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SMU Postgame Notes – September 3, 2022
[-/RV] SMU 48, North Texas 10
SMU (1-0), North Texas (1-1)
Apogee Stadium – Denton, Texas

Media Guide | Roster | Schedule

NEXT GAME
Lamar - Saturday, September 10 – 6 p.m. CT – Gerald J. Ford Stadium – Dallas, Texas
TV: ESPN+
Radio: KTCK The Ticket 96.7 FM/1310 AM | TuneIn app | SMU Mobile App/Varsity Network

HELMET STICKER

SMU wore a helmet sticker to honor Paul Layne, who holds an unrivaled Mustang record, having attended every SMU game for the last 45-plus years, even going to Tokyo. On Monday, August 8 of 2022, Paul went to the emergency room with severe pain. After some testing, the doctors discovered he had blood clots in his SMA (superior mesenteric artery) and his mesenteric vein. These are the blood vessels that carry blood to and away from the intestines. Paul continues his battle today. SMU is donning "PL" helmet stickers for today's game at North Texas. Starting when Layne attended SMU and was a team cheerleader, he's attended 542 straight games. (More Info)

TEAM NOTES

Captains: Elijah Chatman (#40, Sr., DT), Tanner Mordecai (#8, Sr., QB), Jimmy Phillips Jr. (#6, Sr., LB), Rashee Rice (#11, Sr., WR), Austin Upshaw (#23, Sr., WR). Upshaw was also honored with the No. 23 jersey in honor of Jerry LeVias.

SMU is 1-0
Head Coach Rhett Lashlee wins debut
Opened with a win for the 4th straight season
26-10 since the start of 2019 (Total wins tie for the most for an FBS team in Texas.)

SMU had 576 yards of total offense
SMU has 500 yards of total offense in 12 of its past 22 games
357 yards on 39 plays in the first half (led 31-10)

Tanner Mordecai had a career-high 432 yards with 4 TD passes
51 yards to Jordan Kerley, career-long 75 yards to Roderic Daniels Jr., 24 yards to Rashee Rice, 8 yards to Moochie Dixon
6th career 4+ TD game

SMU had 2 receivers over 100 yards (Rashee Rice 8-166-1 TD, Jordan Kerley 4-103-1 TD)
Career highs for yards for Rice and Kerley
First time since Kylen Granson (149), Tyler Page (131) at Temple, Nov. 7, 2020

SMU had a blocked FG by DeVere Levelston
First blocked FG since Terrance Newman at Cincinnati, Nov. 20, 2021
SMU had four blocked kicks in 2021

SMU had 3 takeaways, most since 4 vs Abilene Christian 9/4/21
Fumble recoveries: Nick Roberts (Forced by Chris Adimora)
Interceptions: Stephon Wright, Nick Roberts


The Mustangs had 7 TFLs:
Jimmy Phillips Jr. – tied career high with 2 TFLs
Shanon Reid, Nelson Paul, Keke Burns (sack), Jayden Jones, Ahmaad Moses

Series vs UNT: 35-6-1

SMU has won 4 straight matchups and 7 of the past 8


SMU Radio Network Highlights https://soundcloud.com/user-274538678/s ... h-texas-10

Rich Phillips (PxP), Scott Garner (Analyst)


Head Coach Rhett Lashlee postgame

https://soundcloud.com/user-274538678/r ... h-texas-10


SMU INDIVIDUAL RECORDS

Tanner Mordecai (#8, QB, Jr.) – Walter Camp Award Watch List, CFPA National Performer of the Year Trophy Watch List, Maxwell Award Watch List, William V. Campbell Trophy Nominee, Davey O’Brien Award Watch List, Manning Award Watch List, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List

23-32 passing for 432 yards with 4 TDs
Had 2 TD passes of 50+ yards (51 yards to Jordan Kerley, 75 yards to Roderick Daniels Jr.)
Now has 7 TD passes of at least 50 yards at SMU
4 passing TDs
43 career TD passes at SMU (ranks 4th)
Ties SMU record with his 6th game recording 4+ TD passes
9th career 300-yard game (T-3rd at SMU)

SMU SINGLE-GAME PASSING YARDS


1. Garrett Gilbert, Temple, 2013: 538
2. Garrett Gilbert, Rutgers, 2013: 484
3. Shane Buechele, Memphis 2020: 474
4. Kyle Padron, vs. Nevada, 2009: 460
5. Shane Buechele, Temple 2019: 457
6. Shane Buechele, at Memphis 2019: 456
7. Mike Romo, North Texas, 1989: 450
8. Mike Romo, at Rice, 1990: 449
9. Tanner Mordecai, at North Texas, 2022: 432
10. Tanner Mordecai, Tulane, 2021: 427

CAREER TD PASSES

1. Ben Hicks, 2016-18: 71
2. Shane Buechele, 2019-20: 57
3. Justin Willis, 2006-08: 51
4. Tanner Mordecai: 43
5. Kyle Padron, 2009-11: 41

SMU CAREER GAMES WITH 4+ PASSING TD

1. Justin Willis, 2006-08: 6
Ben Hicks, 2016-18: 6
Tanner Mordecai: 6

SMU CAREER 300-YD PASSING GAMES
1. Ben Hicks, 2016-18: 12
Shane Buechele, 2019-20: 12
3. Garrett Gilbert, 2012-13: 9
Tanner Mordecai, 2021: 9


Rashee Rice (#11, WR, Sr.) - Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List
8-166 receiving with a TD
166 is a career-high for receiving yards (was 139)
8 receptions ties career high
Now has 16 career receiving TDs (10th at SMU)

SMU CAREER RECEIVING CDs

1. James Proche, 2016-19: 39
2. Emmanuel Sanders, 2006-09: 34
3. Courtland Sutton, 2014-17: 31
4. Aldrick Robinson, 2007-10: 30
5. Emanuel Tolbert, 1976-79: 25
6. Reggie Roberson Jr. 2018-21: 23
7. Jerry LeVias, 1966-68: 22
8. Darius Johnson, 2009-12: 20
9. Jason Wolf, 1989-92: 17
10. Rashee Rice: 16

ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUAL NOTES

Chris Adimora (#20, S, So.) - Had a forced fumble, first of his career and 4 tackles

Ryan Bujcevski (#92, P, Sr.) - 4-183 punting (2 Inside the 20) with a career long of 61 yards (was 60)

Elijah Chatman (#40, DT, Sr.) – Nagurski Trophy Watch List, Outland Trophy Watch List, Lombardi Award Watch List
Had 2 tackles

Brendan Hall (#93, P, So.) – Ray Guy Award Watch List
1-1 FG (32 yards)

Jayden Jones (#45, DE, Fr.) - Had a TFL and 2 QB hurries

Jordan Kerley (#1, WR, Jr.)
4-103 receiving with a TD
Career-high receiving yards (was 59)
51-yard TD is a career long reception

Tyler Lavine (#31, RB. Sr.) - 1-5 rushing with a TD (5 yards), 10 career rushing TDs

Devere Levelston (#96, DT, Sr.) - Had a blocked FG, first of his career

Jimmy Phillips, Jr. (#6, LB, Sr.)
Team-high 8 tackles with 2 pass breakups
2.0 TFLs ties career high

Nick Roberts (#22, S, Sr.)
Had a fumble recovery, third of his career
Had an interception, 7th of his career

Collin Rogers (#41, K, Fr.) - 6-6 on PATs, 1-1 on FGs (39)

Tre Siggers (#4, RB, Sr.)
12-54 rushing with a TD (9 yards)
Has 10 TDs in past 8 games

Isaac Slade-Matautia (#41, LB, Sr.) - Butkus Award Watch List, Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Watch List
Team-high 8 tackles

Stephon Wright (#92, DE) - First career interception

If Mordecai stays healthy, he's going to leave SMU as the career record holder in more than one category

Attendance?

Bergermeister wrote:Attendance?

25,306

Laugh at UNT fans whenever they talk smack about our attendance. That place was 1/2 empty last night coming off a win in their house for their super bowl. Most full section in the entire stadium was the SMU section. UNT is a joke program

East Coast Mustang wrote:Laugh at UNT fans whenever they talk smack about our attendance. That place was 1/2 empty last night coming off a win in their house for their super bowl. Most full section in the entire stadium was the SMU section. UNT is a joke program

Last I checked 25K is not half of 30K. God you people are irritating.

NTSU52 wrote:

East Coast Mustang wrote:Laugh at UNT fans whenever they talk smack about our attendance. That place was 1/2 empty last night coming off a win in their house for their super bowl. Most full section in the entire stadium was the SMU section. UNT is a joke program

Last I checked 25K is not half of 30K. God you people are irritating.

Last I checked announced attendance does not equal butts in seats. That place was half full last night. And yet parking and stadium entry were still a complete disaster. Daddy only comes in town once every two years; please step up the logistics in 2024 so I can more easily watch us wax that [deleted]

We should never talk smack about attendance, at least not until SMU can fill Ford Stadium no matter who the opponent. I think we have typically drawn about 25k for our games vs UNT and we should hope we will draw that many for the home opener vs Lamar. Recent history suggests otherwise

Charleston Pony wrote:We should never talk smack about attendance, at least not until SMU can fill Ford Stadium no matter who the opponent. I think we have typically drawn about 25k for our games vs UNT and we should hope we will draw that many for the home opener vs Lamar. Recent history suggests otherwise

Yeah I’m disappointed they didn’t have some Mustang Mania promotion for this upcoming game.

I suspect 22k will show up, there should have been a campaign to add 10k. That’s doable.

I was at Texas Stadium for our season opener against Rice. It was a Jerry Lewis MDA Night. Somehow Russ Potts got 60k to attend.

NTSU52 wrote:

East Coast Mustang wrote:Laugh at UNT fans whenever they talk smack about our attendance. That place was 1/2 empty last night coming off a win in their house for their super bowl. Most full section in the entire stadium was the SMU section. UNT is a joke program

Last I checked 25K is not half of 30K. God you people are irritating.

If the capacity is 30K, then the attendance was under 20K -- at best, it was 1/2 to 2/3 full.

SoCal_Pony wrote:

Charleston Pony wrote:We should never talk smack about attendance, at least not until SMU can fill Ford Stadium no matter who the opponent. I think we have typically drawn about 25k for our games vs UNT and we should hope we will draw that many for the home opener vs Lamar. Recent history suggests otherwise

Yeah I’m disappointed they didn’t have some Mustang Mania promotion for this upcoming game.

I suspect 22k will show up, there should have been a campaign to add 10k. That’s doable.

I was at Texas Stadium for our season opener against Rice. It was a Jerry Lewis MDA Night. Somehow Russ Potts got 60k to attend.

Didn't smu give out something like 100K free tickets to that game (in a stadium that seated nowhere near that number) just to fill the lower bowl at Texas Stadium? I remember hearing it was well over 100K.

I remember the game with Baylor in Texas Stadium. Russ Potts gave away so many tickets more people showed up than seats. Potts could really promote. I still have some old Mustangmania stuff.

SoCal_Pony wrote:

Charleston Pony wrote:We should never talk smack about attendance, at least not until SMU can fill Ford Stadium no matter who the opponent. I think we have typically drawn about 25k for our games vs UNT and we should hope we will draw that many for the home opener vs Lamar. Recent history suggests otherwise

Yeah I’m disappointed they didn’t have some Mustang Mania promotion for this upcoming game.

I suspect 22k will show up, there should have been a campaign to add 10k. That’s doable.

I was at Texas Stadium for our season opener against Rice. It was a Jerry Lewis MDA Night. Somehow Russ Potts got 60k to attend.

That Rice game was the "from 6 to 60" game because only 6k had attended the previous home game vs Rice. Potts was a marketing guy; no doubt about it

Ikus wrote:

NTSU52 wrote:

East Coast Mustang wrote:Laugh at UNT fans whenever they talk smack about our attendance. That place was 1/2 empty last night coming off a win in their house for their super bowl. Most full section in the entire stadium was the SMU section. UNT is a joke program

Last I checked 25K is not half of 30K. God you people are irritating.

If the capacity is 30K, then the attendance was under 20K -- at best, it was 1/2 to 2/3 full.

I was there and think 25 is very believable. Not sure this is our best area of criticism! In fact i think given home opener 35 min away we should have had way more mustangs there than we did. Time to start taking up away games - we have to travel well to make it to the next level.