Preseason Lookaheads - Conference USA

[ponydawg]

Man, might be a bit early but I didn't see if anyone had posted this....
Here is the link so you can see all of CUSA rankings for next year
http://cfn.scout.com/2/610720.html

but here is what they say about the ponies along with their preseason national ranking....(nothing very earth shattering)

79. SMU 2006 Record: 6-6
Why to get excited: Justin Willis. One of the league's premier players as a redshirt freshman, Willis is the type of quarterback who'll be good enough to win games by himself. Along with backs DeMyron Martin and Cedric Dorsey, the backfield should be the best in the league. Six starters return to the defensive back seven. Junior-to-be Thomas Morstead is a great all-around kicker and one of Conference USA's best punters.
Why to be grouchy: Three starters are gone off the league's number one run defense. As good as Willis was, he got a lot of help from a receiving corps that loses four of the top six receivers including key safety valve TE Ryan Kennedy (although top target Emmanuel Sanders and promising Columbus Givens are back). The secondary might be experienced, but it has to be far, far better.
The number one thing to work on is: Pass protection. Willis held on to the ball too long at times and didn't force bad throws, but the offensive line had issues protecting him giving up way too many big shots. The franchise needs a little more time to operate and he can't get knocked out. Give him a few extra ticks and he'll pick most secondaries apart.
Biggest offensive loss: TE Ryan Kennedy
Biggest defensive loss: DE Justin Rogers

[PonyPride]

Oh, to be astute enough to spell CEDRICK....

"Three starters are gone off the league's number one run defense...."

Don't Sturdivant, Bonds, Haywood and Rogers add up to FOUR starters?

[ponyfan84]

How is Kennedy our biggest loss on offense? He was hardly used! I like what they said though. If we can fix both lines, this will be a solid, solid team next year.

[MustangStealth]

How is Kennedy our biggest loss on offense? He was hardly used! I like what they said though. If we can fix both lines, this will be a solid, solid team next year.

I think you meant all 3 lines.

(the O-line, the D-line, and the side-line)

[mrydel]

And of course the famous "I have forgotten more football than you will ever know" line.

[The PonyGrad]

Oh, to be astute enough to spell CEDRICK....

"Three starters are gone off the league's number one run defense...."

Don't Sturdivant, Bonds, Haywood and Rogers add up to FOUR starters?

You are right but that seemed to be their shorthand for DL. They mention Sturdivant separately as part of the secondary.

[The PonyGrad]

How is Kennedy our biggest loss on offense? He was hardly used! I like what they said though. If we can fix both lines, this will be a solid, solid team next year.

Especially early he scored a number of TDs. Perhaps they writer just looked at the scoring.

[mrydel]

Oh, to be astute enough to spell CEDRICK....

"Three starters are gone off the league's number one run defense...."

Don't Sturdivant, Bonds, Haywood and Rogers add up to FOUR starters?

You are right but that seemed to be their shorthand for DL. They mention Sturdivant separately as part of the secondary.

Correct. They did not realize our safety was our leading run tackler.

[MustangIcon]

How is Kennedy our biggest loss on offense? He was hardly used! I like what they said though. If we can fix both lines, this will be a solid, solid team next year.

I would agree with them that Kennedy was our biggest loss even though he was sorely underutilized as you pointed out. I don't think there will be any dropoff in production at WR. Sanders and Givens are playmakers and Burley shouldn't have too much trouble replacing the production of Pellerin who never quite turned out to be what we had all hoped.

That last statement cracks me up. Isn't that a pretty large and difficult if? This reminds me of the washed up highschool hoopsters in Moody pickup games going on about if they were only half a foot taller and a few steps quicker they'd be playing college ball.

[Junior]

And if Coach had just put me in in the fourth quarter, we'd woulda won State....

[ALEX LIFESON]

hmm, I put this up a week ago.

[The PonyGrad]

And your point?

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Don't underestimate Willis. He's good for 5 wins on his own.

I don't see how we don't go at least 8-4 in 2007. I really don't...

[Eddie P]

W O W

[SMU_is_bowling]

So it begins, prognostication is a dangerous undertaking! Especailly on this board!