Preseason Report Card

[mustang06]

These are my offensive grades going into the season. They are based on the first string players only. Agree or Disagree?

Offense
Quarterback- A-
Willis is a very solid QB that the team believes in.

Running Backs-B+
This grade could be higher or lower depending on whether DeMyron runs hard like he did as a freshman or tiptoes like he did last year.

Offensive Line- C
This is the best group that we have had in about 5 years, but they are still not overpowering.

Wide Recievers- B-
Sanders is great, but someone else needs to emerge as a threat.

Tight Ends- B
Chase is a big body that will help mostly as a blocker. McKinney has demonstrated explosiveness on Special Teams that needs to be utilized on Offense.

Defense
Cornerbacks C+
The combination of McCann, Jones, and Lindley will be OK. Overall this unit will be improved.

Safety C
Losing Sturdivant hurts, but Hudman is poised for a big year.

DLine C
Muse is a force if he is healthy and 5th year senior Charlie Berry will be a big difference maker, but the other End and Tackle are unproven.

Linebacker C-
McCray is a Senior and a very smart player, but he is a safety that was forced to play linebacker. Hawkins will be improved. Someone has to step up in the middle. Overall this unit is small and not very physical.

All this being said, I am optimistic that SMU will be bowl bound this year.

[mustangfan01]

patrick handy isn't an unproven defensive end in my opinion.

[Sam I Am]

SMU has been weak in the secondary pass defense will be destroyed by Tech. Look for UNT to attack us there too. Our offense looks good, which gives us some chances to win this year and go at least 6-6.

[PonySnob]

Now that Slater has left, the QB grade should probably drop since we don't have a backup with any D-1 experience in the even Willis gets injured or has to miss a game for any other issues.

[ponyboy]

I was assuming that the A- grade includes Slater's apparent departure. Willis is an A.

[ponydawg]

They are based on the first string players only.

[ponyboy]

Oh, must have missed that. Thanks.

I think you gotta give Justin an A. He's not an A+, but it'd be hard to expect a better on field performance from your QB. The biggest criticism I can come up with is that he overlooked some of his weapons in preference for his buddy Sanders.

[abezontar]

he did have a propensity to fumble the ball at inopportune moments, something I hope he corrects this year.

[MustangIcon]

While I am not by any means trying to deminish Willis's accomplishments last season, he is not yet an A or A+ QB. He was an A or even A+ for a freshman but if you are grading regardless of class standing, he is not quite there yet. He needs to work on taking care of the ball, seeing the whole field, and becoming a more effective verticle passing threat. I could rate Willis a very strong B+ or an A- which as a freshman is quite impressive. As he progresses in his career at SMU I have no doubt he will be an A or A+ college QB.

[PonySnob]

Let's hope he doesn't have a "sophomore slump" this year.

[mrydel]

Let's hope he doesn't have a "sophomore slump" this year.

This has worried me in the back of my mind. I have no basis for it other than Martin who openly stated that he took his 2nd year for granted after his success as a frosh. Hopefully Martin will take up any slack coming out of his Soph. slump to make up for any slumping by Willis.

[Cadillac]

I like our starters on the OL a bit more myself. They could be a bit more consistent, yes. But I'm not sure how much of their sack totals are the result of Willis holding the ball forever making something happen. I'm not knocking Willis at all for how he plays the game, I just think that to some degree the numbers on the O-line take a hit because of how he plays it.

I'd give some love to the Oline. I think they'll be a major strength of this team, but most of us won't notice since the results will be credited to an improved Martin and an experienced Willis.

-CoS

[PonyFan]

he did have a propensity to fumble the ball at inopportune moments, something I hope he corrects this year.

Ditto.

And just for clarification, can you name a QB who fumbles at opportune times? When is an opportune time to fumble??? (Just busting your chops, of course. )

As for the rest:

• Martin needs to be huge this year, in great shape and running angry. Remember when he plowed through guys en route to the end zone against Froggy High a couple of years ago? THAT's the attitude he needs every time he touches the ball, like he thinks everyone trying to tackle him has committed some kind of personal offense against him, and it's up to him to seek revenge.

• Sledge and Lowery will be OK at WR, along with Sanders, and I'm like everyone else in that I'm hoping Givens has a speedy recovery to full health and strength. If not, one of the true freshmen (DJ Emerson? Bradley Haynes? Rodney Bradley? Aldrick Robinson? Jamell Kennedy?) needs to play this year and contribute.

• Vincent Chase will have a strong year, IMO. The guy is a man - physically - and catches better than I thought (at least based on what I saw in practice in the spring). McKinney needs to be used, too. If the WR crew is thin, we have to (say it with me, people) THROW IT MORE TO THE TIGHT ENDS.

• Offensive line: I'm not worried about the tackle spots at all. One coach told me Chase Smith could be an all-conference tackle before he's through, and if he's the second-stringer at LT, that speaks volumes about Ben Poynter. And somehow I can't overcome the idea that Kenard Burley is going to just destroy folks this year - I see a lot of running behind Burley and Peveto, especially if the TE lines up on that side (and maybe line up Haynes out there, and have him block down from the outside - let Martin run over some DBs). Enright reportedly gets better every day, and must be if they were willing to move Poynter out to LT. Enright, to me, is as essential as anyone on offense this year.

• Defensive line is scary - we need Elizee to be eligible. I'm not as worried as some about the DE scene - we all know what Muse can do, and Handy should be OK on the other end. He's not Justin Rogers, but he's a junior and strong and runs well. Adrian Dizer and Justin Smart appear to be decent players, too. I'm scared about the middle, though. Not sure about mustang06's assessment that Berry will be a difference maker, but I sure hope you're right. Interesting to note in Texas Football that Berry and Chris Parham are listed on the two-deep as the starters, with Zach Thomas and Ryan Leonard penciled in as the backups. (Admittedly, that two-deep was probably written in March by a Baylor High intern in the Dave Campbell press box, so the chance of it being accurate is minimal, at best.) Where's Mickey Dollens in that mix? I was under the impression that the coaches still have high hopes for him. Let's hope that's still the case. Supposedly Brandon Bonds has become some kind of a mentor to Parham, who has lost some excess weight and gained quickness, and maybe that two-deep is nothing more than an indication that Leonard could be a player before some people thought.

• Linebacker - not bad, not great. Wilton McCray and Tony Hawkins need to have stellar senior seasons, and some young guys - Anthony Sowe? Taylor Bon? Patrick Strodtman? - need to make a quantum leap into the rotation.

• Secondary - I like the CB rotation of Brandon Jones, Bryan McCann and Jonathan Lindley a lot. Hudman, as many seem to think, could be poised to break out big. To me, the secondary hinges on what Rock Dennis and David Haynes can do at the FS spot.

• Special teams - Thomas Morstead and Jessie Henderson: Thanks, guys. Kick some tail this year.

[PonyKai]

SMU has been weak in the secondary pass defense will be destroyed by Tech. Look for UNT to attack us there too. Our offense looks good, which gives us some chances to win this year and go at least 6-6.

Somehow I don't think the secondary will be the weakest area this year. With McCann's pure skil, athleticism, and progression last year he has the definite ability to be a true shut-down corner. Sturidvant was more of a threat to shut down the run, and Lindley in his senior year ought to be pretty good. Couple that with the losses at MLB and the DL and teams will seem to want to run it right down our throats.

[Cadillac]

When is an opportune time to fumble???

If Willis drops the game ball on his way to the lockeroom after at C-USA championship win, I'll find it in my heart to forgive him.

-CoS