SMU Media Luncheon summary.. per Hilarious.. erh Hairopoulus
Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 3:18 pmSMU luncheon highlights
Here’s some highlights from Tuesday’s media luncheon (great pork chops and mashed potatoes) with SMU coach Phil Bennett:
*Bennett is doing his darnedest to take the focus of Saturday’s Conference USA opener at Tulane away from the relationship between the two schools and the emotion of Tulane’s return to the Louisiana Superdome. He said he’s not going to talk to the team about it much. Instead, he’ll put the focus on SMU becoming a team that can win on the road.
“If you ever want to take your program to another level, you’ve got to be able to prove you can win on the road,†Bennett said.
SMU lost its opening two games at Texas Tech and North Texas.
*Bennett isn’t happy that SMU was scheduled to be the first team to play Tulane in the Superdome, nor with opening league play with two straight road games. SMU goes to UTEP next week.
*Tulane won at SMU last year, 31-10. Bennett said there were a lot of distractions last year because it was the week of Hurricane Rita, and several of the players’ families had fled the Houston area and were staying at players’ apartments.
*SMU has helped QB Justin Willis’ development by taking away some options to make things simpler. Willis didn’t stay in the pocket long enough in the first gamesof the season. Now Bennett doesn’t want him to stay too long and miss chances to gain yardage with his feet.
SMU used two rather creative plays in the win against Arkansas State, and both led to touchdowns. One was a “double-pass play.†Willis threw a lateral pass to receiver Zack Sledge, who found Bobby Chase downfield for a 75-yard touchdown play. The other was a “freeze, free play.†On the first drive of the game, from fourth-and-one, Willis drew Arkansas State offsides, but kept playing as the flag was thrown. He found Chase downfield for a 40-yard gain, setting up a touchdown on the next play. The linemen didn’t move on the play, only center Ben Poynter, Willis and Chase.
“We practice it, but it takes maturity to execute it,†Bennett said.
*Thomas Morstead’s 51-yard field goal at the end of the first half last Saturday could’ve been a 50-yarder. Bennett said Morstead set up eight-and-a-half yards behind the line of scrimmage instead of the standard seven because he wanted to break 50 yards. Bennett said he couldn’t be too upset since Morstead made it.
“I’m a results guy,†Bennett said.
Here’s some highlights from Tuesday’s media luncheon (great pork chops and mashed potatoes) with SMU coach Phil Bennett:
*Bennett is doing his darnedest to take the focus of Saturday’s Conference USA opener at Tulane away from the relationship between the two schools and the emotion of Tulane’s return to the Louisiana Superdome. He said he’s not going to talk to the team about it much. Instead, he’ll put the focus on SMU becoming a team that can win on the road.
“If you ever want to take your program to another level, you’ve got to be able to prove you can win on the road,†Bennett said.
SMU lost its opening two games at Texas Tech and North Texas.
*Bennett isn’t happy that SMU was scheduled to be the first team to play Tulane in the Superdome, nor with opening league play with two straight road games. SMU goes to UTEP next week.
*Tulane won at SMU last year, 31-10. Bennett said there were a lot of distractions last year because it was the week of Hurricane Rita, and several of the players’ families had fled the Houston area and were staying at players’ apartments.
*SMU has helped QB Justin Willis’ development by taking away some options to make things simpler. Willis didn’t stay in the pocket long enough in the first gamesof the season. Now Bennett doesn’t want him to stay too long and miss chances to gain yardage with his feet.
SMU used two rather creative plays in the win against Arkansas State, and both led to touchdowns. One was a “double-pass play.†Willis threw a lateral pass to receiver Zack Sledge, who found Bobby Chase downfield for a 75-yard touchdown play. The other was a “freeze, free play.†On the first drive of the game, from fourth-and-one, Willis drew Arkansas State offsides, but kept playing as the flag was thrown. He found Chase downfield for a 40-yard gain, setting up a touchdown on the next play. The linemen didn’t move on the play, only center Ben Poynter, Willis and Chase.
“We practice it, but it takes maturity to execute it,†Bennett said.
*Thomas Morstead’s 51-yard field goal at the end of the first half last Saturday could’ve been a 50-yarder. Bennett said Morstead set up eight-and-a-half yards behind the line of scrimmage instead of the standard seven because he wanted to break 50 yards. Bennett said he couldn’t be too upset since Morstead made it.
“I’m a results guy,†Bennett said.
