BRYCE TENNISON: Letting it all soak in

[PonyPride]

Letting it all soak in
Bryce Tennison enjoying every minute of historic bowl bid ... and Hawaii weather

When the plane carrying the SMU football party for Thursday’s Sheraton Hawaii Bowl touched down Saturday in Honolulu, players and coaches and other SMU staff filed off the plane and bowed their heads at the bottom of the staircase to have Hawaiian leis placed around their necks. Some took pictures or videos as they got off the plane, while others convened with teammates and friends on the runway as their goal of making it to Hawaii became reality.

When sophomore right guard Bryce Tennison stepped through the plane’s door at the top of the staircase, he paused. He stretched his arms out wide, looked around to soak in his surroundings, and took a deep breath.

“First of all, part of that was being excited that the 10-hour flight was over,” he said, “and the other half was finally being here, and getting to a bowl, and being with everyone — it’s setting in.”

For Tennison and the Mustangs, this week has been a major variation from what has been considered normal around the Hilltop. For the first time in 25 years, the Ponies are preparing for a game in December, a result that is due in part to the fact that they are enjoying practice more than in years past. For Tennison, practicing this late in the year seems to be enjoyable, and Hawaii’s un-Dallas-like tropical climate only adds to his increased energy.

“It helps with the little nicks and bruises, I think,” Tennison said. “You know, I pulled my lower abdomen — being out in the heat feels good. There’s no routine change or anything, but the feel is great — everyone’s motivated.”

That motivation will be put to use against the Nevada Wolf Pack in Thursday’s game. Nevada’s offense, which had three players rush for 1,000 or more yards this season, has garnered the bulk of the attention. But Tennison said the Wolf Pack defense, which features the 2009 Defensive Player of the Year in junior defensive end Dontay Moch (6-1, 245), presents the SMU offense with significant challenges.

“They’re a very respectable group,” Tennison said. “They’re athletic guys, but nothing crazy — nothing we haven’t seen. Hopefully we should be able to put some points up.”

SMU head coach June Jones said Nevada’s defensive line could be as good as TCU’s, and that Moch has talent similar to TCU All-America Jerry Hughes.

“I don’t know if he’s as good as Jerry Hughes — that’s a bold statement — but he could be, and we respect him as if he’s that type of player,” Tennison said. “They’re just disciplined, well-coached and hard-working guys — no specimens like ECU, none of (those) 6-6, 360-pound guys.

“They’re pretty straight-forward. (Moch) actually flips to both sides — that’s one way they try to create matchups for him, so Beach (SMU left tackle Kelvin Beachum, Jr.) will get him a little, too. They have a look where they have three-down (three down linemen) and they bring a linebacker down to create a skewed four-down look, but other than that, they’re a pretty basic 4-3. They’re a good defense, but if we play like we know we can, we should be able to have some success.”

[indianmustang]

thanks nice read

[that's great raplh]

go ponies

[ParkyPony]

Thanks PonyPride for the nice read. I know every man there has got to be feeling like "wow...we are the first to do this in 25 years." It's got to be extra special for this group.

PP

[MrMustang1965]

A+

[mr. pony]

Thanks, Pride.