The Mustangs, for the first time in 24 years, will have someone else calling the shots from the sidelines. SMU reached the NCAA Tournament in 23 of the last 24 seasons. Photo by John Schreiber, The Daily Campus.
There are few coaches in SMU school history that have accomplished more in their respective sport than former SMU head coach Schellas Hyndman.
After 24 seasons as the Mustangs’ coach, 31 total at the collegiate level, Hyndman departed the college ranks to coach Major League Soccer’s FC Dallas.
In his 24 seasons at SMU, Hyndman recorded 368 wins as head coach. That places him atop the career victories list at SMU for any coach in any sport while at SMU. Hyndman leaves college soccer 12th on the all-time wins list with 466 career wins.
Hyndman accomplished many different things in his career at SMU and turned the Mustangs into a perennial top 10 program in all the polls. The only thing that seemed to elude him during his tenure at SMU was the College Cup.
Hyndman’s sudden departure may have shocked some, but it came as no surprise to senior striker and Coppell native Scott Geppert. Geppert was “not too surprised he took it because he had the option [to coach FC Dallas] in the past.”
Hyndman’s timing leaves SMU without a head coach less than three months before the Mustangs’ season opener. Geppert believes that the timing is “definitely an issue that the team will have to deal with. However, we have great assistants…and a senior-heavy team, which really helps going into the fall.”
Hyndman has left the Mustangs in a good position going into the fall. The Mustangs return eight seniors to the squad and will feature a 15-member recruiting class that will add significant depth to an already crowded SMU roster. A deep and experienced roster is undoubtedly Hyndman’s parting gift to SMU.
Players believe in team
While it would be easy for players to lose faith in the team after losing a coach as established and respected as Hyndman, the Mustangs seem confident and upbeat about the upcoming season.
SMU senior midfielder and Herman Trophy Finalist Bruno Guard had mixed feelings about Hyndman’s departure. Through a statement, Guarda remarked, “It was sad to see him go because we’re all [the team] pretty close to him. But he’s a great coach, and I think great college coaches want the chance to prove themselves as professional coaches. We’ll miss him here, but we’re excited for him, too, and happy for him.”
While Guarda may be sad to see coach Hyndman leave, he and the rest of the team remain confident about the season. Guarda believes “SMU is a great school, and has a great soccer tradition. When the new coach is hired, he’s coming to a team with a lot of talent, and we’re going to work as hard as we can to go after the national championship.”
Geppert echoed what Guarda had to say about the future of the program. While he admits that Hyndman’s departure will be “a change for the SMU program,” there is little doubt in his mind that “SMU has the talent and ability to compete for the College Cup.”
SMU opens the season in Charlottesville, Va., against the University of Virginia Mountaineers on Sunday Aug. 31.
