Injuries force secondary shuffle
Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 7:49 amThe season-ending injury to safety Randy McKinnon and the uncertain status of cornerback Sterling Moore have forced SMU secondary coach Derrick Odum to consider all options for his rotation of players in Saturday's game against Washington State.
Moore said Monday that he hopes to play, but doesn't know if he will be cleared by the team's medical staff. Head coach June Jones said Tuesday he hopes Moore is back on the practice field by Thursday.
"We'll shuffle things around a bit," Odum said when asked how he is approaching Saturday's tilt with the Cougars. "Sterling will be a game-time decision, I'm sure. That was a scary deal when he went down, but it sounds like it turned out to be a scare, more than anything. I think a lot of us were afraid it was going to be a lot more serious."
Moore said (viewtopic.php?f=1&t=47797) Monday that he wouldn't like it, but he would accept sitting out the Washington State game if it meant he'll be ready the following week when SMU hosts TCU. But Odum said that if Moore can play against WSU, he will.
"Every game is important," Odum said. "It's not like we get three wins if we can beat TCU and only one for beating someone else.
"We'll see how it shakes loose in practice this week."
If Moore can't play, Odum has four cornerbacks available as replacements: veterans Bennie Thomas and Chris Castro, and freshmen Kenneth Acker and Chris Parks.
"We've got guys who can play, and we're going to go out there and compete," Odum said. "Who starts (if Moore can't play), I don't know, but I've got confidence in all of those guys. I'd feel comfortable putting any of them out there."
Odum said the secondary will be challenged Saturday by Washington State, which features an array of big receivers.
"They have a lot of tall guys," Odum said. "(6-foot-4) Jared Karsetter is a big guy who can run a little bit and seems to have good hands, and he runs great routes. They also have a big freshman (6-3 Marquess Wilson, who leads WSU with seven receptions) who might be their most dangerous guy downfield."
The Cougars come to Ford Stadium after splitting their first two games. WSU lost its opener, 65-17, to Oklahoma State before rallying to knock off Montana State, 23-22, but Odum said the Cougars' offense presents more of a challenge than two games of statistics might suggest.
"The score might not show it, but I think things got away from them a little bit against Oklahoma State," Odum said. "When I look at them on film, I see them doing a lot of good things on offense — they look like they can be very formidable. They have the ability to be a pretty vertical (passing) team, and they like the quick, three-step (drop) game, too. They give us a lot to prepare for."
Moore said Monday that he hopes to play, but doesn't know if he will be cleared by the team's medical staff. Head coach June Jones said Tuesday he hopes Moore is back on the practice field by Thursday.
"We'll shuffle things around a bit," Odum said when asked how he is approaching Saturday's tilt with the Cougars. "Sterling will be a game-time decision, I'm sure. That was a scary deal when he went down, but it sounds like it turned out to be a scare, more than anything. I think a lot of us were afraid it was going to be a lot more serious."
Moore said (viewtopic.php?f=1&t=47797) Monday that he wouldn't like it, but he would accept sitting out the Washington State game if it meant he'll be ready the following week when SMU hosts TCU. But Odum said that if Moore can play against WSU, he will.
"Every game is important," Odum said. "It's not like we get three wins if we can beat TCU and only one for beating someone else.
"We'll see how it shakes loose in practice this week."
If Moore can't play, Odum has four cornerbacks available as replacements: veterans Bennie Thomas and Chris Castro, and freshmen Kenneth Acker and Chris Parks.
"We've got guys who can play, and we're going to go out there and compete," Odum said. "Who starts (if Moore can't play), I don't know, but I've got confidence in all of those guys. I'd feel comfortable putting any of them out there."
Odum said the secondary will be challenged Saturday by Washington State, which features an array of big receivers.
"They have a lot of tall guys," Odum said. "(6-foot-4) Jared Karsetter is a big guy who can run a little bit and seems to have good hands, and he runs great routes. They also have a big freshman (6-3 Marquess Wilson, who leads WSU with seven receptions) who might be their most dangerous guy downfield."
The Cougars come to Ford Stadium after splitting their first two games. WSU lost its opener, 65-17, to Oklahoma State before rallying to knock off Montana State, 23-22, but Odum said the Cougars' offense presents more of a challenge than two games of statistics might suggest.
"The score might not show it, but I think things got away from them a little bit against Oklahoma State," Odum said. "When I look at them on film, I see them doing a lot of good things on offense — they look like they can be very formidable. They have the ability to be a pretty vertical (passing) team, and they like the quick, three-step (drop) game, too. They give us a lot to prepare for."