SMU fires football coach Bennett

Oct 29, 2007 - 4:51 AM DALLAS (Ticker) - Phil Bennett was fired as football coach at SMU on Sunday, a day after the Mustangs were eliminated from bowl contention.

SMU Athletic Director Steve Orsini made the announcement, stating that he will make a change in the leadership of the Mustang football program following the 2007 season. Orsini said that Bennett will serve as coach for the remainder of the year.

"I appreciate Phil's efforts here at SMU, but I felt it was time for a change," Orsini said. "He has represented the university with class and has graduated his student-athletes at some of the highest rates in the nation. I have never doubted his effort and desire to win and we wish him the best."

"But as I said on the day I was hired at SMU, we can be successful on a national level. There is a commitment to winning on the Hilltop and I truly believe that we are ready to take that next step. With the support of this tremendous university and our great facilities and location in the heart of Dallas, there is no reason we can not become a top-25 football program. We will win at SMU."

Maybe the Mustangs will become a ranked team, but it won't be with Bennett as coach and it will take a reversal of recent fortunes.

Bennett is in his sixth season as coach at SMU and has a record of 18-48, including a 1-7 mark this season. Bennett got the job at SMU in 2002 after spending three seasons as defensive coordinator at Kansas State.

The Mustangs were 3-9 in Bennett's first season but stumbled to an 0-12 record in 2003. SMU showed improvement since that winless campaign, going 3-8 in 2004, 5-6 in 2005 and 6-6 in 2006.

But the Mustangs were unable to maintain that upward momentum this season and it cost Bennett his job.