PonyFans.com

For those that get to see practices and offseason workouts, who are the most promising of the 2005 redshirts? Who should I look forward to seeing during spring practices and next fall?

Thanks in advance for the info.

I hear that Emmanual Sanders is a playmaker. I am definitely excited about seeing him hit the field for the ponies.

Patrick Handy is a big boy who could turn out to be a pretty good player, although I have not heard much about his progress. I know when we got him he was a State Top 100 guy.

I saw both these guys in some highschool allstar game (I believe we had a 3rd player in the same game but can't recall who- Mapps maybe?) played on FSW before they came to SMU and both made some plays. Does anyone have any better info on these 2 guys or any other guys to keep an eye on for next season?

Handy played last year, and both players and coaches have said they think he has a very bright future. Sanders and Mapps, as you said, have drawn rave reviews, as well -- Coach Bennett credited them as a key to SMU's ability to stop the Rice option this year, as they represented the Rice QB (Mapps) and RB (Sanders) on the scout team. Chase Smith is outrageously strong and could fit into the DT rotation next year. (Columbus Givens, of course, played last year, and his athleticism and speed still have many excited, despite a somewhat rough first year at WR after playing QB in HS.) Bryce Hudman is a tall, athletic S prospect who can really run and supposedly is a very hard hitter. Depending on who you listen to, some of the five OLs who redshirted last year (Nigh, Hickman, Enright, Lankford and Allison) showed promise -- different observers liked different members of that group. Of course, I'd like to tell you they're all going to be stars, and I'm sure someone not mentioned here will be good, while someone mentioned here might not become what we hope. But those are the names I've heard the most about from people who were at practice every day.

I would've liked someone to say Justin Willis....I'm afraid the qb position will hold us back next year

Justin Willis, QB

Justin Willis!

Denny Crane

raplh

mavsrage311 wrote:I would've liked someone to say Justin Willis....I'm afraid the qb position will hold us back next year

Actually, I meant to mention Willis. The way he was described to me, he learned the offense extremely quickly for a freshman, therefore making fewer mistakes in practice than freshmen often do at such a key position. Teammates complimented his deep passes, and said he runs pretty well. Several of his teammates have used the term "real deal" to describe Willis.
Don't know anything specific beyond that.
Yet.

An encouraging story I heard about Willis before he got to SMU...

Last year after committing HE asked to get the playbook from the coaching staff right away so he could start learning the offense and be as far ahead as possible when he started practices. I am impressed by a kid who initiates starting the learning process while in highschool before the coaches even have a chance to suggest it. That sure shows me he wants to be a player and he is determined to get there.

Willis won't have to be amazing for us next year. He just needs to keep the number of mistakes down and be a solid, reliable QB. With all the starters we have returning he will have a very good situation to come in and accomplish that.

Definitely Justin Willis for QB.

Saw Justin Willis at the Senior Awards banquet tonight. He looks a little taller and he looks much stronger.

I'll bite, OC, who is Denny Crane? Not a name I see on the roster available on SMUMUSTANGS.

Justin also transfered the whole playbook onto a disc. I thought Justin was about 6 foot at the most, what do ya think Higher Authority

Last year's PonyFans.com Recruiting Roundup had him listed at 6'1" and 195. Maybe he's a little taller, maybe not -- I've seen him only at practices and on the sideline during games prior to last night. But he definitely has added some muscle/weight. He looks a lot stronger than he did early in the season.

Others who looked like they've permanently moved in with Coech Faucette:

Brad Lankford
Johnnie Fitzgerald
Andrew McKinney (he looked like he's almost as big as Vincent Chase)
Kyle Griffin
Chase Smith (absolutely huge)
Jonathan Lindley
David Haynes

There were a lot of really impressive-looking guys, but some of them I didn't recognize without their jerseys, of course.