It’s been a rough last couple of days on the Hilltop.
Monday, June Jones abruptly and unexpected stepped down as SMU’s head coach. A day later, the Mustangs lost starting quarterback Neal Burcham to a season-ending right (throwing) elbow injury. That same day, one of the greatest players in the program’s history broke out a flamethrower to torch what’s left of the 0-2 team.
During an interview with KRLD Tuesday, Eric Dickerson, the Hall of Fame former SMU running back, was asked about the recruitment of Ricky Seal-Jones. The current Texas A&M wide receiver is a cousin of Dickerson and picked the relative’s brain when SMU showed interest a couple of years ago.
Dickerson’s response is not exactly something you’ll see in a recruiting brochure for the program at any point in the future.
“When he was getting recruited, he told me SMU had sent him a letter and asked me ‘do you want me to take a visit?’” Dickerson said. “I said no, do not take a visit. Don’t even waste your time going there. I didn’t want him going there. For what? It’s just a waste of time. I wanted him to have an experience in college with football that he really enjoyed like I had like when I went to SMU. He wouldn’t have that there. He’s at the right school at Texas A&M.”
That one will leave a mark. Dickerson, though, didn’t stop there. Here are some of his other choice comments on his alma mater, courtesy of a pair of Dallas Morning News blog posts that can be viewed in their entirety HERE and HERE:
On the state of SMU
“It’s a shame that my university has gone 10 steps backwards. It’s hard for me and all the players that went to SMU. A lot of guys that played in my era still feel like they are not welcomed there because of what happened. I could care less if I go to another football game, but when I do, I want my university to be competitive.”
On the talent level at SMU
“It’s nothing against those kids because those kids are give their all, but I guarantee you there are some high schools around the country that could beat them. There is no doubt. They don’t have the talent to compete with Baylor or Texas A&M. They would get killed.”
On if it’s too late for SMU to compete with Power Five conferences
“I think we had a shot, but it’s gone. I really do believe it’s gone. It’s like Texas and Alabama, those are big schools you can’t compete with. At one point, they were going to join the Big East. If I’m the Big East, if I’m the Big 12 or the Pac-10, I would look at SMU and ask ‘what do you have to offer us?’ You have 3,000 people that come to your football games. You’re winning maybe five games a year. What’s the appeal for us to want to split $12 million? There is no attraction. Yes, you are in Dallas, Texas, but that’s all you have. You can’t even compete.”
Dickerson also defended Jones... by bringing race into the equation.
“In some instances there, I didn’t think they did enough to help the students get in,” Dickerson said in response to the question of what the university was doing to hold Jones back. “Recruiting is right there in Dallas. I mean, you have to make the students and their parents feel like they’re welcome. I’m talking about black athletes to come play at the university.”
Regardless of what exactly Dickerson meant by that, it’s not a good situation for a football program when an icon like him comes out and tears the team to shreds so publicly. It’ll be interesting to see who takes over for Jones, although one of his first tasks to accomplish is already known: mend the fences with former players in general and Dickerson specifically.
Oh, and getting a new coach with Texas ties wouldn’t hurt. Chad Morris, anyone?
(Photo credit: SMU athletics)