Report Card for Tulsa game

[TidePony]

Coaching: F (poor play calling and game plan - sorry Chad, I support you 100%, but yesterday was a bit rough)

Special Teams C- (Dropped punt was a game changer, some good run backs)

Defense: C- (better, still not good, not prepared for hurry up at the end of the first half)

Offense: C- (Areas of concern: Offensive line, QB, and receivers dropping balls - some improvements noted)

Crowd: D+ (crowd arrived late, but was way too quiet)

Uniform B- (Merry Christmas from Cougar High - it was Halloween, it was the right time to go Black, like most of the country did - very poor planning) And, if we go Black next Friday night it will look like we are wearing black to our own funeral.

Band D- (they tried, fire the band director, hire someone who can update their image and recruit it to at least 125 members with pretty girls out front)

Atmosphere: D (Nothing special)

Overall grade: D+

Flame away! My apologies to everyone I just Pi**ed off, but I love SMU and really want to see improvements. By the way, I'm not sure the axe thing is working either - it kind of looks cartoonish now. But, I will take all of this any day over the past few year's sh*t show!

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

By the way, I'm not sure the axe thing is working either - it kind of looks cartoonish now.

At least the axe gives me a good laugh before the game to break the tension a bit.

[SMU_Alumni11]

I agree with your report card except coaching. I thought he did fine given the crap he has to play with. I love red uniforms over blue but I would love it if it were red helmets on blue jerseys or blue helmets on red jerseys. Black uniforms are dumb no offense.

[Rebel10]

At least the axe gives me a good laugh before the game to break the tension a bit.

Why do you ridicule the axe when you know what it stands for? You have made a cynical comment before about it.

[Rebel10]

I agree with your report card except coaching. I thought he did fine given the crap he has to play with. I love red uniforms over blue but I would love it if it were red helmets on blue jerseys or blue helmets on red jerseys. Black uniforms are dumb no offense.

Just because it is not your preference doesn't make it dumb. It's just not for you.

[LA_Mustang]

Play calling was highly questionable.

[Charleston Pony]

I didn't have as much trouble with the play calling as I did the (lack of) execution. Thought the tailback pass to Castille was a thing of beauty and called at the perfect time. Didn't have any problem with going for that 4th down early or going for 6 late in the game (rather than taking an early FG), but at some point our players need to execute and win their individual battles. Not enough of that happening and it all adds up to having a 1-7 team

[Hoop Fan]

frustrating for all involved right now. I don't think Tulsa really outplayed us, we just continue to make a handful of fatal errors. We literally gave them 3 scores for 21 points. 1) the fumbled punt. their punter had the best hang time i have ever seen. He got the ball up so high it had alot of flutter in the sky. i know you are taught to make the catch no matter what, but when a guy kicks it that high, most times it will bounce straight backwards if you can let it hit the ground, unfortunate 2) Matt is under alot of pressure, but on the pick six play, ironically he wasn't under that much pressure. Just a blown play. He has really limited the INTs this year, so that was a real head scratcher why that happened right there 3) the defensive breakdown right before half. Seemed like a total lack of concentration.

Most of the key calls by the refs went against us too like the goalline TD Tulsa was awarded by the official on the far side. It will all turn around sooner than later, have to fight through.

[mrydel]

Both late Tulsa TDs could have been stops on 4th. I am not complaining about officiating, I get enough of that in Arkansas, but they were both close enough that they could have gone either way. This was a very close game that we should have won with a little better execution.

[couch 'em]

Get used to the unorthodox play calling. It was a common complaint at Clemson

[Stallion]

there is nothing wrong whatsoever with the play calling that half decent blocking and better running backs won't fix-nothing. Offense has wildly exceeded expectations

[Treadway21]

there is nothing wrong whatsoever with the play calling that half decent blocking and better running backs won't fix-nothing. Offense has wildly exceeded expectations

Agree, but it got a little conservative and predictable mid second half. Run, Run, Pass to Sutton for big gain. My mild complaint was change the repetition up a little.

But the halfback pass was cool and the first half touch down to Gaines with the lineman lined out wide was also a great play.

The defense was pretty good, but only when it didn't matter. Every time we scored the defense let them score. When we needed to stop them to keep the lead or control the momentum we couldn't do it, and or course vice versa for the offense. When we stopped them, we would go three and out.

The difference between success are the mistakes Hoopfan is talking about. Deon's decision making is always questionable and his fumble killed us. On the delay of game punt, he was too far up and there punter put it over his head and got a good roll. If he had lined up properly he could of saved us 20 or so yards. Then Davis throws the intercept on that procession. Defense did great pushing them back, but it ends up with them scoring 7 points. Story of the game - the small things cause catastrophic failure.

[SMU Football Blog]

So what is the play calling argument? 'Cause I don't see it

[Charleston Pony]

really...would anyone rather go back to JJ's run 'n shoot?

[malonish]

I believe calling band girls ugly has not been tolerated on this site for a long time. Better watch out on that.