Ponyfans might be disappointed with the start of the season, but the way that I look at it, the Ponies are 0-1.

The old adage, “you get what you pay for,” is appropriate here. Texas State was paid to come in here so that the program could get a win and the Ponies won that game. Texas Tech scheduled SMU for an easy win and got its easy win. The Rice game was tough, only because it is a conference game. However, considering how many young players were starting in vital positions. The Western Division of Conference USA seems to only have one truly dominant team in Tulsa, but the other teams are talented — but not any more talented than our young Mustangs!

Flanigan says Bo Levi Mitchell can and will put his performance against Texas Tech behind him (photo by Travis Johnston).

As far as the quarterback position, I believe that Bo Levi Mitchell is far ahead of where he should be.

Look at the NFL: (Atlanta rookie quarterback) Matt Ryan wins in his first start in the NFL and then gets his head handed to him the following week. The biggest question that I have been asked this week is, “how do you come back after such a bad outing?” What most people do not understand is that to play quarterback at the highest collegiate level you have to have unshakable confidence. The toughest part of playing that position in my opinion is how you handle the six days between games. The games take care of themselves, some days will be great and some days will be like last Saturday.

The downside about the offensive system that SMU uses is that if the triggerman has a bad day, then you have absolutely no chance of being successful that day. During the 1996 season I threw five interceptions in one half! Needless to say we were thoroughly beaten by a good Wyoming team that weekend. But we bounced back and won the next week, not because I changed anything about what I was doing or approaching the game, but because the team bounced back. Mitchell has been playing quarterback his entire life, and I am sure that he and the team will learn from their mistakes from last week and look to correct them in their next outing.

The other thing that most people fail to mention is that this was the first game that this young team played against a BCS team. If anyone has been to Lubbock, Texas on a game day lately, it is a very tough place to play. The Red Raiders have beaten Texas and Oklahoma at home the last few years if that helps you gauge how tough it is to play there. Mitchell is one of 119 people in the entire country that can say he is a starting FBS quarterback. That fact alone brings a level of confidence with it that will allow him to shake off the rough outing that he and the team had last week.

I am still very high on his receiving corps and I look for the team to continue to get better as the season goes along!! It is important for all of us to continue to support the players and the staff as they continue working hard to put a product on the field that is on par with all of the other great things that we have at SMU!!