Thoughts on the loss to TCU

[Fresh]

Thank goodness Dunbar is graduating (or should we say "using up his eligibility"). Either way, that kid is amazing against us. If he performed against everyone else the way he performs against SMU, he'd be an All-America.

Once again, the offensive line did a commendable job opening lanes for Kincade. Bob Stanley might be our most valuable assistant coach so far.

I saw the story in the Morning News - I'm glad Coach Bennett is angry.

Despite Dunbar, the days of SMU being dominated by TCU is over. Two years ago, we lost by 55 points. Last year we lost by 28. This year we lost by 11. That means next year we re-take the series lead with a win over the Frogs. Write it down, you saw it here first.

If only we could get another year for Lute Croy. He and Allen Adami have been nothing short of sensational this year.

Amon Carter remains the ugliest college stadium I've ever seen outside of Baylor High.

I wasn't real comfortable with the Ponies packing it in at the end of the first half. I know we have a young QB who's still learning. But with a scoreless tie, I would have rather they threw it downfield a couple of times. A couple of pass interference flags would have put us in field goal range, and as good as the guys must have felt being tied at halftime, think how their confidence would have shot up if we'd been ahead, even by 3 points.

The offensive improvement from Week 1 to Week 2 was dramatic, and the defensive improvement - not that it was bad before - was impressive between Week 2 and Week 3. I continue to believe that Coach Bennett has the staff and the knowledge to break down his team's performance and improve things dramatically, even if it's one area at a time. We'll crack the win column soon, and we just might put together a string of wins in the later part of the year.

Tate Wallis is learning on the job. He'll be fine.

[Hoofprint]

Third straight game over 100 yards for Kincade. He's becoming a serious threat, regardless of what defense we're facing.

BEAT OSU!

[RedRiverPony]

It's hard to get an accurate read from up here, but everything I read on this site is that Keylon Kincade is a terrific runner. Who's the last SMU running back that was clearly better? Donte Womack? Reggie Dupard? Eric Dickerson?

I'm heading to Oklahoma next weekend, so I'll get a first-hand look. Can't wait to see the Ponies play in person.

[JustAFriend]

"Tate Wallis is learning on the job. He'll be fine."

You must be joking. And of course Kincade is over 100 again, he gets like 40 carries a game. Wallis is not improving. 9-21? 101 yards? Again an INT. Where is the improvement? Seriously. You are wasting a pocket passer on the sidelines, and its obvious you need a passing game. Wake up folks, please. Bennett needs to grow some juevos and make a decision that will benefit the team. Good Luck at OSU.

[MesquiteStang]

I think Tate is learning things every week and right now i honestly don't think Bartel is ready to play. My reason for that is that he is still learning the plays and doesn't quite exactly know who to look for first. he is improving too but i think the summer ball is what hurt him right now. Maybe if he was here all summer to learn things and workout with the other QB's we may have a different thing to talk about. But for now Tate will get better!

[JustAFriend]

Might I ask, how would you know? I know all the plays SMU runs. Hand off left, right, pitch left, pitch right, and the quick slant, with an occassional fade. Pretty complex playbook. Bennett wont play Bartel because he is scared to have been wrong about Tate. You wont win a game at this rate. Bartel is ready, and whats more is that he knows how to win and wont give up like Tate with that stupid fake limp he has at the end of every game.

[Rehydralyte]

hey mesquitestang,
are you kidding me? how would you have any clue to whether or not Bartel is ready to play? Are you a coach? do you play for SMU? I know you havent gained your extensive knowledge about Bartel from the games because he still hasnt got to play. Mabey you like to spend your afternoons spying on practice. even if you do your reply is far from accurate. Bartel knows all the plays, and all the checks, plus he has a cannon for an arm. i dont see how the position can be so set, when we have two redshirt freshman QB's. Tate isnt exactly having the best year so why not give Bartel his shot?

[JustAFriend]

Thank God, there is another sane person on this board. Well said. This Mesquite guy has no clue, he's probably Tate's personal water boy.

[Horseshoe]

"Bennett wont play Bartel because he is scared to have been wrong about Tate."

That's as ridiculous as anything I've ever read on this board. Coach Bennett doesn't want to go to the Cavan Yo-Yo QB system, but if he thought we'd win, he'd put Sterling Harris at QB and Ryan Mentzel at noseguard. He doesn't care about making mistakes - he's said many times that he's made mistakes before, and that he'll make them again. WE ALL DO. In fact, he always points to himself before he'll blast a player - something many coaches won't do. The guy wants desperately to win games.

To suggest he's sticking with Wallis because he's afraid to be questioned or admit a mistake is insane. Wallis and Bartel each have their strengths and weaknesses, and the coaches unanimously feel Wallis gives the Ponies the best chance.

[BennettBacker]

There's not a lot in this world that scares Coach Bennett, especially something like choosing one player over another. Horseshoe is right, Coach Bennett is passionate about winning, and I can promise you the team's start is tearing him up inside. I know the man personally, and he'll play anyone at any position to get a win.

Stay strong in your support. Coach Bennett will get the job done up there.

[GallopingGuy]

Actually, I think Tate Wallis is the only redshirt freshman QB; Bartel, if I remember right, is actually a true freshman. Which may be part of the reason Bennett's keeping him out as much as possible... redshirt him this year for four years of eligibility on down the line.

As for why Bartel hasn't played yet... I'm rather curious as to which game you wanted to see him in.

Navy? Well, yes, certainly the score got enough out of hand to justify bringing in the backup QB to take some snaps. But it was Bennett's first game here, and his first as a head coach in general, and he wanted SMU to score as many points as it could all game long, to try and minimize the loss as much as possible. That means keeping your starter in.

Tech? TCU? We were in both of those games until, like, the last few minutes. And you don't put in your backup QB when you're trying to come back and win a game.

I think Bennett wants to avoid the musical QB game as well. UT played it last year with Simms and Applewhite, and it hurt them. (Shoulda stuck with Major, of course.) And SMU has played it for years under Cavan, with McCown, Luker, Page... no wonder we had so many leave during Mike's tenure here. They were always looking over their shoulder, wondering if they'd get pulled.

I'm certainly not saying that Bartel shouldn't get a shot. After all, if anything happens to Tate, we don't want a green backup coming in with zero playing experience. But hopefully, if we keep playing as tough as we have been, we can blow out one or two of the weaker WAC teams, and he can get some time then.

And remember, Tate's still a freshman. It's his first year playing on the collegiate field. Cut him some slack until he proves, unequivocally, that he deserves otherwise.

--GG

[ClassOf81]

Actually, Wallis and Bartel are both redshirt freshmen.

And who knows, if Mark Hodges and especially Ricky Joe Meeks are as good as advertised, this whole discussion might be a moot point.

[JustAFriend]

Tate has proven three times that he is not capable of winning the game. He has been in a good position to do so twice, and he has thrown interceptions. Goes back to that great decision making. I seriously cant believe you all think Tate has gotten the job done. I understand being supportive but I'm a bigger fan of being realistic. He simply does not have what it takes. Sorry to burst your bubbles. And yes Bartel is a redshirt freshman, he was playing qb last year while tate was a TE. Cavan was right about one thing: Tate is not a college QB.

[MesquiteStang]

And what makes Bartel a "college" QB. Granted he should have gotten some snaps against Navy but like it has been mentioned on the board the last two games we have actually had a chance to win. So you are gonna blame Tate for a bad call inside the one where we did score against tech and then blame him for two blown coverages. Look actually i know because i am part of the football team. I am with them every practice and i am actually good friends with both QB's. You right Bartel wants to play i agree and he should get some snaps but we aren't the ones making the call. So for now we have to deal with it!

[JustAFriend]

Was the bad call the QB sneak that TATE asked for? Yeah good one. By the way what position do you play? Or not play for that matter. I think I might have been right about you being the water boy. As for what makes Bartel a college qb, probably the fact that several schools recruited him as such. How'd that go for Tate by the way? Oh just curious, oh yeah he wasnt recruited. Get back to the water cooler or something. Mesquite? Is this Hodges? You tryin to up your chances?