me over the phone," Atkinson said. "I do look forward to visiting though."
Despite receiving no invitation to Junior Day from the SMU staff, Atkinson was already interested in SMU and they were certainly already watching him.
"My quarterback Chris Robinson was at Junior Day and he said he put in a good word for me," Atkinson said. "The staff then checked out my highlight tape and they said they liked it and wanted to talk to me as soon as possible."
Atkinson had several reasons for being interested in SMU prior to receiving any real attention from the coaching staff.
"I looked at the recruits that signed this year like Kevin Thomas, James Proche, and Xavier Castille and I see that there is a lot of talent coming to SMU. SMU is an up and coming program but I do really like the program as a whole," Atkinson said.
Atkinson did not expect to be receiving any offers this year so he was shocked at the news he received Wednesday.
"When I heard the news, I was excited. All of the words that describe happy. I knew I was getting looks but I didn't know I'd get offered, I was thinking my senior year," Atkinson said. "My family loves that SMU is close by so they can keep an eye on me and the education is great. My coach at school is thrilled that a college like SMU is interested in my and he thinks it's a great college for me."
Atkinson has had several schools talk to him during the offseason such as Iowa, Rice, Oklahoma, Iowa State, and BYU but he won't just go to any old university.
"Education is key to me so I would like to go somewhere I can get the right education. And I would like to be comfortable. Somewhere that makes me feel like I'm at home," Atkinson said.
Atkinson has yet to schedule a date to visit SMU but he and Stepp have a visit in the works.
Linebacker from out-of-state visits SMU
by Tyler Sweet
The new coaching staff at SMU seems to be building quite the reputation amongst recruits, their families, and Mustang fans as it seems to be establishing some great relationships with anyone that they come in contact with.
Si Kilinc, a linebacker out of Fort Smith, Arkansas was no exception.
"It was awesome, man. You know, it wasn't just a business at SMU, it felt like a family too." said Kilinc. "I just love the whole vibe the coaches gave off and everything. You can tell they were just very genuine and they share a great passion for the game."
Kilinc joined many 2016 recruits for Junior Day at SMU this past weekend. Kilinc, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound outside linebacker from Southside High School had an absolute blast with the other players and coaches.
"Some of those coaches didn't even know me at first and they'd come put their arm around me, ask me how I was doing, ask me if I was enjoying my visit, it just felt really good," said Kilinc. "When you go to these things, you have to ask yourself, can you really see yourself playing here for four, maybe five years. With SMU, that's definitely a yes. I was very impressed."
"I have to tell you about this. They had a bunch of pieces of their uniforms laid out in the locker room and I threw together a pretty sweet combo," said Kilinc. "I was talking to coach (Chad) Morris and he said he loved the combo so much that they would come out wearing that combo during one of their games next season. I can't wait to tell my friends that I was the one to put that combo together when they do."
Kilinc was referencing to the new blue helmets SMU will wear with the white mustang on it which is filled with stars and stripes. He was holding alongside with a blue SMU jersey and gray pants with red and blue stripes down the sides.
Aside from getting that little one-on-one time with Morris, Kilinc spent some time with linebackers coach Archie McDaniel and defensive coordinator Van Malone, who Kilinc has followed for quite some time now.
"I let them know how serious I was about having a future there at SMU and basically just asked them what I needed to do next," Kilinc said. "I followed coach Malone since he was at Tulsa and it seems like wherever he goes, he just turns a program completely around. I would love to play for that man. He was the one who invited me to Junior Day."
Malone and Kilinc continued to exchange conversation about the near future and they have set up to meet again during a couple of spring practices and summer camp down the road.
Kilinc currently does not have any offers yet but is seeing quite a bit of interest from schools such as Arkansas, Stanford, Penn, Tulane, and Rutgers outside of SMU. It won't be long before the junior linebacker is receiving more attention from schools in the area.
Wylie East running back sees SMU for first time
by Adam Grosbard
2017 Wylie East running back Eno Benjamin said that SMU's Junior Day made a big impression on him.
"The Junior Day was great. I learned many new things and put faces on the coaches' names," Benjamin told the HillTopics. "Everything was in order and the presentation really sparked something with me. Coach (Chad) Morris is about nothing but business and he's 100 percent in turning this program around! He has high expectations for all players and I think that will be a huge part into the success of SMU."
Benjamin had an equally enthusiastic response to a question about SMU's new uniform combinations.
"One word to describe them…sick," Benjamin said. "The blue ones were awesome!"
The sophomore also enjoyed the campus tour.
"Dedman was my favorite. I love the superstition (of the seal in Dallas Hall) and the look on the inside."
Benjamin spoke with Morris and SMU offensive line coach Dustin Fry during his visit.
"Really just about how he wants me to keep visiting and making our relationship stronger and that he'll be around my school a lot this spring," Benjamin said when asked what he talked about with Morris.
Benjamin hopes to be at SMU's first spring practice and also is planning on visiting Texas Tech this weekend.
Denton Ryan DT high on SMU
by Nathan Baldwin
Denton Ryan defensive tackle Mario Caballero attended SMU Junior Day last weekend, and he absolutely loved it. Chad Morris and his staff left Caballero practically bleeding red and blue by the end of the visit.
"I like everything there," Caballero said. "I really want to go there."
The lineman raved about every aspect of SMU from the campus, the football facilities and the coaching staff.
He enjoyed meeting all of the staff, but said particularly about new linebackers coach Archie McDaniel, "He's a great, great coach. I like him."
Caballero felt right at home in the atmosphere around SMU. The football program gave him a sense of family. He claimed, "It's like my house."
That feeling continued when hanging out with the other recruits at Junior Day.
"They're basically like my brothers and we all got along," Caballero said. "I met a whole bunch of people who said they like it up here too."
The defensive tackle enjoyed seeing Ford Stadium and the facilities that SMU football has to offer.
"The football field was crazy," he said. "It was awesome."
Then the players went into the locker room. "They had a DJ and everything in there. It was crazy," Caballero said.
Caballero is undersized as a defensive tackle at 5 foot 6 inches and 240 pounds, but his quickness helps him get off blocks and even line up at fullback on the offensive side.
The junior has yet to receive an offer from SMU, but he ensured that SMU is his first choice.
"SMU is my top school right now."
Fort Worth All Saints QB compares SMU Junior Day with last year's
by Adam Grosbard
Fort Worth All Saints quarterback Luke Anthony was at SMU Junior Day for the second year in a row and compared the different styles of the two SMU coaching staffs.
"This year the coaches showed more of the campus because we did a bus tour this year and we got to see plans for future upgrades at the facility," Anthony told the HillTopics. "And the coaches were much more vocal about the atmosphere at SMU and their plans for success."
Anthony described his experience last weekend as "awesome."
"I was at last year's as well and there was definitely a better group of prospects this year. The coaches showed new unis and talked about the culture change," Anthony said. "The campus was great as always. It's no doubt on the come up."
Anthony is from Highland Park so he is familiar with SMU's campus but still found something new he liked in the Dedman Rec Center.
"I would definitely spend a lot of time there; it was super nice," Anthony said.
Anthony spoke with SMU coaches Keith Gunn and Joe Craddock about returning to campus for spring practices. He is attending UNT Junior Day this weekend and was at San Diego State earlier in the month.
South Grand Prairie safety takes in Junior Day
by Nathan Baldwin
Chase Napoleon immediately noticed the new vibe in the SMU football program at SMU Junior Day.
"The atmosphere was really electric from the moment I walked in," he said.
The athlete from South Grand Prairie likes the direction that the new coaching staff is taking the team.
"They're trying to turn the program around," Napoleon said. "It's not a place where they're just playing games and just talking. They're serious."
Napoleon and SMU just started their relationship a few weeks ago, and he has not received an offer from the Mustangs.
He's also drawing interest from schools such as Missouri, Texas, UTSA, UNT, Rice and TCU.
Napoleon enjoyed Junior Day at SMU with guys also from the Dallas area.
"I'm really close with all the player in Dallas even through basketball and AAU," he said. "We all knew each other."
As far as the tangibles at SMU, Napoleon sees promise in the campus and football facilities.
"It's probably one of the best campuses I've seen so far," the athlete said. "And I'm pretty excited to see how [the new facilities] are going to look."
At 5 foot 10 inches and 200 pounds, Napoleon's size helps his versatility on the field. He plays both running back and free safety. Then he also plays point guard for South Grand Prairie's basketball team. His position title as an "athlete" is no understatement. Napoleon's 4.56-second forty-yard dash time shows he's got the speed to succeed at those positions.
SMU is even higher in his consideration now after Junior Day.
"I just want a school that cares about my education and football," Napoleon said. "That's what SMU offers."
Wylie East sophomore visits for Junior Day
by Adam Grosbard
2017 Wylie East strong safety Cameron White visited SMU for Junior Day last Saturday with his older brother Aubrey, a current Kansas commit.
"It was pretty good, I just got a really good feeling for the school," White told the HillTopics. "I got to know coaches a little better."
White got to talk with SMU coaches Van Malone and Jess Loepp.
"(Malone) just talked about the school, what they're all about," White said. "He gave me a feel for what they're all about."
White's favorite part of the day was the campus tour.
"That was exciting, I liked that. I liked getting to see the campus life, see what students will do during school," White said. "And then Dallas Hall, with all the gold on the ceiling. That was pretty cool."
The safety also enjoyed the new uniforms SMU was showing off.
"Those were nice, I really liked those uniforms," White said. "The blue one with the American flag Mustang, it was really different. I didn't know they had those combos."
The 5-foot-10, 170-pound White considers his football IQ to be his strongest attribute.
"I'm very smart, knowledgeable of the game. I can read coverages and react to game before it happens and I'm a strong tackler."
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