Thursday (7/8/11) 7-on-7 notes

[PonyPride]

The Ponies gathered Thursday at Ford Stadium for an informal, voluntary seven-on-seven "game" against a group of players from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. Because they have been working with their new teammates for only a few days and are largely unfamiliar with the Ponies' offensive and defensive systems, none of the incoming freshmen (except QB Conner Preston, who enrolled in January) took part.

It's hard to glean too much from such workouts. Each team benefitted from facing players other than their own teammates who run plays other than what is in their own playbook, but as QB Kyle Padron said after the scrimmage, "everyone is an All-American in shorts." As was expected, the players did no hitting ... for the most part. Stats weren't kept, and there were no officials, so there wasn't much precision in the way the "game" was run; players called (and debated) fouls themselves, and often to spot the ball for a snap within five yards of where the previous play went out of bounds or ended (in lieu of tackles, the defensive players merely tagged each other "down").

There was no doubt that SMU was the more talented team, but both sides looked like they were running drills without the benefit of a single coached practice, as each team made mistakes and, at time, seemed to lack intensity or focus. For those keeping score, I had SMU scoring eight touchdowns to six for MSU. (Quick: what's the over-under on how many times I mis-type "SMU" and "MSU"?)

• QBs Padron and J.J. McDermott looked sharp, throwing five touchdown passes between them — three for Padron and two for McDermott.

• The first score was turned in by the SMU defense. SS Ryan Smith read the MSU quarterback who was locked in on a receiver on a deep crossing route and jumped in front of the target to make the interception. Smith returned the ball about 30 yards before flipping a lateral to FS Chris Banjo, who could have walked all the way to Mockingbird Lane untouched.

• On SMU's first offensive drive, Padron shredded the MSU defense, starting with a 25-yard pass down the right sideline to WR Keenan Holman and a seven-yard out route to WR Darius Johnson. The next play should have resulted in a touchdown, but Padron's pass to WR Ryan Walker was dropped in the end zone. Johnson almost got the score on the next play when he made a twisting grab of a pass that was high and slightly behind him, but he landed with his foot outside the back of the end zone. It didn't matter, though, as Padron and Johnson hooked up on the next play on a quick out pattern in the right side of the end zone.

• McDermott was equally effective on the next drive, quickly guiding the Ponies downfield. The key play was a pass of about 30 yards to WR Larry Centers, Jr., who leaped high to catch the pass between two defenders. Two plays later, McDermott found RB Bryce Lunday in the left side of the end zone for the Ponies' third score of the afternoon.

• After MSU scored twice to pull to within a single score, Padron went to work again. He picked up most of the yardage on a 30-yard strike over the middle when he somehow found Walker in between four defenders. Two plays later, he connected with WR Jeremy Johnson in the back of the end zone on a touchdown pass of about 10 yards.

• The star of the next drive, and perhaps the game, was WR Chayse Joubert. On the first play, Joubert took off as if he were going deep, only to stop about 10 yards downfield. The DB covering him ran another 10 yards downfield before realizing Joubert no longer was running with him. By the time he recovered and raced back and apply the play-ending tag (after which he lost his balance and sat down), Joubert already had caught a sideline pass from McDermott in front of the SMU "bench" where Joubert's teammates gave the burned DB considerable verbal grief. McDermott hooked up again on the next two plays, the last of which was an out-and-up move that was so convincing that the same DB bit again on McDermott's pump fake, fell to the ground for the second time in three plays, and only could watch as Joubert made the easy catch alone in the end zone.

What made the plays more impressive was the fact that Joubert is still working his way from knee surgery after he tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee last fall. Joubert has lived in the weight room, adding considerable muscle to his frame since last season, and has much of his straight-line speed back. But his ability to drop his defender to the ground twice on a single drive sent his teammates into a frenzy. "It felt great," Joubert said. "I'm just glad to be playing football again. I love football — it's a stress relief."

• Padron said Joubert's progress was encouraging. "Chayse has been working really hard and doing really well in rehab," Padron said. "He's getting speed back and he needs to get his confidence back, but when he does, he'll help us."

Padron also said that while MSU didn't have the depth Thursday that SMU had, the Mustangs were helped merely by going against new players. "It's good to see someone new," he said. "It helps for our defense to not have to cover the same guys running the same plays that they see every day. It helps for the offense to see different zones and different defensive packages. Just going against someone new keeps things fresh."

• Another encouraging sight: joining the Ponies on the sideline was NT Torlan Pittman. He has not yet been officially reinstated to the team, but word is he is expected to be reinstated after he goes through some more procedural measures (i.e. passing his physical, etc.)

[NickSMU17]

Huge for Pittman to be back....we needed the depth there...

[ALEX LIFESON]

So we beat MSU 56-42, hope our defenders were playing with blindfolds. Chayse is a good kid, glad to see him making progress. Thanks PP! Pony Up!

[Junior]

Good to see Centers back out after missing spring ball.

Nice to see Pittman mentioned as well.

[DallasDiehard]

Good to see Centers back out after missing spring ball.

Nice to see Pittman mentioned as well.

Agreed, on both counts.

[westexSMU]

Chase Joubert is a 4.4 guy right ? Anyway, if Chase is ready to play this year, both him and Thompson have exceptional speed and will be able to help us a lot on deep routes.

[JasonB]

I think the concern is that you don't have anyone filling that "burner" role on the outside. I think Holman plays the spot Wilkerson played in, and that is more of the taller outside receiver role. The other side is the speed guy - and that is the unknown. Beasley, JJ, DJ, and Haynes are on the inside (Haynes in the 3 WR HBack look). I think right now Thompson and Joubert are competing for the outside receiver speed spot.

Keep in mind that there were some comments by an incoming frosh I read somewhere about receivers being hit with academic problems, so there could be some players we don't see as much of in the fall as we might want to.

I think we are going to be deeper on the inside now, which will allow a little more of a rotation. But we are still pretty thin at the outside spots. I think you will see frosh come in and compete at that speed position.

[ALEX LIFESON]

In the spring, Wilkerson and Thompson were both playing the X receiver position. (far left wide receiver)

[SMUguy]

Wilkerson didn't take part in spring drills, did he?

JasonB: if Wilkerson is back in the fall, how do you see them lining up?

Beasley is a lock at one inside slot position, and Holman outside. I would guess Johnson and Wilkerson have the inside track on the other two spots, but we need to see if we have both of them first. Haynes, Thompson, Loftin, Joubert, Nelson, all of the freshmen ...

Should be interesting to see how this all shakes out.

[JasonB]

I am not sure where Wilkerson would go. In the past, he ran the right wide, more of the possession role. I don't know if he has the speed to provide a deep threat. I think DJ and Beasley are really the only two locks, and Holman and Wilkerson are two options on the outside. Loftin is inside. Thompson and Joubert are the speed guys in the group.

I don't have enough insight to know if JJ has always played speed on one side and possession on the other. If he does move Wilkerson over to the left, I think we would be kind of slow on the outsides overall. If we see that, I don't know if it is a matter of getting the best players on the field, or if it is more of a red flag of where Joubert and Thompson are.

[Mexmustang]

Midwestern State? Pride you can dress this puppy up all you want, but this is not encouraging. I understand Kyle looked very slow. We should have out run and out passed this team 3:1.

[goldenstang]

Midwestern State? Pride you can dress this puppy up all you want, but this is not encouraging. I understand Kyle looked very slow. We should have out run and out passed this team 3:1.

Well for one, this is 7 on 7 not real football. 7 on 7 does not use what our main advantage is over teams like this, SIZE and STRENGTH. 7 on 7 also doesn't factor in coaching which should be another huge advantage in our favor. The kids are out there calling plays themselves.

I know that Texas has scrimmages with Texas State pretty regularly and that matches are pretty close some of the time. Teams that win the 7 on 7 state championship rarely come close to winning the state title (except for last year when Lake Travis won and Celina in 2000). Celina won the state title in 2000 when all of the schools were classified together regardless of size. Does this mean they would of won the 4A or 5A state championship? Hell no it doesn't. 7 on 7 is not real football. This is hardly discouraging.

[One Trick Pony]

Midwestern State? Pride you can dress this puppy up all you want, but this is not encouraging. I understand Kyle looked very slow. We should have out run and out passed this team 3:1.

Hey. It's their super bowl

[Mexmustang]

Kyle's performance will make or break our season. A slow qb not only loses games, but his offensive line.

[ALEX LIFESON]

Are you two not reading my post?