SMU v UConn game thread

[stc9]

Wow... what a difference Chad Morris has made. We used to panic before every game. Now we have meltdowns after we WIN a game.

All of these 19, 20 and 21 old kids are getting better. They need time. They need game minutes. Last night was another step in getting there. Sadly, we are not Alabama - where our 85th scholarship player was a 5 star recruit. That just means that it is going to take a little more time. Get over it.

What did we see last night:
A) We saw a team that came out flat and got their act together when it counted to put another team away. We wouldn't have seen that last year or the proceeding years. Big positive.

B) We saw a team that didn't turn the ball over, had three runners each get at least 68 yards, had 8 sacks, and we got to rest some banged up players we're going to need later. All positives.

C) We saw some young DBs get torched. That was painful... but they too stood tall when it was time to finish the game. A couple of those sacks in the 4th quarter were coverage sacks. They bought enough time for our DL to get glory. Hey! Look at that... Another positive.

Was it a great 4 quarter team effort? No, it wasn't. What was it? A WIN! Ugly to be sure, but a win. How many people on this board would prefer mrydel starting his Silver Linings thread this morning because we're now 3-2? i would rather give "on the job" training while we win games - something unusual for SMU.

[Charleston Pony]

I would never call a 21 point win "ugly". A little bit too close for comfort, yes, but our guys stepped up in that 4th quarter after UConn fought back to tie the game. Obviously our guys played this game the way they did just to give our loyal fans something to get excited about at the end. On to Houston.

[Stallion]

OK after watching the replay I've got to say the DB that had the worst day is probably Rodney Clemons. He missed several tackles in the flat that resulted in long gains and also bite on deep coverage on that 70+ TD bomb-it wasn't just the CB. Clemons is better than that

[Stallion]

I'm just afraid Gillins is Chad President at Tulsa. 4 Star Athlete who doesn't understand or execute the passing game. What's going on at Tulsa is very instructive. Last year they had Dane Evans who understood how to execute in the passing game-this year they are fading because even though Chad President is a unbelievable athlete he can't execute their passing game. Tulsa has gone for 26th in Passing Offense to 114th in Passing Offense-and SMU must have the guy who can utilize our receivers

[Wild Mustang]

Not sure why we got Rafe Peavy to transfer to SMU if after two years in the program he is not smart enough to pickup the playbook. That is disappointing. Some of the responsibility has to be put on the coaches for not getting Peavy up to speed. Hope that Rafe Peavy can hurry up and learn the playbook (if possible). I cannot imagine what SMU could do with a talented QB. If not, here is hoping that CM can recruit a QB for the future. No way SMU should have Hicks playing QB for 4 seasons.

I keep reading posts about Hicks is 4-1. People are asking why you would want to change our QB. The thing is Hicks is not 4-1, SMU is 4-1. The reasons why SMU has won games was in spite of Hicks. Other SMU players made plays. Becker, Hailey, Robinson, Gentry, Courtland, our RBs all made plays yesterday. Proche, Xavier Jones, Freeman made plays against Arkansas State. Can we please stop acting like Hicks is the reason that SMU is 4-1? I am serious when I say that if SMU had any of the QBs from our opposing teams this season my guess is that our QB would have played even better than anything Hicks has shown this season. Yes Hicks has improved when compared to last season, but come on wouldn't anyone improve when compared to Hicks last season. It really is time to raise the bar for our QB. Even CM did not exactly sound happy with Hicks' performance in the post-game interview.

[gostangs]

Although I think you are wrong, what do you suggest? Peavy isn't the answer or he'd be in there. If there isn't a better option, no need to [deleted] about it.

[Wild Mustang]

There definitely is no reason to say that Ben Hicks is the reason that SMU is 4-1.

[mrydel]

Answer this. Who put the ball in the hands of Sutton, Freeman, Porsche, Jones, etc?

[JasonB]

The QB that plays is going to be the one who can get the ball into the hands of the playmakers. That's it. And that is Hicks. DJ throws a seam route, but nothing downfield with arc. Peavey doesn't have as good of a deep ball.

The OL isn't dominant, but the running game is good enough that it can be successful if there is a deep game to take the pressure off. Without that threat of a deep pass, they can crowd the box and win the line of scrimmage.

We are where Clemson was with Tajh Boyd offensively. Deep ball to Watkins and a power rushing game. With DJ and the frosh, Morris is trying to hit on his Watson..

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/pl ... oyd-1.html

http://www.espn.com/college-football/pl ... /ben-hicks

If you play the season out, I think Hicks will end up have pretty close to Boyd's numbers his sophomore year.

Please note the jump in performance from Sophmore to Junior season.

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

I keep reading posts about Hicks is 4-1. People are asking why you would want to change our QB. The thing is Hicks is not 4-1, SMU is 4-1. The reasons why SMU has won games was in spite of Hicks. I am serious when I say that if SMU had any of the QBs from our opposing teams this season my guess is that our QB would have played even better than anything Hicks has shown this season. It really is time to raise the bar for our QB.

Do you honestly think SMU would be 4-1 if the guys on the bench with no starts at SMU had been our quarterbacks?

You claim the QB's of our opposing teams are better than Hicks....ok so what? What does that have to do with reality? Those guys are not on our team...we cant snap our fingers and suddenly they are in our uniform.

You offer lots of criticism of Hicks....and I admit he isnt perfect....but what are your immediate solutions?

Are you saying Coach Morris should bench 4-1 starter Hicks and start Gillins or Peavy on the road in Houston?

I can already hear the howls "how in the hell does Morris bench 4-1 Hicks and we get killed in Houston".

You offer lots of negatives about Hicks but very little specifics about who exactly YOU would start next week or the week after that? If you start DJ and he does poorly, do you then go Peavy and start a complete QB Merry-Go-Round cluster?

If it ain't broke....don't fix it!

[stc9]

I would never call a 21 point win "ugly". A little bit too close for comfort, yes, but our guys stepped up in that 4th quarter after UConn fought back to tie the game. Obviously our guys played this game the way they did just to give our loyal fans something to get excited about at the end. On to Houston.

Charleston, it was ugly in my mind not because of the final score, but because of the malaise they played with for most of the first three quarters.

Still it was a win.

[blackoutpony]

Guys, Wild Mustang is trolling hard.

It’s either Cargo Gunk, footballdad, Stand Up, or some other deranged clown that’s getting you all in a rut. He literally says nothing of substance other than to inflame. #Trololololol

Be happy we’re good enough to have people trolling us now and just ignore the guy

[footballdad]

Guys, Wild Mustang is trolling hard.

It’s either Cargo Gunk, footballdad, Stand Up, or some other deranged clown that’s getting you all in a rut. He literally says nothing of substance other than to inflame. #Trololololol

Be happy we’re good enough to have people trolling us now and just ignore the guy

BOP dumb as ever.

Hicks is really good, and accurate, love him. Chad really, really likes him as well, always giving him such ringing endorsements.

According to Stallion, Morris is a recruiting and evaluation guru........but apparently whiffed big time on Peavy & Gillins, who he specifically brought in to kick Hicks to the curb. Hmmmmm

[smusic 00]

Show your work, please.

[sadderbudweiser]

I would never call a 21 point win "ugly". A little bit too close for comfort, yes, but our guys stepped up in that 4th quarter after UConn fought back to tie the game. Obviously our guys played this game the way they did just to give our loyal fans something to get excited about at the end. On to Houston.

Biggest difference I see this year is that (so far) we are a much better fourth quarter team than in the past. Even in our loss it wasn't the fourth quarter that killed us. We're stronger....better.