ESPN's CUSA Write Up

[ponydawg]

For the most part, same story different verse.......but here ya go:


http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/stor ... 1899&num=4

[giacfsp]

For those too lazy to hit the link:

2004 overall record: 3-8
Conference record: 3-5 (WAC)

Returning starters
Offense: 11, Defense: 9, Kicker/punter: 2

2004 statistical leaders (* returners)
Rushing: Jerad Romo* (434 yds)
Passing: Tony Eckert* (1,406 yds)
Receiving: Bobby Chase* (483 yds)
Tackles: Alvin Nnabuife* (80)
Sacks: Desmond Jones* and Justin Rogers* (2.5 each)
Interceptions: Rolando Humphrey* (2)

Spring answers: When you return 22 starters, not many answers come in terms of position battles. However, there were a few players who stood out this spring. At tight end, junior Ryan Kennedy emerged as a true weapon. In fact, the Mustangs are in a good position there. Redshirt freshman Vincent Chase was one of the most high-profile SMU recruits in years. Chase broke his foot while weightlifting in the offseason, but he will be back in the fall and will allow the team to run plenty of two-tight end sets. ... After recording only 10 sacks in '04, the D-line needed a spark, and it got just that in former linebacker Don Ieremia-Stansbury, who showed good strength and speed and earned a starting spot almost immediately. Another welcome addition is juco transfer Adrian Haywood, a big tackle with a 37-inch vertical leap. He's almost a shoo-in to start. ... While return coverage will be a point of emphasis in August, the Mustangs have no such worries with place-kicker Chris McMurtray and punter Ryan Mentzel.

Fall questions: It's a three-man race at quarterback -- at least that's what it says on the depth chart. Most believe lefty Eckert, who earned all three wins for the Mustangs last year, is more comfortable with the offense and has the edge at this point. His TD-INT ratio last season was just 6-13, though, and he is less mobile than both Romo and Chris Phillips, who began 2004 as the starter before tearing his rotator cuff. ... What about at halfback? Romo was the team's leading rusher last fall. The coaches feel the talent is there, but no one really separated himself from the pack this spring. Either Cedric Dorsey or Richuel Massey needs to take up that role at some point. ... The offensive burden shouldn't entirely be on them, though. This team desperately needs some big-play performers -- the kind defensive coordinators have to stay up late at night preparing for. ... As for the defense, will the Mustangs ever be able to stop the run? Last season, they gave up more than 200 yards a game on the ground, and now they've lost all-WAC defensive tackle Allan Adami.

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So now Eckert's a lefty, huh?

[SWC2010]

xo

[SWC2010]

Fall questions: It's a three-man race at quarterback -- at least that's what it says on the depth chart. Most believe lefty Eckert...

Crap, this article sounds exactly like the one written in the DMN a few weeks ago by Calvin Watkins. He, too, mentioned Eckert as a lefty.

[Corso]

Yeah, but Calvin knows the team. That was either a typo or a braincramp on his part. This seems more like it was written by someone who hasn't seen the Ponies.

[davidsmu94]

Maybe Eckert is a lefty, but hasn't figured it out yet.

[Higher Authority]

Is Haywood really "almost a shoo-in to start," as this report suggests? I don't doubt that he has ability, but isn't that a little premature, considering he's not even on campus yet? I would have to think Brandon Bonds gets one starting spot -- he looked terrific in the spring. If Desmond Jones makes it back, he and Kendall Mouton and Randy Denman and Lucky DeLay and Chase Smith all figure in there somehow, right? I hope this write-up is right, that Haywood comes in and is so good that you can't keep him off the field. But I just don't if that can be said yet.