Ashcraft begins process of adjusting to SMU offense

[PonyPride]

Thomas Ashcraft, the former University of Texas offensive lineman who transferred to SMU over the summer, survived his first preseason practice as a member of the Mustangs and said it was about what he expected.

"It went pretty well," he said. "We worked on pretty basic plays, from the core of the playbook. I had to think through some things, and will for a little while, but I have a basic idea of what we're doing."

The "basic idea" comes from rigorous work he put in since arriving in June. He spent the summer working out in the weight room and with teammates in the Mustangs' optional seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 drills, and got a crash course in the Ponies' offense and blocking schemes from Ben Gottschalk, who is being moved inside to left guard so Ashcraft can step in at left tackle.

"I learned a lot from Ben," Ashcraft said. "We're not allowed to work with the coaches over the summer, so Ben sort of became my coach. I went in to the coaches' offices every week with Ben, or sometimes with (center) Taylor Lasecki, because I wanted to study with someone who knew the playbook really well. They were both starters last year — they know what they're doing. They showed me plays and talked me through things and they explained everything in terms we use here.

"That's probably going to be the biggest thing for me — the language. The technique is a little different and the footwork is a little different, but those will come with repetitions. The terminology ... I still think of some things in the language we used at Texas. I have to get to the point where I think in the terms we use here, so that when someone makes a (protection) call, I don't have to think it through and translate it from the language we use here back to what we said at Texas. I have to be able to think in this offense."

While working to learn the offense and digest the Ponies' playbook, Ashcraft also went to work on getting in shape, dropping nearly 30 pounds since his arrival in June.

"When I got here, I was about 330," he said. "This morning, I weighed in at 303. I tried to drop weight, so I did a lot more conditioning and changed my diet. The biggest thing was just less sugar — switching from Gatorade to Gatorade Zero, things like that — and eating smaller portions. I'm pretty much in the shape I want to be in (for the season). Now it's just a matter of getting comfortable in the system."

As new as he is to the SMU offense — unlike former Texas teammate Traylon Shead, who enrolled in January, Ashcraft didn't have the luxury of learning during the Mustangs' spring workouts — Ashcraft said preparation for the 2013 season at SMU is nothing like his introduction to college football four years ago in Austin.

"I'm a big step ahead of where I was then," he said. "I came in here knowing the fundamentals, understanding college football, knowing how to read college defenses. I'm still working on the system, but I already know the basic concepts and I have college experience to fall back on, which will make my transition here that much faster."

One of the most notable differences between the blocking schemes at Texas and SMU, Ashcraft said, is that the quick passing plays in the Mustangs' playbook dictate that the quarterback must get rid of the ball more quickly, thereby requiring the offensive line to seal off would-be pass rushers more quickly.

"At Texas, we (the offensive tackles) dropped off more, pushing the defensive end outside to use his speed against him," Ashcraft said. "Here, we don't have the time to do that. We have so many quick pass plays that we have to hit (defenders) as much as they hit us. It's like we're attacking them, instead of the other way around."

Ashcraft's transition into the SMU offense will begin against a team with which he is personally familiar, as his former Texas team faces Texas Tech every season as conference rivals. Ashcraft said no SMU teammates have asked him about the Tech defense yet, but he said it wouldn't surprise him if that happens in the weeks to come.

"Not yet," Ashcraft said when asked if he had discussed the Red Raiders with any of his new teammates. "It wouldn't surprise me if that comes, maybe toward the end of camp. We'll get to that when we need to. Right now, I'm still trying to learn what we're doing here."

One difference between SMU practices and those he went through in Austin is the more relaxed teaching style of the Mustang coaches, who run practices without the use of a whistle.

"That was kind of odd," Ashcraft said, laughing. "It caught me off guard, but I think it's actually a really good teaching technique, because when you don't hear a whistle, you don't stop blocking until the play is completely done. When you're used to the whistles, you kind of listen for it and then stop when you hear it, but the way the coaches do it here, you learn to finish every block."

[SMU 86]

Tech defense will be different this year with the new coaches and players.

[SMUguy]

That's true, to a degree, although he has to know the personnel.
It will be interesting to see HOW different their scheme is.

[SMU 86]

That's true, to a degree, although he has to know the personnel.
It will be interesting to see HOW different their scheme is.

He might know some of their personnel because they lost so many players.

[JoeKidd]

It will still take a game or two for our O-Line to gel, but I see them being much better than last year collectively.