The main thing we need to solve for UTEP...

[OC Mustang]

RGV, I agree with your observations, but I in the very little that I saw in the 4th quarter, the one defense posture that stood out was the zone blitz, and the corners were playing to contain, not to crush. Two differences from the first half to the second is that Tulane figured out how to give Ricard an extra second in the pocket, and our 2ndary was getting torched because Bennett was sending the house.

And (not directed at anybody in particular) I think our running game was bottled up because Tulane focused on it. I think they wanted to create turnovers by Willis being forced to pass (which they did, and it arguably got them back into the game). They simply didn't have the scheme nor the personnel to take away the run, pass, and Willis on every play. Hence, Willis gets most of SMU's ground yardage, and he does so because they were tight on everybody else.

What I am not saying is a) that SMU had any phase other than its kicking game and defensive line that deserves an overabundance of kudos or b) that any part of the rest of the team did particularly good or bad.

Bottom line is that we won, and as I heard an esteemed colleague make reference, "Isn't it so cool that we are dissected a WIN instead of a loss?"