SRSU's next hire will determine (I think) if the Administration is serious about the program.

Wright Resigns as Head Football Coach
Date: Thursday, December 6, 2007
Story:

ALPINE, Texas – Sul Ross State University head football coach Steve Wright announced his resignation on Thursday (Dec. 6) at the Pete P. Gallego Center during a called team meeting. Wright's resignation will take effect on January 15, 2008.

Wright, whose six-year career at Sul Ross ended with a 5-5 season mark in 2007 (15-44 career), said Thursday that he intends to spend more time with family and that a point of change in coaching for the Lobo football program was needed.

"There comes a time, especially in this profession, that if you honestly look at your individual production, that leadership of a program needs tweaking," Wright said. "I have determined that a new head coach is best for the student-athletes and is probably the best route for me and my family."

"I appreciate the dedication and work Coach Wright has brought to the football program at Sul Ross," university president Dr. Vic Morgan said following Wright's resignation. "His approach to academics, discipline and his overall outreach to the players and their families was instrumental to these young men's development not just as athletes but as college students."

Morgan said that a search for a new football coach will be advertised on the national market. "We will draft a position announcement and form a committee which will involve our director of athletics, other administrators, selected members of the student-athletic body, our faculty athletics representative and various other members of the university community then conduct a nation-wide search," Morgan said. "We will interview and hire a coach hopefully in the early part of the spring semester."

During his six seasons at Sul Ross, Wright's teams won 15 games and lost 44, but posted 5-4 and 5-5 won-lost records during the past two seasons. He was named American Southwest Conference Co-Coach of the Year in 2006 and South Region Coach of the Year by D3 Football.com.

Several new career, season and single-game offensive records were established during Wright's tenure, including a Division III single-game mark for pass completions by Scott Kello. This season, quarterback Austin Davidson (Hallsville) established career records for passing yardage (8,071) and touchdown passes (61) and set a single-season mark of 24 scoring strikes. Runningback TJ Barber (Midland) set career standards for rushing yardage (3,898) and touchdowns (42) under Wright's leadership.

Wright, who spent six years as head coach at Mississippi Gulf Coast College in Perkinston, Mississippi , joined the Sul Ross faculty in March of 2002. He grew up on the Carson-Newman College campus (Jefferson City, Tenn. ) where his grandfather served as president. Wright received his bachelor's degree from Maryville College in 1978 and master's degree from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in 1979. He is a lecturer in physical education.

He has also coached at Carson-Newman, the University of Richmond ( Va. ), the University of Texas-El Paso, Navarro Junior College in Corsicana and Jones County Junior College (Ellisville, Miss.).

Wright's wife, Anita, and their daughter, Synthia, moved to Stevens Point, Wisc. last December, where Anita Wright is employed at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. A second daughter, Stephanie, is a freshman at Stanford University, Palo Alto, Calif.

"It is with great emotion that I would like to thank the administration, faculty, staff, the students and the Sul Ross and Alpine communities for their support," Wright said. "It has been a great ride and I am indebted to Sul Ross for giving me this opportunity."

Congrats and Good luck the rest of the way to the Cru!  I am a Sul Ross fan and hoping you guys the best - hopefully we will be ready for y'all next year in Alpine!

Ralph -

because of strength of schedule? 

Question for the board:

Will the second place team (assuming they finish with two losses) have a chance at the playoffs? 

Any predictions this weekend?  I will start:

MHB-MC - closer than expected - Cru by 20+ pts

HP-HSU - HSU will have control of this game from the opening kickoff - HSU wins

ETBS - LC - This is a close game and I think LC beats ETBS

SRSU - McMurry - SRSU is  3-1 on the road and will make it 4-1 with a win over McMurry.  But if SRSU is looking ahead to its homecoming game against HSU next week they will lose.

Thoughts?

---

RB, I don't think that you have editing/modifying capabilities on your login at this numbering of postings, so you may not be able to correct the "ETBS".  If that is a clever malaprop, then it ranks up there with Hardened Sinners, Horrid Pain and McMurphy!  +1 and welcome!  -- Ralph Turner

Quote from: chrisallman on September 21, 2007, 05:04:36 PM
This is my first post and probably my last but I feel like I owe Around The South readers an apology for my last column. No one is forcing me to do this. It's just the right thing to do.

I don't apologize for my opinion but for my facts being incorrect. That was irresponsible and I was trying to write by memory instead of double-checking my facts. That's a cardinal sin in journalism and the readers deserve better. I sincerely apologize for that.

My style of writing is not for everyone (it's probably not for many). I'm not a hard news guy, I stopped doing that three or four years ago and I think that this site deserves something different. Last night, I let Pat know that I would no longer be writing Around The South. These guys are fantastic and great for Division III sports and the way I write was not beneficial for their site. I greatly appreciate them letting me play a part in the site for more than a year.

Most importantly, I just wanted to offer a personal apology for my facts being incorrect. I appreciate all the feedback - positive and negative.

Go Cru!

So you made a mistake and now you are going to quit?  Weak....  Stay around - I enjoyed your columns.

Cru Fans -

What's your prediction for tomorrow's game.  Cru by 60 or 70 pts?

Biddaddy

This was sent to me via email.  I did not write this but only passing it along

This was sent to me yesterday

Guys,

 

I wanted to relate an interesting story to you.  I think you will enjoy this.



In 1965, Permian High School won their first (of many) state championship.  Five or six of those guys went   D-1 ( you  might  remember Mike Jordan at SMU, Billy Dale, Glenn Halsall at Texas etc.).  One of the guys, Mike Flynt,  went to Arkansas.  While there, his studies suffered and  he flunked out and he came to Sul Ross Univ. in Alpine.  We played ball together at Sul Ross and he was a very good linebacker.  But he got kicked out of school before his senior year for fighting.  He had a penchant for the art of pugilism and was not defeated as far as I can recollect.  He ended up being the strength coach for Texas A&M, Nebraska, and Arkansas.  He left Nebraska because one of the Cornhusker All American linemen barged into his weight room while he was putting on a weight lifting class.  Mike asked the behemoth to please wait  to work out until his class was finished but the All American refused to leave and continued to pump iron.  Mike then told him to leave  the weight room and the big jock asked who might make him leave.  Wrong question!  Mr.. Flynt commenced to put the whup-ass on him, drug him outside the weight room and finished his class.  He was summarily dismissed from UN for caving in the face of the lovely lad from Lincoln. You can see how volatile and aggressive this man has been.  I  Could not guess how many fights  he has had  ( I could tell you a few  great  stories about this guy but there is a far greater story embedded within).  Mike Flynt is just a really tough man and a bit over the edge....much like a junk yard dog.

He has been in the weight training world for some time now and made a lot of money with his invention of  the portable bow-flex machine.  He also found the  peace in his life and felt a deep seated  need to make amends to those he had wronged.  He felt he owed something to Sul Ross.

He contacted an old coaching friend, Jerry Larned (Athletic Director at McMurray College in Abilene) and asked Jerry to find out if he had athletic elgibility in college and if he could possibly use it.  The NCAA said that he did have a semester of elgibility left but he had to use it at Sul Ross.  Mike approached the stunned Sul Ross football coach and asked if he could play for the team this fall.  The coach thought him crazy but Mike is persistent.  The coach found out that Mike benches 400 lbs. and runs a 5.0 40 yard dash and Mike proved it by pumping 400 three or four reps.  The SR players were on the field and Mike asked if he could just practice with them and the coach gave him permission.  He is built like a Greek god and showed some of his speed.  Mike even sweetened the pot by telling the coach that he would buy his own uniform and would help purchase needed items if there was a need.

The coach capitulated and Mike will now start two-a-days with the team on August 12, 2007.

"Hell, he's the biggest, fastest, strongest linebacker I have," the coach stated.

The first game will be against Texas Lutheran in Seguin, Texas on September 1.  If Mike Flynt makes the team he will be the oldest player by, I believe, 18 years to play in the NCAA.  He is 59 yrs. old!



I don't doubt he will make the team.  He is driven!  He will be a great leader for those guys in the weight room and on the field.  And those young players will know what a "good lick" feels like from an old man...cause he will HIT you!  From my perspective, durability is questionable, but hell, can you believe he even wants to try??  Golf makes me sore!  The guys on the '65  Permian  team are going to charter a bus to go to see the first game ...  if he makes it.



Interesting stuff.  Just watch for it on the news.  It could be a very good sports story if it all comes to pass.