Now that the final play has worn off.....

[couch 'em]

Can we get some comments on the whole game? I wasn't able to listent to it, so what was good/bad about the rest of the game? Coaching? Play calls? Running? Passing? CATCHING?

[Mustangs35SMU]

Running was almost worthless all night except for Martin's 30 something yard touchdown run. It did however get better has the night went on.

Passing was clicking all night long. Totally different from the Marshall game. The offense was just there! They were playing well. Keeping the defense off the field. Moving the ball very well all night long.

Defense was doing the things they had to do to keep UAB out of the endzone, which is about all you can ask for. That last touchdown for UAB was so much better than trying to hold them to a field goal. If they hadn't scored we wouldn't of had any! team left on that clock. Much less able to have two drives.

Overall, TOTALLY different team from the Marshall game.

[PhirePhilBennett]

I thought the play calling was pretty good this game, but I did not understand the insistence to put Fred Turner in the game at the point in time that they did (he fumbled) or run those wingman reverses...they had been throwing good all day.

[SMUguy]

From what I heard (didn't get to hear the whole game), Romo was sensational .... PASSING the ball. Craig and Rich went nuts about some one-handed catch Foster made (on third-and-long, no less). Rumor has it Bobby Chase made a pretty spiffy catch toward the end of the game. Apparently Joe Sturdivant thinks he plays offense, because he ended up with the ball three times. DeMyron Martin had a couple of big runs on the day, including a long TD.

Way to go, Mustangs!

[mrydel]

Still weak in the offensive line although better play calling (short passes) provided both ball control and yardage. Stupid mistakes still happen such as a fumble on an important drive due to just not holding the ball well and throwing a 3 yard pass on 4th and 4. That extra step would not have taken any more appreciable time. Just a bad route. 2 broken secondary assignments gave up 2 long touchdowns. Reminded me of the LA Tech game last year. Bad snap on an extra point.

To the good, we shut down their running game completely. Got some decent rush on the QB although he was too big for us to tackle. Sure tackling downfield and great pursuit. Most of all....

NOT GIVING UP.

[Stallion]

we went mostly to the short passing game they were giving us. Its wasn't prolific until the big plays in the 4th Q BUT we did execute about 10 times better last Nite. The passes were there, tough catches were made(nice catch TD catch by Devin Lowery). Dorsey had limited success in the first half but Martin was given the ball in the second half and responded with several nice runs especially on the long TD. SMU has got to find a way to get Martin some holes because he can make the plays with nice blocking. SMU shut down UAB's running game as they averaged about 3.2 per carry. It would have been an exceptional performance by the defense except for two blown coverages that went for big yardage and the long drive again late in the game with the game on the line. That was disappointing because SMU was playing a soft cushion defense trying to stop the long ball. UAB actually could have had another big TD on a blown coverage but the receiver dropped a soft pass on the numbers. SMU had no answer for for ther WR Lindsley who caught 8 passes for 184 yards. BUT they did stop UAB in the 4th with the clock ticking down to give SMU a chance. Quite frankly, if we had lost I would have pointed to the fact that UAB had better athletes making plays downfield BUT we found a way to win. I still feel we need to have athletes on the field at all position who can make big plays like Chase, Martin and even Henderson who again made some quality returns. I look forward to that day.

[KnuckleStang]

A few things

The 3rd Q TD pass was a hell of a catch by Lowery and a pinpoint pass by Romo, into excellent coverage. That ball was put in the only possible place it could be caught (on the run), and it was not an easy catch.

Henderson and Warren continue to look good. I thought Warren's return that got called back was downright Reggie Bushian.

Can somebody please explain to me the difference here. In the Marshall game, B. Morris was hit as he threw the ball and it should have been a fumble, but they ruled it an incomplete pass and it was NON REVIEWABLE. Last night, with about 6:00 remaining in the 3rd, Romo got clocked as he tried to throw and fumbled. They REVIEWED IT, ruling it an incompletion. What's the deal? What was the difference.

[Mustangs35SMU]

With the ruling of an incomplete pass, they can't review it but if it is ruled as a fumble they can review it.

[SWC2010]

Mustangs35SMU is correct. However, it's the rule(s) that is wrong.

If a call on the field is blown by a ref, it should be reviewable-- period.

Instead, such a rule interpretation allows 'cover' for the ref on the field.

[lawless]

I'd no issue with the Turner plays, this side of the fumble. It seemed like a nice wrinkle to add after SMU had exposed the edges of the UAB D--it was also exactly what those of us who have been calling for "getting the athletes on the field" ordered...again, sans the fumble. He sure's hell found that corner in a hurry. On the "athlete" tip, Lowery's catch was a nice one; we saw nothing of Givens...I'd guess he's dropped enough passes to convince the coaches the redshirt came off too soon. Without hardship, could he qualify for another year of eligibility?

Romo's lack of escapability combined with his tendency to try to hang in too long made for some lost yardage--great game from him, though, so it's hard to knock him much, and a lesser quarterback (like, er, him in other games I've seen him in) would have forced things that'd have resulted in turnovers.

Joe Sturdivant was a stud. I know he's been among the team leaders in tackles, but that's not a great thing when you're talking about a DB. He stepped up...even beyond the turnovers it seemed he was in on every play.

I'm re-enthused about this season, after an OT loss at a (grantedly-off) mid-major power and this against a conference favorite.

BTHOO ECU!

[Stallion]

the key is whether the whistle is blown by the official thereby making everything that happens thereafter irrelevant. If ruled an incompletion the play is dead if ruled a fumble the play continues and its a live ball.

[EastStang]

An incomplete pass is not reviewable regardless of when the ref, blew his whistle. There is a presumption that he blew his whistle even if he didn't. I noticed in the Redskins/Broncos game yesterday, Plummer tried to pump fake and lost the ball tucking it, and the refs ruled it a fumble and reversed on appeal calling it a tuck. I wonder if the NFL refs are leaning toward calling it a fumble first because a replay can always reverse them. Perhaps CUSA refs ought to think about that. Are you listening Commissioner Banowsky.

[mrydel]

It should always be a fumble first and then reviewed. That was the mistake the officials made.