Rice

[Nacho]

Our D is definitely the key to the game. We played better D in the 2nd half but TU also changed their game plan and started running screens and going over the middle. We gave them such a big cushion on the corners that 3rd and 12 was a gimme for them in the 1st half. Hopefully Haywood will be able to play.

[mustangxc]

I believe beating Rice this weekend is not just a must win, it is the exclamation point for SMU. We have been restarting and rebuilding for so long that we need to declare than those days are over.

Ponies, you are that team! The time is now!

Here's hoping that we beat Rice and have the Bowl game victory be the exclamation to the season!

[texd]

Clement started every game Rice won. Has a 134.2 Pass Eff and 481 yards rushing.

He did not start UCLA, Texas and Fla. St. due to injury but the first game of the season he lost a one pointer to Houston.

He played the second half of the Houston game with a broken thumb. That's what kept him out of the next 3.

[Col. Nathan R. Jessep]

I'm aware that Coach Graham may be totally full of [deleted]-just thought I'd point out I've seen three published reports that say a decision will likely be made today after a Doctors appointment.

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C'mon Stallion, Graham's baseline as an NCAA Coach is as a Recruiter-- so, of course he's totally full of [deleted]!

He's hoping PB will waste some practice time v. Clement (as QB).

But with any luck, we dream that Rice would play a passing QB with a clavicle problem.

Personally, I woory more about the running of Armstrong than anything Clement can do on Saturday...

[ponyfan84]

Either way, the coaches have to come up with a killer game plan for saturday, for arguably the biggest game of the year. If SMU loses, they most likely won't go bowling, AND its only going to get worse next year. This is a game that if they win, they'll go to a bowl, and it will look good for recruiting.

[crazy horse]

Rice is #113 in Rush D, #112 in Pass Eff D, #114 in TTL D, and #114 in Scoring D. I do not know how they held ECU to 17.

Key to Rice's season is the #8 rating in TO margin and +1 per game.

They can get pressure and are #43 in sacks and T-36 in TFL.

They allow sacks and are T-86 in that category.

Weapons are J. Dillard with 6.9 RPG for 93.7 YPG and Q. Smith #25 in rushing with 92 YPG. The main QB is Clements who seems like a decent passer that can run as well.

Just wanted to emphasize that Turnover stat. They are +11 for the year (16 FUM/8 INT Gained). Any team with that type of TO margin is going to win some games. We must take care of the football. Are the other teams that generous or Rice that opportunistic? That's +11 even after playing Texas, UCLA and Florida State!

BTW - SMU is +2 on the year.

Rice is giving up 33.2 points per game - worst in CUSA (SMU 23.9 - #5 CUSA) also giving up 430 YPG - worst in CUSA (SMU 359.7 - #6 CUSA) - I'm sure their OOC games inflated these.

We lead Rice in almost every special teams stat category and with Henderson hopefully back, are KRs could play a big part.

One more interesting stat - Rice has been penalized 44.4 YPG while their opponents were penalized 71.1 YPG (SMU 51.8/Opponents 51.2 YPG)

Contain Dillard and Rice running game, avoid turnovers and get some big plays from offense and special teams and we're bowling.

[Jacknife]

According to Todd Graham's press conference this morning, Chase Clement has been cleared (no broken collar bone), and will play Saturday.

Apparently they took him to the hospital as a precautionary measure. I think he was 'concussed'.

[MUSTANGFOREVER69]

If y'all will look back to the last time we played Rice here in Houston, we were facing the same situation. Their senior starter - Greg Henderson -had gotten hurt in the game the week before, and there was all kinds of speculation about who would be playing QB for Rice. Every sports magazine and website in the country listed Henderson as out for the game. When I talked to Coach Bennett on Friday night at the Mustang Club function, I told him this and said I hope we're ready to face Rice with an athletic Joel Armstrong at QB. He laughed at me and said that he had talked to Henderson - whom he had recruited - that afternoon, and that Henderson assured him that he was okay and that he would start. I told Coach that Henderson was BSing him and that I hoped that we were ready to face a tolly different kind of QB in a fast, athletic Armstrong. He told me not to worry. Well, if y'all went to the game like I did, it was a total embarassment. Henderson never set foot on the field and Joel Armstrong - the redshirt QB - played the whole game. He and their FB Ed Bailey ran all over us and thrashed us 44 -10.

This game is just as important for Rice as it is for us. If Clement does play, he'll be a tough task to stop since he's such a good passer (even though he signed with Rice when Hatfield was the Coach, Clement was an awesome passer in High School - he had over 3,400 passing yards his senior year). But, if Armstrong - whom we also recruited and lost toRice since we couldn't promise him a shot at QB - starts, we'd better be prepared. He has that same "it" that Willis has. And it couledd come down to who has the ball last.

I'm so damned tired of watching us get embarassed every time we play Rice down here in Houston. I'm praying that we can finally make the worm turn and kick their arses and go bowling! GO MUSTANGS!!!!!!!

[SMU_is_bowling]

MustangForever69 I am with you with that last statement . . . They always beat up on us down at that crap stadium, and I for one have had enough...if I have my way, that score from two years ago will be reversed....SMU 44- Rice 10