This weekend’s homecoming festivities concluded with another loss by our Mustangs, but the score was the only thing that I found disappointment in!

The Boulevard was absolutely amazing! I am not sure if there is a better atmosphere in college football, considering our record. I have heard many people complain about the fans who choose to stay outside of the stadium during the game. I am as big a football fan as there is anywhere, and as big a PonyFan as there is, and I had a very difficult time leaving the festivities on the Boulevard!

Flanigan says Logan Turner's success against Memphis is evidence of how well the SMU coaches are teaching their Run-and-Shoot offense (photo by Webmaster).

Once inside the stadium, I was shocked to see that Bo Levi Mitchell had injured his shoulder and was out of the game. I honestly hadn’t even noticed that Logan Turner was in until I heard someone make a reference to how well the backup was playing. There are not many schools in America that can remain competitive with their backup quarterback playing as much as ours did Saturday.

The fact that the offense continued to be productive is a huge testament to how well the coaching staff has done in preparing the quarterbacks. Most teams give the starting quarterback the high majority of the reps in practice in preparing for a game. The coaches have to prepare the other quarterbacks without the luxury of on-the-field reps. The way that Turner was able to play so well is evidence of how well the coaching staff is teaching the system to all of the young Mustangs.

Some other things that stood out to me as a casual observer were the way that the offensive line is starting to gel as a unit and the nasty attitude that the linemen are starting to get! The defense played well in spots, and I attribute their inability to stop the run to the fact that they do not see traditional run schemes in spring practice and during two-a-days.

I also do not fault our young defensive backs for their inability to cover their taller wide receivers. The only thing that they possibly could have done scheme wise was to play a safety over the top and double cover (6-foot-8) Carlos Singleton. The coaches did make that adjustment on occasion, but that still didn’t make him shrink any, and instead of out-jumping a shorter cornerback, he out-jumped the safety and the corner. Taking one of the safeties out of the run support was one of the reasons that Memphis was able to run the ball so well in the second half.

The SMU offense can not survive dropped passes. Not only does it stop drives and reduce the chances for scoring points, but it stops the clock and puts the defense on the field longer.

I think that the improved line play is the most important reason for the improved running game, but it also has helped the overall effectiveness of the offense and taken pressure off of the quarterback.

I wonder if anyone looks forward to SMU games as much as I do. Even though our team's win-loss record is not what anyone who loves SMU would like for it to be, the excitement surrounding the team is breathtaking. I look forward to being on the Boulevard before games and seeing all of the different types of people who celebrate their love for SMU. I am also humbled and honored by all of the kinds words and gestures that people continue to throw my way and I am so proud to be one of the many players who represented all of you on the field of play.

I look forward to seeing all of the Ponyfans in a couple of weeks!