ESPN article (Jones sends shockwaves through SMUs depth)
Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 1:04 pmDont know if its been posted yet:
Posted by ESPN.com's Graham Watson
When June Jones was hired at SMU, many thought he'd come into Dallas and shake things up -- a change in the offense, some personnel changes, maybe a dismissal here and there.
But the news out of Mustangs camp Monday was a shake-up of seismic proportion.
Jones announced that two true freshman quarterbacks -- Bo Levi Mitchell and Braden Smith -- would seize the top spots on the depth chart and that junior Justin Willis, the team's previous starter, would be demoted to third string.
"After going through all of the tapes, I felt like Bo and Braden had a better understanding of the offense," Jones said. "I think they're executing a little bit better, so we're going to give them the reps. We will continue to give the other guys reps, too, but those guys will get the focus."
Let's call this what it is -- a free invitation for Willis to transfer and have two years of eligibility at a I-AA school or a year at a I-A school of his choosing. Any time two true freshmen move ahead of a upperclassmen on the depth chart that means a team is building for the future and trying to do away with its past.
You know, I don't blame Jones for making this move. The team was 7-15 with Willis at starter. Not saying it was all his fault because it wasn't, SMU's defense was atrocious last season. But if SMU is going to have a renaissance, it's going to do it Jones' way.
Jones was brought in because of his run-and-shoot system that has been proven effective. He's not going to adjust the system to fit the quarterback, he's going to find quarterbacks to fit his system.
Willis threw 25 touchdowns last season, but he also threw 18 interceptions. He completed 58.5 percent of his passes. And in a run-and-shoot offense that thrives on accuracy and consistency, Willis doesn't fit the mold.
When Colt Brennan was a sophomore, he completed 68 percent of his passes, threw 35 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. After his sophomore season, Brennan's completion percentage never slipped below 70.
I'm not comparing Brennan and Willis as much as I'm pointing out the type of quarterback with which Jones is used to working.
"Justin is struggling right now, for whatever reason, the last couple of weeks," Jones said. "But he has a lot of positive qualities and he'll draw upon all of those when he gets his chance to play."
Mitchell and Smith bring the level of poise, accuracy and consistency that fits Jones' liking. In Mitchell's senior season he led Katy High School (Katy, Texas) to a Class 5A Division II state title after throwing for 2,451 yards, 37 touchdowns, and just four interceptions. Smith threw for 2,880 yards, 26 touchdowns, and three interceptions while completing 62.4 percent of his passes at Rockwall High School (Rockwall, Texas).
"Every player has a confidence in his own ability," said Smith, whose father coaches at Rockwall. "I just went at it with the mentality of 'I'm going to end up with the starting spot.'"
Who actually starts the season opener against Rice on Aug. 29 has not yet been determined, though Mitchell is currently No. 1. Regardless, Jones has made it clear that this is a new SMU team and a new SMU program.
The old way of doing things at SMU is out the window.
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/others/0-0-2 ... depth.html
Posted by ESPN.com's Graham Watson
When June Jones was hired at SMU, many thought he'd come into Dallas and shake things up -- a change in the offense, some personnel changes, maybe a dismissal here and there.
But the news out of Mustangs camp Monday was a shake-up of seismic proportion.
Jones announced that two true freshman quarterbacks -- Bo Levi Mitchell and Braden Smith -- would seize the top spots on the depth chart and that junior Justin Willis, the team's previous starter, would be demoted to third string.
"After going through all of the tapes, I felt like Bo and Braden had a better understanding of the offense," Jones said. "I think they're executing a little bit better, so we're going to give them the reps. We will continue to give the other guys reps, too, but those guys will get the focus."
Let's call this what it is -- a free invitation for Willis to transfer and have two years of eligibility at a I-AA school or a year at a I-A school of his choosing. Any time two true freshmen move ahead of a upperclassmen on the depth chart that means a team is building for the future and trying to do away with its past.
You know, I don't blame Jones for making this move. The team was 7-15 with Willis at starter. Not saying it was all his fault because it wasn't, SMU's defense was atrocious last season. But if SMU is going to have a renaissance, it's going to do it Jones' way.
Jones was brought in because of his run-and-shoot system that has been proven effective. He's not going to adjust the system to fit the quarterback, he's going to find quarterbacks to fit his system.
Willis threw 25 touchdowns last season, but he also threw 18 interceptions. He completed 58.5 percent of his passes. And in a run-and-shoot offense that thrives on accuracy and consistency, Willis doesn't fit the mold.
When Colt Brennan was a sophomore, he completed 68 percent of his passes, threw 35 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. After his sophomore season, Brennan's completion percentage never slipped below 70.
I'm not comparing Brennan and Willis as much as I'm pointing out the type of quarterback with which Jones is used to working.
"Justin is struggling right now, for whatever reason, the last couple of weeks," Jones said. "But he has a lot of positive qualities and he'll draw upon all of those when he gets his chance to play."
Mitchell and Smith bring the level of poise, accuracy and consistency that fits Jones' liking. In Mitchell's senior season he led Katy High School (Katy, Texas) to a Class 5A Division II state title after throwing for 2,451 yards, 37 touchdowns, and just four interceptions. Smith threw for 2,880 yards, 26 touchdowns, and three interceptions while completing 62.4 percent of his passes at Rockwall High School (Rockwall, Texas).
"Every player has a confidence in his own ability," said Smith, whose father coaches at Rockwall. "I just went at it with the mentality of 'I'm going to end up with the starting spot.'"
Who actually starts the season opener against Rice on Aug. 29 has not yet been determined, though Mitchell is currently No. 1. Regardless, Jones has made it clear that this is a new SMU team and a new SMU program.
The old way of doing things at SMU is out the window.
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/others/0-0-2 ... depth.html