W2W4 - Temple

[JasonB]

The short story here is that... Temple isn't very good. The two unknowns we have to deal with are the weather and which QB will actually play. But it would be really disappointing not to win this game by 3 touchdowns. For example, on PFF, SMU is rated as the 28th best team in the country, 38th on offense and 19th on defense. Temple is 3rd worst overall (131), 125 on offense and 123 on defense. This should be a blowout in every sense.

- Our running game should have quite a rebound and go for over 200 yards. Part of our issue with consistency in the running game this season has been blocking at the second level. But it is also due to us playing against teams that commit to stopping the run (and are pretty good at it). I'm sure Temple will load up the box, especially in the rain, and try to force Preston to beat them. But we should still be able to move them off the ball. This is going to be a big breakout game for whomever is healthy in the Pony backfield. Temple gives up a lot of chunk plays. While they get decent play out of the LBs, they get killed on the line and their Safeties are not good at all in run support. I expect that we will see Osborne and White can completely dominate on the right side. We should see a bunch of 4-5 yard gains and then the occasional 20+ yard run when we get past the LBs. I would actually tend to run Rooster, Camar, and Gardner more in this game just because of the number of opportunities we will have to make people miss/outrun people in the second level. We will see what happens.
- In the pass rush, they have one guy on the edge who can cause some issues, and a LB that will blitz. That is one area Preston has struggled with is identifying the late blitz, so it will be interesting to see if he can improve in this one. This should be a game, however, where he can sit in the pocket and pick players out down the field. I don't want to see the "happy feet" or moving backwards in this game - he should have time to throw and should be able to go through progressions.
- Overall, they have one good corner, Hill number 21. Everyone else has been eaten alive all season. This game is the perfect opportunity for one of our WR to have a breakout game. I'll predict that someone will go over 100 yards receiving for the first time this season.
- The book against us is clearly to load the box and run blitz. I would guess that Temple will do the same. We will have opportunities early, I would guess, to hit them over the top if they play to stop the run. I want to see if Stone 1) makes the right decisions on the RPO, 2) makes early decisions to throw it down field and 3) if he has watched tape from ECU and speeds things up a bit to get to the intermediate receiver and the RB in the flat.
- Defensively, this should be another game we dominate. The Temple OL is horrible. They have one good Tackles, and it will be great to watch him against Roberts. But our DL should dominate this game just like they did against ECU as long as they don't get too over-aggressive.
- They have some decent RBs, but the OL just makes it a real struggle to consistently pick up yards. SMU should really control the line of scrimmage.
- At QB, Warner is pretty good. He isn't going to do anything amazing, but he is accurate and gets the ball out really quickly, just like his dad. I would expect SMU to play tight man and try to force him to hold the ball, because the pass rush will get there eventually and he doesn't have a ton of help at WR. And he is pretty bad at the deep ball - 4/7 to the left, but 0/10 over the middle and 1/14 to the right. The majority of his attempts are short throws, and he completes them at a high rate. Again, I think the SMU strategy should be to press coverage and force him to complete the middle to intermediate throw (and with the OL, try and get the pass off). He will pick you apart if you play soft. The SMU coaches are acting like he will play, so I assume he is going to play in this game. If he doesn't, the backup is a run-first QB and is pretty terrible right now at throwing the ball.

Look, the only reason Temple hasn't given up 50 points yet defensively this season is that the run defense is so bad that the other team runs the ball and eats clock. They give up points on the majority of drives against them... in fact, they average giving up 3.3 points per drive.

If Warner plays, I can see him getting in a rhythm on a couple of drives. He has clearly gotten better as the season has progressed. If he doesn't.... I would be disappointed if Temple scores more than 10 points.

This is a get-right game for the SMU offense. Yes, it will probably rain in the second half, and that adds an unknown because I have never seen Preston throw in bad weather. But it isn't supposed to be a heavy downpour, and the running game should be able to carry us. Turnovers and penalties are the only thing that would keep it close.

SMU dominates on both the OL and DL, and I'll take SMU 45-17 if Warner plays and 55-10 if he doesn't.

[BUS]

Thank you again!
Go Mustangs

[dalpony]

JasonB thank you - outstanding as always

[Charleston Pony]

Temple isn't very good. This should be a blowout in every sense. check

Our running game should have quite a rebound and go for over 200 yards. check

This game is the perfect opportunity for one of our WR to have a breakout game. I'll predict that someone will go over 100 yards receiving for the first time this season. Can't get them all right but when 10 different guys catch balls...

I want to see if Stone 1) makes the right decisions on the RPO, 2) makes early decisions to throw it down field and 3) if he has watched tape from ECU and speeds things up a bit to get to the intermediate receiver and the RB in the flat. Some improvement but still work to do

Defensively, this should be another game we dominate. The Temple OL is horrible. check

Look, the only reason Temple hasn't given up 50 points yet defensively this season is that the run defense is so bad that the other team runs the ball and eats clock. Punt return TD was the key.

SMU dominates on both the OL and DL, and I'll take SMU 45-17 if Warner plays and 55-10 if he doesn't.

Not enough respect for the D!

[JasonB]

Temple isn't very good. This should be a blowout in every sense. check

Our running game should have quite a rebound and go for over 200 yards. check

This game is the perfect opportunity for one of our WR to have a breakout game. I'll predict that someone will go over 100 yards receiving for the first time this season. Can't get them all right but when 10 different guys catch balls...

I want to see if Stone 1) makes the right decisions on the RPO, 2) makes early decisions to throw it down field and 3) if he has watched tape from ECU and speeds things up a bit to get to the intermediate receiver and the RB in the flat. Some improvement but still work to do

Defensively, this should be another game we dominate. The Temple OL is horrible. check

Look, the only reason Temple hasn't given up 50 points yet defensively this season is that the run defense is so bad that the other team runs the ball and eats clock. Punt return TD was the key.

SMU dominates on both the OL and DL, and I'll take SMU 45-17 if Warner plays and 55-10 if he doesn't.

Not enough respect for the D!

I missed it by a goal line stand and a short missed field goal

[dalpony]

JasonB - what was your unvarnished opinion of Preston Stone’s performance?

[JasonB]

Put in the other thread, but I thought he was really good. Missed a couple of throws - there are times on shorter passes where he changes arm angles and ends up throwing a ball short. But that was the Preston we see a lot of in practice. Early down called pass plays fit him a lot better.