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In his National Signing Day press conference, new SMU head coach Chad Morris said one of his staff's priorities was adding size at the wide receiver position. Not coincidentally, the SMU football roster once again includes Arrius Holleman, the 2011 signee who played sparingly in three seasons but was not on the roster in 2014.

Missing from last year's roster:
DB Trey Washington
S Myles Crosby
QB Kolney Cassel (transferred)

http://www.smumustangs.com/sports/m-foo ... l-mtt.html

Man, if Ace is back on the team I sure hope he learned a thing or two while he was gone. Kid looked absolutely lost last spring. Here's hoping HCCM's offense clicks in his head better than the last one. At the practice I saw him in last year he looked like a freshman who learned to play football about a week before he got to campus. Routes were sloppy and sort of half-assed; but then again it could be he never grasped what the "guru" wanted him to do. This could be a good second chance for him; let's hope he takes advantage.

DB looking more and more like a glaring problem. Zero depth, zero CB recruits, and a history of injuries with most of the projected starters. Add in a new and difficult scheme and it could get ugly, especially early. Moving all 7 mini receivers to corner doesn't get you anything more than small, ex-receivers (who weren't very good receivers) trying to transition to a position they haven't played in years. And oh yeah, they're still small.

RyanSMU98 wrote:Man, if Ace is back on the team I sure hope he learned a thing or two while he was gone. Kid looked absolutely lost last spring. Here's hoping HCCM's offense clicks in his head better than the last one. At the practice I saw him in last year he looked like a freshman who learned to play football about a week before he got to campus. Routes were sloppy and sort of half-assed; but then again it could be he never grasped what the "guru" wanted him to do. This could be a good second chance for him; let's hope he takes advantage.

I watched him play a couple of games in high school. I was not impressed. He played like he didn't care. Smaller DB's covered him up and had no problems. To be fair, his HS team's starting QB was not a very good passer. Still does not take away the fact he just doesn't seem to care

lwjr wrote:

RyanSMU98 wrote:Man, if Ace is back on the team I sure hope he learned a thing or two while he was gone. Kid looked absolutely lost last spring. Here's hoping HCCM's offense clicks in his head better than the last one. At the practice I saw him in last year he looked like a freshman who learned to play football about a week before he got to campus. Routes were sloppy and sort of half-assed; but then again it could be he never grasped what the "guru" wanted him to do. This could be a good second chance for him; let's hope he takes advantage.

I watched him play a couple of games in high school. I was not impressed. He played like he didn't care. Smaller DB's covered him up and had no problems. To be fair, his HS team's starting QB was not a very good passer. Still does not take away the fact he just doesn't seem to care

Even more surprising Morris & crew would bring a guy like that back if you're trying to change the culture. What's the point?

If any position could now be considered a position of strength, it might be WR (although young). Why take reps away from Honey & Thomas?

I wonder if they experiment using him on D?

footballdad wrote:

lwjr wrote:

RyanSMU98 wrote:Man, if Ace is back on the team I sure hope he learned a thing or two while he was gone. Kid looked absolutely lost last spring. Here's hoping HCCM's offense clicks in his head better than the last one. At the practice I saw him in last year he looked like a freshman who learned to play football about a week before he got to campus. Routes were sloppy and sort of half-assed; but then again it could be he never grasped what the "guru" wanted him to do. This could be a good second chance for him; let's hope he takes advantage.

I watched him play a couple of games in high school. I was not impressed. He played like he didn't care. Smaller DB's covered him up and had no problems. To be fair, his HS team's starting QB was not a very good passer. Still does not take away the fact he just doesn't seem to care

Even more surprising Morris & crew would bring a guy like that back if you're trying to change the culture. What's the point?

If any position could now be considered a position of strength, it might be WR (although young). Why take reps away from Honey & Thomas?

Would you rather take reps away with the smaller WR or Ace? We need more depth in the secondary and this is just another way to encourage kids to either move to the defensive side of the ball or transfer out.

Examples:

Nate Halverson was All-State as a DB

Lancaster was about a thousand times better as a CB than Receiver in High School(I saw him play twice). 7 Interceptions and First Team All Greater Houston as a CB

Courtland Sutton was recruited by most teams as a Safety-I don't think he even played receiver in high school-although he was a TE

June routinely took the most athletic recruits from Mason and made them Receivers. Now Morris should just return some of them to where they should have played all along

It was more important that Morris recruit enough offensive skill position players so he could transition away from the Run N Shoot to the spread ASAP. The Spread will sell recruits.

Just a bad example for these young, motivated, and hungry guys no matter how you slice it.

If they want these little receivers to move to defense just tell them they're moving. You don't have to ask or 'encourage' or whatever. If you want to 'run guys off', like so many here suggest, make the changes and then it's up to the player to decide whether they want to be a part of the new coaches vision or not.

Better be careful running too many guys off or our current lack of depth becomes zero depth, which limits full contact in practice, realistic scout team looks, etc,etc.

Its not about 2016

Here's an excerpt that shows what I'm talking about. SMU Coaches recruited Halverson as a CB-he was analyzed by defensive coaches and CB was Halverson's preferred position to play in College. June screwed up recruiting receivers so bad for his beloved Run N Shoot that he stole Halverson from Mason to play WR.


"I committed to SMU," said Halverson. "Coach Mason came today; they took me out of class. He wanted to talk to the DB coach who was out of the office, but he was 90% sure I had the offer. Then he told me there was an offer out there, SMU is a great school with a great tradition. I took it as the opportunity I was waiting for."

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SMU is bringing Halverson in to play his preferred position.

"They want me at corner and on returns," said Halverson. "Corner is where I want to play, that's where they have me."

Stallion wrote:Its not about 2016

Yeah, we're talking Spring ball/2015

Sutton an absolute must at safety. Could see Halverson at safety as well, don't see corner speed from him. Randolph has to go back to safety and pair with Richardson as the probable starters. An injury to either and we're up a creek.

The Richardson's at corner probably <50% chance they make it a full season both healthy.

Yes, Morris' offense will attract skill players like bees to honey, just hope we don't end up like A&M with a great offense and horrible defense.

Should focus 20% of 2016 recruiting on OL, and 80% on defense.

What is interesting is that Halverson and Lancaster were never even considered for the defensive side of the ball the moment they got on campus. Halverson practiced at WR all spring. Lancaster was initially used as the swing back out of the backfield under Mumme until he got hurt.

With Sutton, Randolph, D Rich, and AJ at safety, I wonder if one of those guys moves up to play the star position.

I wonder if the Richardsons will be able to make it through a season with a better S&C program. May help them out a lot.

More writing on the walls. SMU has already offered more WRs (14) in the Class of 2016 than any other position although they signed a large 2015 Class at Receiver and have a whole corp of Mini-me receivers. Most all of them are larger receivers between 6-5 and 6-1-with a couple of 5-10 and 5-11 kids thrown in-who btw are some of the top sprinters in Texas Track and Field

To my (untrained) eye, I thought Randolph did ok at corner in a pinch. He was big and physical, but did lack some speed. Thoughts?