Article: New Offensive Coordinator Burns

[Water Pony]

Great artilce on the Challenge for SMU, Offense, and on our new coordinator Burns, who inherits Division I-A's lowest-scoring team

12:48 AM CDT on Friday, August 27, 2004
By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News

UNIVERSITY PARK – Rusty Burns was hired by SMU to turn around the worst offense in the nation.

After getting released by Cincinnati after the 2003 season, Burns said he had three position-coaching opportunities from other schools. He decided to become the offensive coordinator at SMU instead.

Friends in the coaching community told him he was crazy.

The winless Mustangs averaged 11.2 points per game in 2003, last among 117 Division I-A programs. The offense, an I-back set, averaged 260.7 yards a game, the school's worst in 33 years. In pass efficiency, the Mustangs ranked No. 116.

So what was the selling point? SMU coach Phil Bennett said he would hand over complete control.

"At this stage of my life, I wanted a challenge," said Burns, 48. "Every coach wants to build something, and I see where we can do that here. It's a tough job sure, but what job isn't? When I came on campus, these kids didn't act like 0-12 kids. They had great attitudes ... everything was positive."

Under Burns, SMU will turn to the spread offense to reduce pressure on the quarterback and give wide receivers a chance to make plays in the open field. There will be no-huddle, three-, four- and five-receiver sets and passes to the running back and fullback. If a play breaks down, the quarterback is told to run.

Burns said he needs tall, fast receivers, a quarterback with a quick release and offensive linemen who can hold their blocks and get those big frames moving downfield in a hurry to make the scheme tick.

Those characteristics will take time. In the meantime, he is a calm, patient teacher in practice. He rarely yells. Players seem to like his personable approach.

Burns' main receivers – Devin Lowery, Matt Rushbrook and Blake Warren – are no taller than 5-11.

The starting quarterback, sophomore Chris Phillips, went 0-5 as a starter last season. Despite a strong arm, coaches say he has to work on his accuracy.

With no seniors among the starters, the offensive line is a work in progress. The best lineman, sophomore left tackle Darrin Johnson, has an ankle sprain.

Yet, this is the job Burns wanted.

"I didn't lie to Rusty, I told him this would be a challenge," Bennett said. "I think we've got some potential."

Burns admits he had some reservations.

Larry Edmondson, last year's offensive coordinator, was demoted to wide receivers coach. Burns wasn't sure if he could work with Edmondson, since he was taking Edmondson's job. Burns also was unfamiliar with Ronnie Vinklarek, the new offensive line coach. Burns also had hoped that Steve Shankweiler, his offensive line coach in Cincinnati, would join the staff, but he instead turned down SMU for South Carolina.

When Burns joined SMU, he shared an apartment with Vinklarek until, as Bennett said, "the wives moved down here."

Vinklarek and Burns bonded. Edmondson and Burns put egos aside and are close.

"It's a great offense," Edmondson said. "Rusty has done a great job in getting the kids to believe in the system and making things better."

Burns' offense has had success elsewhere. While coordinator at Wyoming from 1999-2001, Burns helped quarterback Casey Bramlet thrive. Bramlet threw for 3,096 yards in 2001, finishing the season ranked 14th in total offense.

Hired as the Cincinnati offensive coordinator before the 2002 season, Burns directed a unit that finished first in passing offense, pass efficiency and total offense in Conference USA. The Bearcats were co-champions with TCU and finished 7-7 overall.

Cincinnati didn't repeat that success last season, finishing 5-7 with an offense in the middle of the conference pack. Head coach Rick Minter was fired, and Burns was let go with the rest of the staff.

Bennett said Burns will benefit SMU the most in conference play.

The WAC is a pass-oriented conference. Three of its teams finished in the top 25 in total offense, and four finished in the top 20 in pass offense.

SMU hasn't had a quarterback throw for 3,000 yards in 23 years. In fact, a Mustangs quarterback hasn't thrown for more than 1,900 yards since 2000.

Phillips isn't sure if he'll throw for 1,900 yards, much less 3,000, but he said the new offense has everybody excited.

"I'm getting more relaxed and confident," Phillips said. "It's all becoming second nature to me now. We're going to gun it 75 percent of the time, and everybody is on board with that. You have a lot less thinking involved, and it keeps you on your toes because we're calling plays pretty quickly. We have to bounce back from last year. Anything is better than last year."

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[Water Pony]

Continued:

The WAC is a pass-oriented conference. Three of its teams finished in the top 25 in total offense, and four finished in the top 20 in pass offense.

SMU hasn't had a quarterback throw for 3,000 yards in 23 years. In fact, a Mustangs quarterback hasn't thrown for more than 1,900 yards since 2000.

Phillips isn't sure if he'll throw for 1,900 yards, much less 3,000, but he said the new offense has everybody excited.

"I'm getting more relaxed and confident," Phillips said. "It's all becoming second nature to me now. We're going to gun it 75 percent of the time, and everybody is on board with that. You have a lot less thinking involved, and it keeps you on your toes because we're calling plays pretty quickly. We have to bounce back from last year. Anything is better than last year."

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ROOM TO GROW

SMU ranked last in the WAC in total offense in 2003:
Team Nat. rank Yds/gm
Hawaii 6 488.1
Boise State 7 486.4
Louisiana Tech 25 431.1
Rice 40 397.0
Tulsa 51 387.8
Nevada 52 386.8
San Jose St. 53 386.6
UT-El Paso 74 367.0
Fresno St. 77 352.6
SMU 117 260.7

MUSTANGS' OFFENSE

Here's how SMU's offense has fared the last five years:
Year Total off. Ppg. W-L
1999* 298.1 19.3 4-6
2000 325.0 15.0 3-9
2001 313.5 20.5 4-7
2002 341.6 17.2 3-9
2003 260.7 11.2 0-12
*-One game was canceled