Nine Mustangs Named To Athlon Sports All-AAC Preseason Teams

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

Nine Mustangs Named Athlon Sports All-AAC Preseason Selections

DALLAS (SMU) — Nine SMU football players were honored as 2018 Athlon Sports All-American Athletic Conference preseason selections, the organization announced on Monday.

Cornerback Jordan Wyatt led the Mustangs as a first-team defensive selection. The senior started all 11 games played in 2017 and was a member of the Bronko Naguski Watch List as well as an All-AAC honorable mention selection. Wyatt recorded 49 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and one sack, while adding four interceptions for 165 yards and three forced fumbles. He finished the season among the nation's active leaders in defensive touchdowns and interception return touchdowns (2nd), interception return yards (4th), forced fumbles per game (5th), forced fumbles (8th), non-offensive touchdowns (10th), interceptions per game (12th) and interceptions (18th).

In the Mustangs' week one win over North Texas, Wyatt became just the sixth player in history to record an interception return and fumble recovery for touchdowns in the same game. Wyatt's 288 career interception return yards, five career defensive touchdowns and four career interception return touchdowns are all SMU records.

Three Mustangs earned second-team honors, with Xavier Jones and James Proche doing so on offense and Kyran Mitchell on defense.

Jones played in all 13 games leading the team with 1,075 yards on 182 carries and ranked second in rushing touchdowns with nine. He also registered 84 yards on 14 receptions. In 13 games, Proche registered 40 catches for 816 yards and six touchdowns. He also made the outlet's fourth team as a specialist.

On defense, Mitchell was third on the team with 73 tackles and had a team-leading 15.5 tackles for loss. He also added 4.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries, three pass breakups and two quarterback hurries.

Offensive lineman Chad Pursley was listed as a third-team selection, while Ben Hicks and Braeden West were fourth-team selections on offense and Richard Moore and Mikial Onu were named fourth-team defense.

The Mustangs open the 2018 season on Sept. 1 at North Texas, before returning to the Hilltop for a Friday night match-up with Metroplex rival TCU on Sept. 7. The Battle for the Iron Skillet will also be SMU's annual Whiteout game. SMU also travels to Michigan Sept. 15 and hosts Houston Baptist (Sept. 29) for its final non-conference test.

American Athletic Conference foes Navy, Cincinnati, Houston and Memphis visit Ford Stadium, while the Mustangs face UCF, Tulane, Connecticut and Tulsa on the road.

Season tickets are available now. For Mustang ticket information, call the Athletics Department Ticket Office at (214) SMU-GAME (768-4263).

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

How exciting! Nine is a lot!

It should be an exciting season on The Hilltop!

Pony Up!

[ALEX LIFESON]

JJ recruit Jordan Wyatt is our only 1st team pick. Should 3rd and 4th team picks even be listed?

[JasonB]

4th team seems a bit much, but it still means you are in the top quarter of the league at your position.

12 teams in the league, 108 selections means an average of 9 per team. We are above average, because we have 10 - Proche is a 4th team PR as well. I think it is about where everyone is projecting us - middle of the pack.

The ones in front of us:
Houston - 10
Memphis - 13
Temple - 12
UCF - 14

USF only has 9, which is interesting. Navy 8, Tulsa 9.

My thoughts on where things will be at the end of the season (end of season lists are biased towards winning teams, and I have a much more optimistic view than some of you, as usual ):
- I think we will have someone at DE (Neals or Scott) show up on this list by the end of the season.
- Gary gets 4th team DT.
- Moore will be more than 4th team, and Denbow will show up somewhere.
- We will have at least one more OL on this list by the end of the season. I'll guess Howerton, Livingston, or Dennis.
- I don't think Proche will be second team. He might still be in the list, but drop a bit. I think we will get a second receiver in - my guess is Benson.

[dalpony]

tyler page will be our top wide receiver and Benson will be close

[AusTxPony]

Page makes me think of Beasley. I expect him to be similar in talent, and have a good year.

[Stallion]

After his first 2 seasons, Proche is averaging 49 catches and 15.7 yards a catch. Few SMU receivers in our history have performed at that level that early in their career. If either Page or Benson approach those numbers there isn't going to be much of a problem.

[smitty329]

Any concerns our 2 year starting QB is only 4th team?

[mrydel]

All of this stuff right now is just space filler.

[ponyboy]

Any concerns our 2 year starting QB is only 4th team?

No. Top 25% of AAC quarterbacks.

[ALEX LIFESON]

Any concerns our 2 year starting QB is only 4th team?

No. Top 25% of AAC quarterbacks.

Top 25% in all we do!

[ojaipony]

End of year predictions ...

First team: Wyatt, Moore, Pursley

Second team: Proche, Jones, Denbow

Third team (or Honorable Mention or whatever): Onu, West, Howerton, Hicks

[ponyboy]

Right now prediction: James Proche is the best receiver in the AAC.

[smitty329]

Right now prediction: James Proche is the best receiver in the AAC.

Afraid he will be targeted by the defense which will impact his numbers. We may have a RB that is top 10 in receiving.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Any concerns our 2 year starting QB is only 4th team?

No. Top 25% of AAC quarterbacks.

Top 25% in all we do!

This made me laugh