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One of the most basic principles of football is that the success or failure of an offense starts with the offensive line. If the blockers up front are unable to keep the quarterback upright and open running lanes, it doesn’t matter how much talent a team has at the skill positions.

In addition, ever since Chad Morris was hired in December as the Mustangs’ next head coach, the word most frequently applied to his offense, his practices — everything he does — is “tempo.” In practice and scrimmages, a play is barely blown dead before the next one is called and players are lining up to go again.

With those two ideas as a backdrop, it’s no surprise that the Mustangs sought — and received — a commitment from offensive tackle Braxton Webb, who will be a senior in the fall at Central High School in San Angelo, Texas. He has the size (6-5, 275) coaches covet in tackles, but unlike some big high school linemen, Webb is anything but a stationary object. Webb, who also puts his mobility and long arms to use on the Central basketball team, runs into the second level of opposing defenses to find a linebacker to eliminate after eliminating a defensive lineman from the play. When he turns a defender outside, he doesn’t try to drive his man to the hash marks or the numbers; his goal is to bury the body on the sideline.

“Our offense is mostly a passing offense, and we play up-tempo,” Webb said. “It’s a lot like (SMU’s) offense.”

If Webb moves like a basketball player, it’s possible he will continue to look like one — a doctor predicted he could grow as tall as 6-foot-7. He acknowledges that he has work to do in the weight room for his upper body (he bench presses 235 pounds) to match the power in his lower body (he squats 405).

Webb chose SMU over scholarship offers from Syracuse, Nevada and North Texas State. Initially contacted by cornerbacks coach Jess Loepp, he has developed a strong relationship with several members of the Mustangs’ coaching staff, which he said factored heavily in his decision to choose SMU. The staff also was a major reason his parents are so pleased with his decision.

“From a father's standpoint the entire coaching staff is not just great coaches, they are outstanding men, also,” Webb’s father, Kenneth, said. “I have spent 18 years raising a young boy to become a great man. On our first visit to SMU, my wife and I both said that these coaches are men of integrity. On each of our visits since, our view of these men has become crystal clear. There has not been one time that they did not respond to an e-mail/text/direct message, etc. This has not been the case with MANY other universities.

“It is such an honor for Braxton to be a part of the SMU football team and student, but it is much more exciting knowing the man he will become due to the teaching and leadership that he will receive from the coaching staff. I am a Texas Tech alumni, and it makes me proud to say ‘Pony Up!’”

Braxton Webb said he chose SMU in large part because of the coaching staff and the small average number of students in classes on the Hilltop (photo by Webb family).

Webb’s mother, Laurie, said she was convinced SMU was the right place for her son because of the coaches' enthusiasm and teaching style.

“It was important to me that Braxton be surrounded by Christian men and women, having graduated from a Christian university (Lubbock Christian University) myself,” she said. “I say ‘women,’ as well because Coach Morris talks about how much the wives are involved with the program too. Coach Morris gets it. He has a child graduating high school and knows what it is like for a family to turn their son over to a university.

“Coach Loepp was Braxton’s first contact and is his primary recruiter. His energy, passion and excitement is what initially drew us all in. Coach (Dustin) Fry, (who will be) Braxton’s O-line coach, has experienced all facets of an offensive lineman: high school, college, NFL, coach. Watching him at practices, I can tell he is a great fit for Braxton. He is patient and able to explain (and) show exactly what he expects. He is one of those guys that you feel like you’ve known forever. Can’t forget to mention (offensive coordinator) Coach (Joe) Craddock — his enthusiasm and belief in Braxton (make us) feel so at ease, like (we) are home! The vision is very clear and we as a family want to be a part of that.”

For Braxton Webb, who said he hopes to major in sports management, the other key to his decision was SMU’s academic reputation.

“It’s a great school, and the average class size is only 22 people, and that’s a huge thing for me,” he said. “But it’s everything. It’s small classes, a great school, close enough that my parents can come see me play, and great coaches.”

Webb could have drawn out the recruiting process, knowing that a strong senior year might mean more scholarship offers. But he said that passing up another season of calls and e-mails and recruiting trips in favor of committing now to SMU was the right decision.

“I will miss that, but one of the main things is that I want to enjoy my senior year,” Webb said. “But I knew SMU was where I want to be, and my family knew. This coaching staff is going to make SMU great again, like it was in the ’80s, and I want to be a part of that.”