PonyFans.com

DallasDiehard wrote:Will the Boulevard be up and running?

I think they leave it there year round.

first off haha to the post above me. second - i'll be there! don't know how many people I can drag along but I'll be there cheering on my hawkins! i hope he's doing as good as he is bragging about!

just got back from the game and i thought that there was going to be a competition at the QB spot but there is not. Willis, IMO, is the number one guy. He looked very good out there. I think that Johnson will eb the number 2 and then Slater 3. Johnson has a cannon for an arm. Slater was very unimpressive. Slater under threw 90 percent of his passes which should of led to three plus interceptions.

At the RB spot Martin did not play but Fitzgerald looked great playing with the first team offense. Martin and Fitz are going to be a great 1-2 combo next year.

The offensive line looked solid but they were against the 2nd team D. i swear they all looked like they have gained 20 lbs. they were enormous.

The WR recievers looked very solid. I was very impressed with Emanuel Sanders and Zack Sledge. They both played very well. Bobby Chase was solid as usual other than the one drop he had.

The defense looked good out there. Granted it was against the second team offense but the D line is going to cause a lot of havoc next year. Rogers and HAywood were in the backfield all day. The secondary also played well nothing too outstanding but kept everything in front of them and made solid tackles. The LB position is definitely the weak spot but if the line can get a lot of pressure they should be fine.


Plays of the day Damon Hurst had a huge hit on a WR coming over the middle not sure who it was and Chris Phillips with a great catch over the middle at the TE spot.

Agree with all the above, plus:

Mapps looked impressive.

Slater and Johnson both got less effective pass protection than Willis.

Bonilla made several tackles for the blue (that is, white) team.

Kickoffs need work.

PATs not to mid-season form.

BChase did a good Columbus Givens impersonation (remember TCU?); would've been a TD.

First team D-line, as expected, looked good. Of the LBs, I heard Jimenz (sp?) more than I expected to.

2nd team O-line either is not yet were they envision themselves, or starting D-line is really that good.

I'm still scared to death that sooner or later we'll run that same play that opens every game, as was the case today-the quick pass out in the flat to the wr-and a well-coached opponent will jump the route and off to the races they go.

Willis looked like he has run this offense for 5 years-which in fact he has. He's got great poise, some mobility and nice accuracy. He doesn't put a lot of zip on the ball though and we will see how that works out against top DBs which we certainly DON'T Have. Willis had a sure 65 yard TD pass dropped by Bobby Chase-he led him perfectly against LeCori Johnson who really has a way to go at CB. I thought another big play could have been made by one of SMU's big WRs on a pass from Willis but the Receiver really fail to adjust to the ball in the air-but Willis made a good read to make a potentially big play. We'll see how Willis responds when the heat comes-btw Willis couldn't be much taller than 6-0. Slater looked like a platoon Juco QB although played better when the defense was filled with walkons and 3rd teamers. Columbus Givens and Emanuel Sanders made some big plays. No real highlite that I can remember at LB and SMU's backup RBs had plenty of room to roam. I don't think Carrington played but this could be big trouble. It will be heated battle for second string running back-Mapps and Fitzgerald both looked excellent with Fitzgerald probably winning that battle. But Mapps definitely does have Barry Sanders like moves and is a threat just about anytime he gets the ball. Someday I expect him to really break through.

Stallion wrote:Willis looked like he has run this offense for 5 years-which in fact he has.

Exactly what I wanted to here. Couldn't make the game but thats the one thing I was hoping for out of this game.

WR Jim Beckner was the recipient of the hit of the day -- I thought Damon Hurst had killed him. Glad he's still in one piece.

Catch of the day -- Sledge hauling in that long pass (35 yards? 40 yards?) in TRIPLE coverage from Eric Johnson. Hell of a throw (although perhaps an ill-advised throw) by Johnson, but the catch was sensational. Second-best catch of the day: TE Chris Phillips going up over two defenders -- on fourth down -- and pulling in a high pass for a first down. Very good to see. He didn't get used much, but that was a terrific catch.

Not sure about Slater's performance today. He looked a lot better in the practices I saw during spring ball. Showed some decent zip on the ball, but his accuracy was off (obviously) today. Couldn't begin to tell you why .... injured? Sick? Rattled by the play on his first series when Justin Rogers caught him from behind and stripped the ball? Just one of those days? Looked better in practice than he really is? I have no idea. But while I'd been pleasantly surprised with him in practices, that was not the case today. I'd like to chalk it up to a "one of those days" deals, but we'll see in August.

Fitzgerald looked excellent filling in for Martin, and Mapps continues to surprise (me, at least) by having more power than a guy that size should.

Rey Pellerin is noticably stronger/thicker than he was during the season. So are Cory Muse, Bryce Hudman, Justin Willis, Andrew McKinney, Chris Parham, Jonathan Lindley and Dominic Pryor (that's all I can think of off the top of my head).

Justin Willis looked better than I thought he would.

Vincent Chase made a couple of nice catches, and he moves a lot better than I realized he could for such a big guy.

Cory Muse and Justin Rogers are going to maul some QBs this year.

My biggest concern: the secondary, especially opening up against The Leach and his goofy throw-it-every-time offense.

Willis looked quite good, not great, but quite good...as good as anyone at SMU the last couple years. Slater looked weak. It seemed like he was pushing the ball. Chris Phillips moved to receiver?

Pretty decent crowd as well. I'd estimate that there were at least 2,000 there. They closed off the visitor side of the stadium.

2000 there? I guess ECU brought their fans too.

I thought Willis looked sharp, but 16-for-21? I'll take that any day.
And Slater and Johnson were both 10-for-16? Didn't realize their percentages were that good, either.
Willis clearly looked the best, though, in my opinion.

over half of Slater's completions came against walkons and third teamers as did Johnson pass to Sledge. Most of Slater passes were outlet passes-I remember them running the same 2 yard outlet pass to the TE for three straight passes. Here's a question-did a DB make a play all day? If they don't contest the ball than they did today let me be the first to predict Tech will put up 60 in the opener.

It seemed like a lot of recruits were there. I sat at about the 40 and saw a lot of high school looking, in shape guys with SMU folders.

Does anyone remember if Kyle Griffin played yesterday? did paulius ritter suit up?
I know we had a number of players that sat out the game for various reasons.

devin lowery
demyron martin
cortley blackmon
reggie carrington
ryan kennedy
troy therien
charlie berry

Kyle Griffin was there, but in street clothes -- not sure why.
Didn't see Ritter anywhere.
Johnson's and Slater's completions might have come against third-teamers, but they still were completed. Slater's numbers surprised me a little, because when he missed, it was by a significant amount (including a couple of short-hop passes). Again, he looked better in practice, so hopefully he will be better.
I thought Chris Parham looked really good at backup DT. Pretty quick for a guy that size, and he always seemed to be around the ball.