The Capital: SMU makes quick run with progress

[The PonyGrad]

When June Jones took over the downtrodden Southern Methodist University football program, he figured it would take at least three years to rebuild.

Jones needed to completely overhaul the offensive personnel to fit his renowned Run-and-Shoot system and dramatically upgrade the talent level of a defense that was routinely shredded under previous head coach Phil Bennett.

"Realistically, it takes at least two or three full recruiting classes to get things turned around," Jones said this week. "I would never have expected to go to a bowl game in our second year."

Jones, who compiled a stellar 76-41 record in nine seasons at Hawaii, has resurrected SMU far faster than anyone expected. In just his second season at the helm, Jones led the Mustangs to an 8-5 record and victory in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. It was only the second winning season since the Dallas school resumed playing football following the NCAA-mandated death penalty in 1989. It marked the program's first bowl berth since 1894.

Jones was named Conference USA Coach of the Year, and deservedly so since SMU fashioned one of the greatest turnarounds in recent Division I history after posting consecutive 1-11 records its last two seasons under Bennett. Jones, who originally signed a five-year deal worth just under $2 million annually, was rewarded with a two-year contract extension.

"We're making progress, but we still have a long way to go," Jones said. "We're just holding on to our rear ends every week because we're one or two injuries away from disaster. We're about 1½ recruiting classes away because we still have no depth."

SMU enters tomorrow's meeting with Navy at 4-2, its best start since 1986. The Mustangs are executing the Run-and-Shoot at a high level, averaging nearly 30 points and 414 total yards per game.

A big reason for SMU's success has been the emergence of quarterback Kyle Padron. The Mustangs were 3-4 last season when starting quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell went down with an injury. Padron, a true freshman at the time, took over and compiled a 5-1 record and phenomenal 159.9 passing rater as the starter. He was named Most Valuable Player of the Hawaii Bowl after setting a single-game school record with 460 passing yards.

Jones is referring to the fact Padron was lightly recruited coming out of perennially powerful Southlake Carroll High, which is located in a suburb of Forth Worth. Padron only started five games for Southlake because he suffered a broken hand five games into his senior season. However, the 6-foot-4, 217-pounder has proven the perfect trigger man for the Run-and-Shoot, throwing for 3,486 yards and 26 touchdowns in 12 career starts.

Jones and staff discovered another gem in sophomore Zach Line, who was recruited as a linebacker. However, the bruising 6-foot-1, 235-pounder found his niche as a goal-line specialist last season with seven of 49 carries resulting in touchdowns.

That performance prompted Jones to make the Michigan native the team's primary ball-carrier and Lines has responded by rushing for 562 yards and five touchdowns this season. Navy defensive coordinator Buddy Green said the development of a formidable ground game makes the Mustangs' high-powered passing attack more difficult to contain.

"This is by far the best offense we will have seen and presents our biggest challenge to date," Green said this week.

While the offense has come together faster than expected, Jones has been particularly proud of the strides SMU has made on defense. An inability to stop opponents was a problem during the first half of last season and the Mustangs wound up allowing an average of 28 points and almost 400 yards per game.

Both figures are down slightly this season and Jones has been impressed by the overall toughness the defense has displayed.

"I feel like we are much better defensively than a year ago. I'm telling you that our defense has kept us in games this season. Our front seven is pretty good," Jones said.

SMU remains a young team as just four of 22 starters are seniors. There are 23 sophomores or freshman in the two-deep.
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[SmooBoy]

"It marked the program's first bowl berth since 1894."

[StallionsModelT]

1894?! My God!

[Mestengo]

LOL

[DiamondM75]

"It marked the program's first bowl berth since 1894."

Wouldn't that be the Alamo Bowl?

[ponyboy]

In 1894, the revolution in Sicily was crushed by government troops, James J. Corbett KOed Charley Mitchell in 3 for heavyweight boxing title, and in the 1st college basketball game, the University of Chicago beat Chicago YMCA 19-11