We Need a QB That Can Win Games!

[Wild Mustang]

SMU is missing a leader. At times last night it looked like our players were playing not to lose the game.

Credit to our team for at least showing up last night. Enjoyed watching the game. I really did. Thank you team for showing us heart! The O-Line kept our QB clean (for the most part). Our QB did not throw an interception, this was a first. Our defense continues to be the strength of our team. Great job Defense! As a team we were competitive, but the reality is that we had more than a few changes to win the game, and it all starts with the playcalling of our Offensive Coordinator and our QB.

Unfortunately the reality is that Ben Hicks is not a player that can win games for us. Credit to Hicks for playing better, but let's don't act like we were playing a Top 25 Ranked Team. We played Tulsa, enrollment 3,000+. Hicks was serviceable, that's about it. Not trying to beat down on the guy, but we have to be honest here. Hicks had an ok first half, but could have done much better in the second half. The fact that he did not throw any interceptions is a good thing, but this should be expected, this should be the norm. We need to raise the level of expectations for our QB.

Hicks had every chance to win the game for us multiple times. Off the top of my head...
+ He missed West on a wheel route on one of the last drives
+ He overthrew Xavier Castille a couple of times
+ He threw one whole pass to Alex Honey (touchdown)
+ He did not get James Proche the ball in space
+ He overthrew Courtland Sutton multiple times
+ He changed plays at the line and the play he called got blew up
+ With a few of his overthrows and missed throws I think he was very lucky not to have a couple of interceptions

[papawasamustang]

I thought the team played better. Too many big plays given up the D, conservative play calling, & QB throwing 2 yd passes on 3rd & 8 or better. Entertaining game to watch due to the fact we were in the game, but all in all, another typical feeling of "wait until next game", "wait until next year", the continuing never ending story of an SMU football fan.

[Wild Mustang]

@papawasamustang Well said. I forgot about the 1 yd pass plays on 3rd and 6 or 3rd and 8. QB decision making and Offensive Coordinator playcalling definitely leaves a lot to be desired.

[Stallion]

THERE IS NO OTHER QB

This thread is a waste of time

[Wild Mustang]

@Stallion I am with you. I recognize that there is no other QB on the roster right now. Hoping that Brewer, Peavy or whoever can be the future of SMU. Who do you see will be our QB next season?

[footballdad]

Notice how every single throw is a wounded duck? Never seen anything like it. Not just here and there, every throw. Strange.

Combine that with the inaccuracy, and guaranteed he is not the QB next year. Had plenty of time to throw the ball as well, so that excuse doesn't apply.

[JasonB]

THERE IS NO OTHER QB

This thread is a waste of time

My main concern is that the coaching staff was convinced going into both the spring and fall that Hicks was going to be great and was ready for prime time. I've lost a little faith in their evaluation.

Mentally, he does a lot of good things. But he throws a mean knuckleball.

I don't think there is a reason to complain about throwing short on 3rd and long. The game plan was obviously to get the ball out quickly before the OL broke and to reduce decision making. When you execute that plan, third and long is tough.

[Digetydog]

SMU is missing a leader. At times last night it looked like our players were playing not to lose the game.

Credit to our team for at least showing up last night. Enjoyed watching the game. I really did. Thank you team for showing us heart! The O-Line kept our QB clean (for the most part). Our QB did not throw an interception, this was a first. Our defense continues to be the strength of our team. Great job Defense! As a team we were competitive, but the reality is that we had more than a few changes to win the game, and it all starts with the playcalling of our Offensive Coordinator and our QB.

Unfortunately the reality is that Ben Hicks is not a player that can win games for us. Credit to Hicks for playing better, but let's don't act like we were playing a Top 25 Ranked Team. We played Tulsa, enrollment 3,000+. Hicks was serviceable, that's about it. Not trying to beat down on the guy, but we have to be honest here. Hicks had an ok first half, but could have done much better in the second half. The fact that he did not throw any interceptions is a good thing, but this should be expected, this should be the norm. We need to raise the level of expectations for our QB.

Hicks had every chance to win the game for us multiple times. Off the top of my head...
+ He missed West on a wheel route on one of the last drives
+ He overthrew Xavier Castille a couple of times
+ He threw one whole pass to Alex Honey (touchdown)
+ He did not get James Proche the ball in space
+ He overthrew Courtland Sutton multiple times
+ He changed plays at the line and the play he called got blew up
+ With a few of his overthrows and missed throws I think he was very lucky not to have a couple of interceptions

You probably hated on Davis before him and Gilbert and ...

Hicks played well enough to win, but is not ready to carry a team on his back. He gets better almost every week despite taking a beating every week.

[Digetydog]

THERE IS NO OTHER QB

This thread is a waste of time

My main concern is that the coaching staff was convinced going into both the spring and fall that Hicks was going to be great and was ready for prime time. I've lost a little faith in their evaluation.

Mentally, he does a lot of good things. But he throws a mean knuckleball.

I don't think there is a reason to complain about throwing short on 3rd and long. The game plan was obviously to get the ball out quickly before the OL broke and to reduce decision making. When you execute that plan, third and long is tough.

I think your fist paragraph is misplaced. If they thought that he was ready for Prime Time, he would have been the starter or at least the "clear #2." He was neither.

What we have in Hicks:
1) tough as nails,
2) improving
3) can't/won't run - a problem with the OL before the injuries.
4) potential to get better.

Their original plan, get him experience with a few series a game, seems well thought out.

I watched Gilbert start under similar circumstance at UT. Gilbert was MUCH worse at this stage.

[Stallion]

Hicks was good enough to win last nite-arguably the Offensive Player of the Game-he played closer to his potential than any other offensive player last nite-

Since everybody wants to play the "what if game"-I think SMU wins that game last nite if Xavier was healthy-so I'm going to [deleted] and complain every game for the rest of the season because he wasn't out there winning the game for me.

[Pony Boss]

2017 will be the equivalent of the 2013-14 basketball season. That's when the party starts.

[Rebel10]

THERE IS NO OTHER QB

This thread is a waste of time

My main concern is that the coaching staff was convinced going into both the spring and fall that Hicks was going to be great and was ready for prime time. I've lost a little faith in their evaluation.

Mentally, he does a lot of good things. But he throws a mean knuckleball.

I don't think there is a reason to complain about throwing short on 3rd and long. The game plan was obviously to get the ball out quickly before the OL broke and to reduce decision making. When you execute that plan, third and long is tough.

No one on the staff thought Hicks would be "great". Stop it. Not getting Moore hurt us for this year but not for next. We still have to wait for most of the JJ recruits to graduate before they get to where they need to be. Your overestimating SMU and underestimating our opponents has hyped people up to much regarding this year as a whole. And next year you have already predicted 10 wins when we just need to focus on just getting to a bowl game.

2017

[Pony Boss]

THERE IS NO OTHER QB

This thread is a waste of time

My main concern is that the coaching staff was convinced going into both the spring and fall that Hicks was going to be great and was ready for prime time. I've lost a little faith in their evaluation.

Mentally, he does a lot of good things. But he throws a mean knuckleball.

I don't think there is a reason to complain about throwing short on 3rd and long. The game plan was obviously to get the ball out quickly before the OL broke and to reduce decision making. When you execute that plan, third and long is tough.

No one on the staff thought Hicks would be "great". Stop it. Not getting Moore hurt us for this year but not for next. We still have to wait for most of the JJ recruits to graduate before they get to where they need to be. Your overestimating SMU and underestimating our opponents has hyped people up to much regarding this year as a whole. And next year you have already predicted 10 wins when we just need to focus on just getting to a bowl game.

2017

The schedule and expected growth the team can make between 2016 and 2017 sure open it up to predict 9 wins or more.

[ponyte]

Hicks is improving. He can't throw the ball and catch it. Receivers have been iffy the last two games. And Hicks didn't let the Tulsa special teams return kicks for great field position. And Hicks didn't miss tackles or run assignments allowing Tulsa to rush for multiple TDs. Hicks isn't the reason we lost any game. Its a team effort.

He has improved significantly since being thrown into the gauntlet before he was ready.

We need a team to learn how to win games.

[JasonB]

I agree Ponyte, it is a team effort. I don't think the blame can be placed on one guy.

I'm not saying that Hicks is not going to develop at all or anything like that. His confidence not getting shaken with the lack of OL has been really amazing.

But the staff absolutely went into spring thinking Hicks would challenge for the starting spot. And they went into the Fall thinking the same thing. Not just words, they absolutely thought he was going to do exciting things, and soon.

Don't keep using Jones's last couple of classes as a crutch. Here are some facts:
- The last two Bennett classes were rated worse than the last two June classes.
- The first two Morris classes were rated better than the first two June classes.
- June had two good OL players in his second year, which Morris doesn't have, that were from the previous regime.
- That said, June found a QB from scratch, he found a standout RB, he had only one great receiver but found creative ways to get him the ball in pretty much every game.
- Morris is starting with a leftover DL and Secondary that is much better than June had.
- June found two great LBs (Davis and Reed) to fill in that gap on defense, and Morris hasn't found that guy regardless of the higher recruiting rankings.

June took a team that was just as devoid of talent as Morris' and got them to a bowl game the second season. You name Sanders and the two OL, and I will give you Sutton, Millines, Wyatt, and Richardson.

With Morris' ability to recruit and very well regarded recruiting classes, we should expect more out of this team than 3-4 wins.

The staff is very, very young and not very experienced. As much as it really helps in recruiting (and there is no doubt about that), it is hurting us in game execution right now. And that is okay, I am willing to give them time to grow. But we should be able to be honest about it.