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Granted this is only after a combined 3 games so this mainly focuses on the A and E ratings, the top 20% and bottom 20%.

SMU got As in, surprise, punting at #1 in yards and net yards. Morestead is #1. Rush Defense, #14, I know, everyone was passing, but SMU is #26 in yards allowed rushing per play as well. This is helped by losses on sacks as well. Tied for #18 in interceptions gained. Willis is #17 in total offense. McCray is tied of #10 in sacks.

Ark St. is #27 in pass offense, actually a B+ but they were playing Texas. #25 in TO margin. 2 players tied for 3rd with 1 int per game. Dolah T-10 in sacks. Tyrell Johnson T-7 with 14 tackles.

Bottom 20%

SMU is #106 in Pass Eff D, #116 in TTL D, and #106 in scoring D, #119 (last) in Passing D. T-98 in Tackles for Loss.

ArkSt is #109 in scoring, 115 in net punting, T-113 in punt returns, 104 in tackles for loss, and 109 in sacks allowed.

Things to note--

Our DL is developing IMHO. Will this mean we can make them one dimensional? And pressure the QB and make sacks and force ints?

TOs will be key and a defensive battle will work to our advantage.

Or will another good passing offense give us fits?

That is where I think the game will hinge. DL pressure or not and the TO battle.

Good break down but as you noted, very small sample to work with.

Texas had two punts by McCoy while lined up under center so there was no one back to return them.

Sample was large enough to show that our punting is uh shall we say inconsistent. Shrable is one of those guys who can boom a 60 yarder and end then night averaging 35 yards.

Despite playing Texas, the scoring stats are a huge concern for ASU. ASU was 2 of 6 in the red zone against the Horns. Had two missed field goals after drives entered the red zone (one was a long one due to penalties pushing us back out) and made one long field goal without entering the red zone.

you can't possibly make any judgment on SMU's rushing defense especially since NTSU played a true freshman due to Jemario Thomas injury and we played two Flying Circuses. Might as well flush that idea down the toilet. SMU will have problems defending the rush against a competent rushing team-no doubt in my mind.

How much different is the Ark St. team this year as compared to the one last year that we beat so handily?

Our offense should be better and defense worse than the team last year, but not sure about how much Ark St. changed.

Stallion wrote: SMU will have problems defending the rush against a competent rushing team-no doubt in my mind.

well atleast the game will be shorter with the clock running... and we can't stop the pass, so we might as well try against the run

[quote="Stallion"]you can't possibly make any judgment on SMU's rushing defense especially since NTSU played a true freshman due to Jemario Thomas injury and we played two Flying Circuses. Might as well flush that idea down the toilet. SMU will have problems defending the rush against a competent rushing team-no doubt in my mind.[/quote]

I disagree. I see us defending the run well even against better run teams. Oh well, one of us will be right.

bagice wrote:How much different is the Ark St. team this year as compared to the one last year that we beat so handily?

Our offense should be better and defense worse than the team last year, but not sure about how much Ark St. changed.

How are we different? Our passing game seems to have taken shape, we have a lot of depth and experience in the backfield, defense has 5 5th year seniors in the secondary, and we are at home.

Remember that we handily beat North Texas last year in JBORO, who beat you.

You guys did not play the Indians that night. You played some team pretending to be ASU, but by no stretch ever is SMU 50 points better than us.

Just look at our back to back games against Army (end of 05, first of 06). They destroyed us at West Point, and we slapped them around in Jonesboro, even if the score only showed that we won by a little bit.

ASU always has one road egg, and plays really tough at home.