Football Thoughts

[leopold]

247 posted a quick rundown of our roster for those of you intersted:

https://247sports.com/college/smu/LongF ... 7226101_10

[Dukie]

The schedule certainly works in our favor this year. Let's just hope those RBs can perform with an improved Oline. We'll have to score on them every time and keep the ball on offense. Love to get to 10 again and beat Memphis finally.

God I want to beat Memphis. I really hope being at home does help. I'm not convinced there will be crowds yet, which really impacts the home-field advantage. One writer picked the Saints to win the Super Bowl because so many of their tough games are in the Dome this year. But that home advantage will mean a lot less if the Dome is empty...

[EastStang]

Need to check the soccer cut list. Gotta be a soccer walk on that's better than any of our current stock of kickers and punters.

[One Trick Pony]

Right???

God forbid we actually talk about possibly the best team we have coming back in the last 35 years...

I'll play... ++, +, Neutral, -, -- scale

WR: ++ last year before Roberson got hurt, then went to +. I thin there is a good chance we are ++ this year.
QB: ++ last year, ++ this year
RB: + last year. Neutral this year, but potential for better. Need to see in the fall.
TE: + last year. Potential for ++ this year.
OL: Last year: +, N, +, -, N. This year I think you start with +, +, +, N, N, with the potential of higher upside.

Overall offensively, I think we will be a bit better. More consistent. On outsider would look at the loss at RB and Proche and think we will get worse.

DL: DE last year + because of Scott. Enough players played that I would put us at N right now, with potential for better. DT last year overall. Lost a lot, but Williams and maturity I think we are at worst N, more probably a +. So, overall DL is going from + to N, with upside potential.

LB: MLB last year + when Moore was healthy. Once hurt, we were + against run - against the pass. Moore coming back puts us + again. OLB: Last year N with Robinson, - when hurt. This year N unless someone takes a big step. Star/Fox/Whatever: Nelson was a + (++ in blitz, N or - in pass coverage which is why he didn't get drafted). I'll put N for now for Jones/Denbow, but that could have bigger upside. Overall, the group is a N unless Moore stays healthy and two players step up.

CB: When healthy, Stephens and Johnson were probably +, but Johnson played hurt a lot and dropped back the second half and the backups are below average. So overall, maybe an N, and - at times. Coming into this year, N because of the depth situation, but there is room for Johnson and Stephens to be significantly better and backups to be better.

S: Denbow - and Clemons +, so you average out at N if you are generous. Replace both this year, so you almost have to assume a - going into camp, but there is a lot of potential here to be at least N and maybe even +.

So, defensively, from an outsider's persepctive, you lost your best DE, your best DT, your Star who made plays, and your safeties. So, an outsider should assume we are going to take a massive step back defensively. There is a lot of potential upside defensively, but we won't really know until we see everyone at camp.

K/P: -- last year. We hope the transfer at least gets us to N.

So, while I share your optimism coming into the season, because I really like our newcomers as well as the kids growing into their roles... I understand why outsiders look at the team and see the offense taking a small step back and the defense getting considerably worse. Hence the 7 win season predictions and the odds against us beating TCU.

I would wait until the second week of fall camp before I place my bets.

.

[Lefty]

Our biggest need is K/P. Giving your opponent the short field over and over and over again is a recipe for disaster. Last year it made what should have been blow outs into close games and close games into losses. We focus on QB, WR and RB as key positions but bad K/P has as much, if not more, impact.

They're important, to be sure, but we didn't get much from those spots last year and won 10 games.

More than anything, that defensive line needs to be shored up. We'll all feel better when Williams actually arrives, but even then, it will be interesting to see how fast he learns Kane's system. Let's hope he's the stud we think he is, but he needs to get to SMU and there will be a learning curve -- hopefully a short one.

[Lefty]

Need to check the soccer cut list. Gotta be a soccer walk on that's better than any of our current stock of kickers and punters.

Those guys come to SMU to play for one of the best soccer teams in the country. I'd bet there isn't one who's interested in giving up the sport he has played for so long to be a consolation prize kicker.

[EastStang]

I said walk-on and cut list. If he turned out to be a great field goal kicker, he could probably make more money than they would in the MLS.

[Lefty]

Fair point. I misread your post.
Sorry.

[redpony]

this season looks so exciting and promising. really sad that this damn virus could impact it.
GO PONIES!!!

[mustangxc]

Then again, I'll sacrifice the entire season if it continues to boost our recruiting!

[Dark Horse]

If they scrap the season, Buechele will be almost 30 and walk out with about 6 graduate degrees

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

I'd bet there isn't one who's interested in giving up the sport he has played for so long to be a consolation prize kicker.

He or she.

[EastStang]

Necessary Roughness. I wonder if Kathy Ireland still has any eligibility left?

[ponyboy]

If they scrap the season, Buechele will be almost 30 and walk out with about 6 graduate degrees

He's still got Ramon Flanigan in front of him.

[mustangxc]

Alternately, SMU football has already sacrificed about 20+ seasons in the recent past so we shouldn't have to sacrifice anything to reap our reward!