SMU Postgame Notes

[PonyPride]

SMU Postgame Notes – November 28, 2009
at SMU 26, Tulane 21
SMU (7-5, 6-2 C-USA), Tulane (3-9, 1-7 C-USA)
Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Dallas, Texas

NEXT GAME: Bowl Game – TBD (possible C-USA Championship game on Dec. 5 if Houston loses to Rice – 7 p.m. CT kick off)

TEAM

The Mustangs are assured of a bowl bid this season, which will be the first for SMU since the 1984 Aloha Bowl (27-20 win vs. Notre Dame). This ends the fourth-longest drought in the nation.

The Mustangs improved by six wins from last season (1-11 to 7-5), which is the best single-season improvement in SMU history. SMU had improved by five wins over the previous season three times (1921-22, 1-6-1 to 6-3-1; 1946-47, 4-5-1 to 9-0-2; 1967-68, 3-7-0 to 8-3-0)

This is the last home game for SMU’s 2009 seniors. This season's seniors are Josh Bryant, Tim Crosby, Kellis Cunningham, Rock Dennis, Mitch Enright, Bryce Hudman, Chase Kennemer, Bryan McCann, A'Darius Medford, Chris Parham, Emmanuel Sanders and Zach Zimmerman.

Emmanuel Sanders (1,215) and Aldrick Robinson (624) have combined for 1,839 receiving yards this season, the second-highest tandem in SMU history. The pair also holds the highest total with 2,005 combined yards during the 2008 season. (Aldrick Robinson 1047 & Emmanuel Sanders 958)

Sanders sets the SMU single-season receiving yards record with 1,215, passing the mark of 1,131 yards by Jerry LeVias in 1968. He reached the record on his 75-yard reception in the second quarter.

The Mustangs had a 100-yard receiver (Emmanuel Sanders 144) and 100-yard rusher (Shawnbrey McNeal 147) for the second time this season. The duo also did it against UTEP (Sanders 134, McNeal 169).

The Mustangs have a 1,000-yard receiver (Emmanuel Sanders 1,215) and a 1,000-yard rusher (Shawnbrey McNeal 1,125) for just the second time. The other season was 1968 (Jerry LeVias 1,131 receiving, Mike Richardson 1,034 rushing)

Shawnbrey McNeal has 1,125 rushing yards for the seaoms. He is the first 1,000-yard rusher for SMU since Keylon Kincade had 1,280 in 2003. He is the first 1,000-yard rusher for June Jones as a collegiate head coach.

SMU in season records
- Scoring (4th – 335 points)
- Scoring average (4th – 27.9)
- Passing yards (2nd – 3206)
- Passing yards per game (5th – 267.2)
- Passing TDs (6th – 20)
- Passing completion percentage (4th – 58.9)
- Pass completions (6th – 254)
- First downs (4th – 232)
- First downs – passing (5th – 138)
- Total offense (2nd – 4559)
- Total offense per game (6th – 379.9)
- Total offense per play (2nd – 5.81)

INDIVIDUAL

Ja’Gared Davis
- Had a season-high tying nine tackles
- Had a forced fumble, his second of the season

Margus Hunt – had his first fumble recovery, securing the ball with two second laft in the game)

Zach Line - Had one rushing TD, his sixth of the season

Pete Fleps - Had a season-high 11 tackles

Marquis Frazier - Had a half-sack and has four for the season

Chase Kennemer - Had 9 tackles and now has 126 for the season; that is the most at SMU since Vic Viloria (SMU strength coach) had 126 in 2000.

Shawnbrey McNeal
- Had two rushing TDs and now has nine for the season. That is the most since Rodnick Phillips had nine rushing TDs in 1998.
- Had 147 yards rushing, giving him 1125 for the season. He is the first 1,000-yard rusher for SMU since Keylon Kincade in 2003 (1280 yards).
- Had 147 yards rushing for his fourth 100-yard game this season

Emmanuel Sanders
- Had 144 receiving yards and now has 1215 receiving yards for the season, which sets the SMU record (record was 1,131 by Jerry LeVias in 1968). That is 10th in a season in Conference USA.
- Had 6 receptions and now has 91 on the season to extend his SMU record (previous was Mick Rossley’s with 83 in 1994). That is tied for fourth in a season in C-USA history.
- Did not have a receiving TD, but holds the SMU career record at 33, which is also best in the NCAA among active players
- Had 144 receiving yards to extend his SMU record for career receiving yards to 3667 (second is Emanuel Tolbert, 2784 from 1976-79). He is fourth in Conference USA history.
- Had 6 receptions extend his SMU record for receptions to 278 (previous mark was Jason Wolf, 235 from 1989-92). He moves into third in Conference USA history.
- Had 144 all-purpose yards (all receiving) and now has 4444 for his career; moving into fourth at SMU (Craig James 4421 from 1979-82). He is just the eighth Mustang to 4000 all-purpose yards.
- This is his 15th career 100-yard receiving game, which extends his SMU record and ties for the C-USA career record.
- This is his fifth 100-yard game of the season, which is tied for second in SMU history (he hold the record of six from 2008; Jerry LeVias had five in 1968)
- His 75-yard reception in the second quarter was a season-long and the second-longest of his career. (Had a 77-yard TD against Tulsa in 2008)

Matt Szymanski
- Made FGs of 32 and 37 yards; he is 10-15 on FGs for the season
- 2-for-2 on PATs; he is 41-of-42 on the season
- His 41 PATs made is second in a season at SMU (Thomas Morstead, 43 in 2007)

Taylor Thompson - Had a half-sack and has 4.5 sacks on the season

Terrance Wilkerson - Had a career-high tying seven receptions (66 yards)

[larskjenstad]

PP,

You have been excellent all year, I look forward to your after the game Postgame Notes, really appreciate all the work you put in !