Did Anyone Attend the Game Yesterday?

[SMU 86]

Thanks for RE Tycoon for your eyewitness account. I trust that over some stats and info from who got it from some inside personnel and really did not go to the game in person.

[kull]

Kull where did you get your stats from? Did you count them while you were at the game?

I was at the game, have a familiarity with the offensive scheme as a consultant, have a near eidetic memory except when my sleep cycle gets disturbed, so what i typed was just my recollection. I can't for the life of me remember some of the guys involved on both lines. The woman kept asking me quesitons. Anyway, I had hoped to steal a few ideas from the game, got nothing. The play calling was effective, the execution, appaling at times (i may be overly critical). Keep in mind, I was the lone SMU fan located in the middle of the WSU student section. Blue underarmor polo, chino soft shell coat, blue jeans.

How do you know that Klemm is soft spoken if you live in that part of the country?

Adrian played at Hawaii and has always been soft spoken (i am from the maui and a Nakoa booster, he was one of the few bright spots during the Fred Von Oppen days). Check his demeanor on the sidelines during the change of possesion: he is never yelling, body language is very calm (via binocs). McKnight is more of a junkyard dog in that respect which I prefer, but you need both kinds on every staff. I didn't get to speak with Adrian, he was busy post-game talking to players. About me, I was born and raised on Maui. Spent the last 8 years in the great northwest.

I got to catch up with Jeff 'sun god in blue' Reinbold and Dennis after the game for about 15 minutes. great time. DM introduced me to Derrick Odum (who i had not met) and I lauded his efforts with developing the DBs, he was still on his cell phone, classic. Got to visit with June shortly outside by the buses near Bohler gym, we didn't talk football, haven't seen him since 2006, asked me about my research progress, etc.

I have only attended 2 SMU practices lifetime and that was prior to the JJ era. I was in Dallas on business on one occasion, the other time being a part of a trip with the ex to the Houston Stock Show and Rodeo near the opening of spring campus. The last time i set foot in Dallas was prior to the SSR (Society for the Study of Reproduction) meeting in July 2007. We joyrided for a few days in dallas, dinner at H3 Ranch, then cut a little rug at Billy Bob's in FW with a pulled groin. Going to get some coffee now, the Maker's has worn off.

[kull]

PS. I PM'ed smu power, because i have some video and pics i would like to make available for PFs.com members. Haven't heared anything from him yet. If any of you have an FTP or fileserver, let me know and i'll up it later this afternoon.

Got some java in my system. To wrap up my thoughts from yesterday.

Offense: Mixed bag (Mostly effective, chewed up a lot of clock, methodical but left too much on the table. A few bad routes, bad decisions and bad throws killed this team). Shouldn't have been a remotely close game. A- for first half. C for 3rd Qtr. D in Fourth Quarter, F in overtime.

Defense: they were efficient; PI's kept WSU on the field. B+

Special teams: B, kickoffs into sidelines attracious. efficient elsewhere.

the over pace of the game had a very high school feel to it. we should be encouraged by progress. I I am upbeat by nature, but was really frustrated yesterday by the lack of mental toughness on offense. A few of those 10 or so passes weren't terrible (against the WSU defense), but an elite defense will crucify us on half of those. Also, whenever Bo's drops his elbow that ball comes out shallow with a funky spin. Anyway, i digress.... again

[SMU 86]

Saw video of the KXLY replay of game highlights. RE Tycoon was correct the INT were all bad throws. Again, thanks RE Tycoon.

[San Antonio Mustang]

Thanks to both Kull and Tycoon for your insights. Hopefully others who were there will add their two cents. Kull's detail analysis is very helpful in understanding where out team is and what needs to be worked on. It is clear we are a work in progress.

[NavyCrimson]

Noticed that there were only 22,319 at the game. Interesting.

[NastyStang]

I am interested in hearing only from those who actually were at the game and saw the four interceptions, particularly the two returned for touchdowns. If you were there and saw them, what is your analysis of what went wrong? For example did Bo not see a defender, did Bo under or over throw the receiver, did the receiver miss the catch, did the receiver run the wrong route, did the receiver fall down ? Where would you place the blame?

Haven't read the responses before my post, but I can answer all of this. Got back from Washington late Sunday and headed straight to Cowboy game, so this is my first opportunity to post.

Despite the horrific way we lost, I was extremely impressed with the team overall. Our defense was great, flying around the field only allowing 14 points. We hit their QB many times right as he threw, and this is with our best pass rusher not playing a down.

Shawnbrey played well. They were big upfront, but he seldom went down on the first hit. The best unit was the WR's. Especially Sanders and Wilkerson. They were consistently WIDE open. Wilkerson should have had 4 TD's.

Now to the awful 4th quarter play by Mitchell. None of his picks were on the WR's. They were telegraphed right into the chest of the defender. The two pick sixes were awful, but the pick he threw to the corner of the end zone in OT was THE worst. He threw a rope to the right corner of the end zone where Wilkerson was standing with 3 CB's in front of him.

There has to be a change at QB. Start getting someone else ready. Yes, he had a ton of yardage. Besides the long throw to Wilkerson for the first TD, all the passes were dinks and dunks with McNeal or the WR's getting lots of yardage after the catch. He had WR's open downfield ALL game, he just wasn't looking. Protection was great, and he missed Sanders once, Wilkerson twice and even Zimmerman running down the sideline-not a defender within 25 yards...

SMU dominated WSU all over the field. We should have easily scored over 40-50 points and beat them by 3-4 TD's...I'm glad I wasn't able to post Saturday night, that was not a happy bus ride back with the Mustang group...

[heavyhorse]

I, too, was in Pullman. About the D: That really should be the biggest story for SMU 3 games in. In huge part thanks to the improved blood up front (where FB still really is won or lost from peewee to "the league"), that side of the ball is day over night from last year's. WSU's offense had its issues; but it is a PAC-10 outfit (complete w/the big OL), and faced us in front of a very engaged home crowd. Our holding WSU to mere double digits on the ground (think about all the runaway trains last year) was no fluke. In particular, I agree with Kull's game report on the D, save a glaring omission. Why no mention of Fleps? He made the move from SAM to WILL to fill Youri's very big shoes, and absolutely obliterated the cornerstone of WSU's game plan: running at the edge. In this game, he had more tackles than any other LB and a huge 9-yard TFL in the 4th when it really mattered. To be sure, Fleps isn't the most graceful guy out there; but he's a heck of a football player (especially to an old-schooler), and if you really know and study the game with an analytical eye, you'll find few OLBs in college ball better making tackles off the big blocks, and taking away the TE in coverage. In fact, in his 15 starts, don't think a TE has caught a pass when he's been on the job (anyone remember the explosive near-pic last year at Rice against a guy now playing on Sundays?). Take it from an old timer, whether it's football, the next date, the voting booth, or life in general, you'll get to the right place a whole lot more elevating substance over style.

[kull]

I, too, was in Pullman. About the D: That really should be the biggest story for SMU 3 games in. In huge part thanks to the improved blood up front (where FB still really is won or lost from peewee to "the league"), that side of the ball is day over night from last year's. WSU's offense had its issues; but it is a PAC-10 outfit (complete w/the big OL), and faced us in front of a very engaged home crowd. Our holding WSU to mere double digits on the ground (think about all the runaway trains last year) was no fluke. In particular, I agree with Kull's game report on the D, save a glaring omission. Why no mention of Fleps? He made the move from SAM to WILL to fill Youri's very big shoes, and absolutely obliterated the cornerstone of WSU's game plan: running at the edge. In this game, he had more tackles than any other LB and a huge 9-yard TFL in the 4th when it really mattered. To be sure, Fleps isn't the most graceful guy out there; but he's a heck of a football player (especially to an old-schooler), and if you really know and study the game with an analytical eye, you'll find few OLBs in college ball better making tackles off the big blocks, and taking away the TE in coverage. In fact, in his 15 starts, don't think a TE has caught a pass when he's been on the job (anyone remember the explosive near-pic last year at Rice against a guy now playing on Sundays?). Take it from an old timer, whether it's football, the next date, the voting booth, or life in general, you'll get to the right place a whole lot more elevating substance over style.

checked the posts, i either ommitted his mention, or deleted it by mistake in an edit to fix grammar. heavyhorse, you are right. Fleps wasn't very fluid as times (but did flow well from gap to gap) but was effective in space (his footwork is much improved from last year, first step much quicker IMO) and shed a nice block (WSUs left tackle, Ayers?) to trip up Tardy (RB) before Banjo stoned him. In fact, all the linebackers are more fundamantally sound than last year. Back to Fleps, he lined up at two spots during the game, in either case he owned his gaps for the most part. Don't know if it was J. Davis or T Reed, but one of those young guys overpursued, Fleps took the gap and helped make the stop with help from the line. He got a good piece of montgomery (RB) on that one running play. He had a hard time (as most linebackers would) covering the Forzani kid on one play.

[heavyhorse]

Very sharp eye, Kull.
Thanks!

[Blvd_Stang]

These reports are very encouraging. REALLY sucks that we lost a game we dominated so much. Now it comes down to mental toughness, can we bounce back?

[Ralph]

Clearly enjoyed this thread, thanks to the posters who were at the game. Now to continue and do it after each and every game.

[Mexmustang]

You guys are clearly head and shoulders above me and my observations, thanks...