Chad Morris’ first recruiting class as head coach of the SMU Mustangs wasn’t sensational when compared to most of the country, but it may have been just what the program needed.
21 recruits signed their letters of intent on Wednesday, joining quarterback Ben Hicks, who enrolled at the school last month. Morris assembled a recruiting class that ranks sixth in the AAC and 79th in the country, according to 247Sports. While those rankings don’t exactly jump off the page, it’s fairly impressive considering that Morris took over just two months ago with the cupboard mostly bare.
But the thing about makes this class a resounding success for SMU isn’t that Morris brought in a boatload of blue-chip recruits, it’s the fact that all 22 commits are from the state of Texas. This is just what school officials were hoping for when they hired Morris to take the reigns of the program, as June Jones and his staff failed miserably when it came to bringing in in-state recruits during the final years of his tenure.
The reaction to the Mustangs’ 2015 recruiting class was almost universally positive, a much-needed shot of optimism for a program that had fallen into a total state of disarray.
#SMU put together a really nice class. Chad Morris is going to do special things on the Hilltop. #PonyUp
— "EJ Holland" (@EJHollandOn3) February 4, 2015
Best line in the news release about Chad Morris' first SMU recruiting class: "All members of the 2015 class hail from Texas."
— Eddie Sefko (@ESefko) February 4, 2015
On short notice Chad Morris finished with the 81st ranked class via rivals. SMU averaged 85th over the last 10 years.
— Not Danny Ford (@1981tigers1981) February 4, 2015
Chad Morris signed the No. 81 class according to Rivals, putting together a better class in 3 months than June Jones did the year prior.
— Zach Barnett (@zach_barnett) February 5, 2015
SMU’s recruiting class features 12 three-star commitments, including Hicks, wide receiver James Proche, outside linebacker Michael Scott and tight end Hunter Herndon. While none of these players really stand out on a national level individually, it helps build a solid foundation which the Mustangs can build upon, and Hicks could be the team’s quarterback of the future if he can reach his full potential under Morris’ tutelage.
More importantly, Morris tapped into the recruiting hotbed that is right in SMU’s backyard. The Dallas-Fort Worth area is one of the most talent-rich areas in the entire country when it comes to recruiting, and the Mustangs will need to take full advantage of their ideal location as they attempt to return to relevancy.
Morris has brought a renewed commitment to recruiting the state of Texas, particularly the Dallas-Forth Worth area, and it’s helped create a positive buzz around a program that had so much negativity surrounding it during the 2014 season.
So while his first recruiting class may have just been middle of the pack in the AAC, it still should have SMU fans excited that Morris could be leading the program to a much brighter future.
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