Lashlee on Tulsa, injuries, Houston game, Rice's season

[PonyPride]

SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee reviewed the Mustangs' win over Tulsa and looked ahead to Saturday's home game against Houston. Some highlights — some of which are quoted, others paraphrased:

• (RB Camar Wheaton) is "good. We've got a lot of guys, especially at the running back position, practicing in a non-contact jersey, just trying to keep the blows off of them. But optimistic those guys will be able to give it a go Saturday. So hopefully we'll get a lot of guys back that we haven't had."

• WR Jordan Kerley is "good, he's cleared, he's back."

• QB Preston Stone had surgery Monday. It was "successful — wasn't a major deal." Stone is going to be out the remained of this season, but "the long-term prognosis is very good." He "should be 100 percent ready to roll by January" when the Mustangs come back to school and begin their offseason program.

• OL Jaylon Thomas "has played a lot of tackle here, but knowing that at the nest level his best position is probably inside — guard or center — we said we're going to play you inside as long as we can." If injuries require it, he'll go back to tackle, but the plan all along was to develop him as an interior lineman, as well, because in the NFL, teams carry seven or eight lineman, and unless you're "that (dominant) left tackle, you've got to be able to play them all." Thomas has played left guard, both tackle positions and center this season.

• (On improved production when the offense gets into the red zone) "We've been able to run it in, which is always good in the red zone." The games in which the Mustangs struggled to convert chances in the red zone, "it was dropped balls, missed throws — more self-inflicted things."

• "I don't think (QB Tanner Mordecai) enjoyed not playing, but .... he was pretty beat up. When you don't get that, normally, in a season, even when it's only a week, the way your body feels is like night and day." Mordecai also didn't throw in practice before the Tulsa game, so "I think he feels pretty refreshed."

• "I want Brandon (Crossley) to talk less, and then teach other guys how to have some swagger... Defense is a lot about confidence, and the way our guys have played at times over the last three weeks, they're gaining confidence. Obviously 'B-Cross' is very demonstrative when he makes a play... Guys feed off that. They need to celebrate when they do a good thing. Let him be himself, as long as he doesn't get a penalty and he can line up and do his job (on) the next play."

• (On Houston game) "Houston/SMU, and Dallas/Houston ... that's always a big deal. At least every year I was here, it was a big deal. Especially over the last five or six years, it has been really competitive... They're playing really well, too. (QB) Clayton Tune, (WR Nathaniel) Dell, those guys on offense. Defense — this is as good of a front as we've played. Maryland, UCF were pretty good, but these guys can really get after the passer.

"We want to play them as long as they want to. They know where we are. We'll play them every year if they'd like to... I know from (AD) Rick (Hart) and our administration, we're all in alignment: we'd love to play them (in future seasons). It makes sense. Just like we play TCU — those games make sense... Schedules are done so far out in advance it might take five, six years to get it aligned up. But I know we're open to it, and hopefully they are, too."

• I think our guys have bought in. We've won two of the last three, we played Cincinnati well. To your point, we've been beat up. The injuries ... it's not quite comical, but we've had a bunch. It seems like every week. I think our first practice (of the week) there wasn't a single running back in a non-non-contact jersey. But our guys have handled it well, and I think the Tulsa game is an example of how we've handled it. Not only that we're beat up, especially on offense going into the game, with Camar going down, and then Preston going down, and (DE) Jayden Jones, (S) Roderick Roberson ... Guys just keep playing — the next guy steps up and makes a play. (But) we're not the only ones in that boat at this time of year. We want to finish well. We want to go beat a really good football team, and we have that opportunity Saturday night."

• (On how QB Kevin Jennings' performance at Tulsa impacts the coaching staff's view of the fire at the position) "It definitely gives you confidence that we're in a good position. I thought Preston was playing excellent before he got hurt... We already felt pretty good about Kevin, but to see him go out and handle that moment the way he did gives you a lot of confidence, and we feel good about the guys (who are) committed. I have learned this over the years: just when I feel like I've got a really good QB room, two or three guys that I really like ... you try not to get too comfortable, because injuries happen, right? Or the age we're in with the (transfer) portal. But I like Preston, I like Kevin, I like the guys we're bringing in. So we feel like we're on the right track there, for sure."

• (On WR Rashee Rice) I think one thing that doesn't get noticed is that he has only been healthy for three games. He got hurt in the beginning of the second quarter against TCU — that was our fourth game — so he had two or three games where the stats dwindled because he was pushing through that. But to do what he has done — and in more than half the games he's not even 100 percent and doesn't have the same explosion, although he looked pretty good Saturday — I think is impressive. I've had receivers that have put up big numbers ... we saw what James Proché did in '19, but James had Reggie (Roberson) for most of the year, and he had Kylen (Granson), and we had 'X' (RB Xavier Jones) in the run game. With all the injuries we've had with Kerley and Moochie (Dixon) and (Jake) Bailey and Beau (Corrales), and at the running back position and even at QB ... he has been the one consistent thing. Rarely do you see a receiver carry an offense like he has done. Statistically the targets are high, but we do have like nine other guys that are in double-digit catches. If he finishes well and he's not one of the three for the Biletnikoff (Award, given annually to the nation's top receiver), then I don't know why we have the award."

[Lefty]

With the uncertain RB health and Mordecai being well-rested (if not fully healthy), over/under on SMU pass attempts = 45?

[Dark Horse]

Hope we can contain Tune and Dell better than last year

[Smumba2009]

With the uncertain RB health and Mordecai being well-rested (if not fully healthy), over/under on SMU pass attempts = 45?

I think the closer our run to pass ratio are 50/50 the higher probability of us winning. Levine and Camar are a good duo. Hope we have TJ back too....haven't heard anything about his status