RANDALL JOYNER: Rambo steps in

[PonyPride]

When SAM linebackers Victor Jones and Randy McKinnon both left Saturday's victory over UTEP with injuries, backup inside linebacker Randall Joyner slid outside to replace his teammates and finish out the game. Head coach June Jones said Tuesday that Victor Jones and McKinnon will not be available for Saturday's game against Northwestern State, and that Joyner will make his first college start in their place.

Joyner, a sophomore from nearby Carrollton, Texas, said he expects to feel a combination of nerves and excitement before his first start.

"It's exciting, and I guess you could say it's a good nervousness — nothing bad," Joyner said. "Once I get that first play behind me, then it's just playing football."

Joyner primarily has backed up starter Taylor Reed at the MIKE linebacker spot, and said he feels confident the transition will go smoothly.

"(At SAM), you're just more over the tight end, so sometimes you'll be more hands-on," he said. "But it's not totally new. The coaches want us to know the responsibilities for every linebacker position."

That may be, but Joyner said he plans to spend much of the week leading up to Saturday's game in the offices of defensive coordinator Tom Mason and linebackers coach Joe Haering. He also said he plans to pick the brain of veterans like Jones.

"I was kind of familiar (with the SAM position) from listening to them talk about it in meetings," he said, "but I'm going to talk to the coaches and Vic and just try to soak up everything they can tell me."

With Joyner moving to the SAM position this week, and McKinnon and Jones shelved for at least a week, the Mustangs will undergo some shuffling among the linebackers. Kevin Pope and Lincoln Schick likely will be the top backups for the MIKE and BUCK (inside) linebacker spots.

"We're all one play away though," Joyner said. "They (the coaches) have told (true freshmen Jonathan) Yenga and (Stephon) Sanders to be ready, too. The coaches have us all prepare like we're starters, so going from backup to starting at SAM this week ... there's no difference in terms of preparation."

By sliding outside, Joyner probably will have fewer chances to make tackles in the Mustangs' defense, which is designed to have defensive linemen tie up blockers and funnel a lot of plays to the inside linebackers. On the other hand, playing outside should allow him the chance to do something the inside linebackers rarely do: rush the quarterback.

"I guess I need to work on my pass-rush moves," Joyner said. "I need to get with JG (Ja'Gared Davis) and get him to teach me some of his."

But the Mustangs' defensive system does feature the inside linebackers. Mason has said that a defensive lineman could have a great game without making a single tackle if they successfully clog up the opposing offensive line and allow the SMU linebackers to make plays. Joyner said that as an outside linebacker in the Ponies' defensive scheme, he could do the same thing.

"On the outside, we rush the passer, but we also cover tight ends and help the d-ends keep containment," he said. "They (the inside linebackers) get all the glory in the middle, but in this defense, a lot of guys do things that aren't seen in the public eye, but are seen by the coaches' eyes. Youri Yenga did that a lot last year — he was a great player who had a great year, but people didn't talk about him too much.

"If that's what we have to do, we do it, and if we all do our jobs, we have a chance to win."

[Hey June]

Good luck, Randall. Knock 'em dead Saturday.

[Roach]

Can someone who played defense explain this to me?

Sounds like Joyner will be lined up over the tight end. When he's in the middle, he has to look out for offensive linemen, right?

So wouldn't that make lining up over the tight end easier? Or is the challenge the coverage he'll have to play?