Breakout players: 2005

[SMU Football Blog]

At the risk of hacking off the nay-sayers, I'm going to venture out with all-conference picks for this year:

First team:
TE Ryan Kennedy
LB Alvin Nnabuife

Second team:
WR Bobby Chase
DE Justin Rogers
PK Chris McMurtray

Honorable mention:
CB Ro Humphrey
LB D.D. Lee

Wow. You mentioned seven players there. That is seven more players than were All-WAC last year. Actually, I am a little optimistic and can see some names on there, but seven is a little much.

[LA_Mustang]

I stand by my statement from over a year ago.....Cory Muse is the most impressive football player I've seen suit up for the Ponies in quite some time. If he truly is healthy and 100%, he's my pick to click.

[stentman]

Chris Mcmurtray is a real weapon--hopefully he will get a lot more chances to show what he is capable of as the team improves this year. He only missed 1 FG last year and was 5 for 5 in the spring game with a 48 yarder that would have been good from 60!

[SMU Football Blog]

Chris Mcmurtray is a real weapon--hopefully he will get a lot more chances to show what he is capable of as the team improves this year. He only missed 1 FG last year and was 5 for 5 in the spring game with a 48 yarder that would have been good from 60!

Maybe he can redeem himself for the missed fieldgoal against Baylor two years ago.

[BigC]

We don't have to have a work horse for a running back as long as the QB is mobile. That's when the decision to play Eckert or Romo comes into play. Romo is a much tougher player who can run the ball if he needs to. He still has a strong arm and with a little more experience he can become a very respectabale QB. Eckert just doesn't provide the double threat that Romo does. Bennett needs to make a decision on who he want's to start. He hasn't done it in the last 3 years so it might be a good time to start!

[KnuckleStang]

Romo did impress me outrunning the Okie St. secondary on that one play. That boy can motor. But he needs a better arm to go with the wheels.

[giacfsp]

Personally, I'd like to see Lindley and Victor Makinde emerge to join Ro Humphrey as the best trio of CBs in the conference. I know, Makinde's really raw, from what I've read. But that's what I'd like to see.

And I think he's been here too long to qualify as a "breakout player," but I'd really like to see Darrin Johnson (A) get fully healthy (B) and be really angry from August until the end of the season. Nobody that big should be that nice. He should be mangling people each and every week.

Since he's flown largely under the radar, give me Martin Guidry as my other breakout player. He seems to have the attitude I like in an OL.

[PonyFan]

I like Guidry, too.
And Jessie Henderson, Fred Turner and Devin Lowery are my other "breakout" picks.

[Kaygd Animal]

Breakout Players Wishlist
Chris Phillips - I doubt he will be featured this year since Eckert and Romo are more experienced but I'd like to see Chris prove to Bennett that he can lead this team to glory.

Richuel Massey - For those of you that do not know, I am also a Florida State Seminoles fan, and Greg Jones is my second favorite ex-Seminole. I love the big bruiser backs and Massey reminds me a little of Jones. He has the size, the speed, and the ability to plow. Now he just needs to step up and prove it. Cedrick Dorsey and Richuel Massey, together, could form one of the toughest duos in the backfield in Conference USA.

Victor Makine - Phil Steele has him listed as starting Free Safety. He has the size and speed but like everyone else has noted, he is raw. From what I've read, he's only had one year of high school experience (correct me if I'm wrong please) so starting at CB might hinder him. I know FS is no walk in the park but it's easier to pick up than CB. I'd like to see him opposite of Rolando Humphrey but I believe it would serve him better to see starting action as a FS.

Vincent Chase - From what I hear, he's returning from an injury. I hear he is willing to do whatever it takes to help the team succeed and that is what I love to hear about players. The NFL is currently turning to tight ends that can catch very well. Vincent Chase can catch and to top that off, he can block. I'd like to see him come back from that injury and step up to become a vital part of the offense.

[GrapevineMustang]

I also would like to see Massey have a strong year. But he's not really the same guy as Greg Jones, right? Wasn't Jones about 260 pounds? Massey got down to 210 in the spring, which has him moving a lot better. When he arrived at SMU, he was extremely strong -- he still is -- but he was so muscled up he couldn't move as well as he could. He's moving a lot better now. I'm looking forward to a big year from Massey.

Your other comments are interesting. If Makinde is starting at safety (like that's been decided), is that ahead of Harper, a three-year starter? From what I'd heard, Goode was pretty entrenched at strong safety. And I assume that means Ro Humphrey and Lindley will start at CB. But if the opponent goes to a 3-WR set, does that mean Brandon Jones? David Haynes?

And I personally can attest to Vincent Chase's blocking ability. I saw him play a few times in high school (I know, high school's a different game than college), and he looked like an NFL lineman against high school guys. He was nothing short of overpowering. Granted, he often was blocking guys who were much smaller than the guys he'll line up against now, but the strength and technique is there. Question: anyone knows what he weighs? I'd heard he got up to 270, which sounds like he might be headed to a shift to the OL, where he could be amazing. In the meantime, I don't know how many balls he'll catch, simply because Ryan Kennedy should be Option #1 in the passing game until someone proves they can tackle him.

[Kaygd Animal]

I also would like to see Massey have a strong year. But he's not really the same guy as Greg Jones, right? Wasn't Jones about 260 pounds? Massey got down to 210 in the spring, which has him moving a lot better. When he arrived at SMU, he was extremely strong -- he still is -- but he was so muscled up he couldn't move as well as he could. He's moving a lot better now. I'm looking forward to a big year from Massey.

Your other comments are interesting. If Makinde is starting at safety (like that's been decided), is that ahead of Harper, a three-year starter? From what I'd heard, Goode was pretty entrenched at strong safety. And I assume that means Ro Humphrey and Lindley will start at CB. But if the opponent goes to a 3-WR set, does that mean Brandon Jones? David Haynes?

And I personally can attest to Vincent Chase's blocking ability. I saw him play a few times in high school (I know, high school's a different game than college), and he looked like an NFL lineman against high school guys. He was nothing short of overpowering. Granted, he often was blocking guys who were much smaller than the guys he'll line up against now, but the strength and technique is there. Question: anyone knows what he weighs? I'd heard he got up to 270, which sounds like he might be headed to a shift to the OL, where he could be amazing. In the meantime, I don't know how many balls he'll catch, simply because Ryan Kennedy should be Option #1 in the passing game until someone proves they can tackle him.

That's news to me about Massey. I cannot personnally attest to Richuel Massey being the same style of back that Greg Jones is/was being that I haven't had any chances to watch any games/game film, but after reading scouting notes and a few Pre-Season magazines the last few years, he did remind me of the way Greg Jones ran the ball.

As for Victor Makinde, I have a bit of faith in Phil Steele. I'm not trying to sound like I'm advertising for him but so far he's done a pretty good job of predicting player and team success. However, considering the fact that they are not a major player in the BCS, you will have to consider that they probably spend less time scouting teams like SMU than they do USC, Oklahoma, Texas, etc.

According to the Phil Steele Magazine, questionable certain players he predicts will be starting are: Chris Phillips and Victor Makinde. Victor has the size to be a free safety and personally, I feel that would be a better fit. As for starting, I have doubts really. I was just going off what the preview mag was listing. I don't have it in front of me (bathroom reading material ) but from what I recall he had the defensive backs starting lineup as this: Johnnie Fitzgerald (CB), Rolando Humphrey (CB), Jamey Harper (SS), Victor Makinde (FS). Make of it what you will though because as I stated before, they probably spent less time scouting the Mustangs than a power team.

[Corso]

Less time scouting? I'd hazard a guess Ol' Phil and his staff don't know where SMU is. He can copy the hell out of a press release, but he wouldn't know Chris Phillips from Tony Eckert if you gave him a game film.

[Kaygd Animal]

Less time scouting? I'd hazard a guess Ol' Phil and his staff don't know where SMU is. He can copy the hell out of a press release, but he wouldn't know Chris Phillips from Tony Eckert if you gave him a game film.

Well, you see, he doesn't do the scouting himself. He receives his information from scouts around the nation. For example, he is in connections with someone that scouts SMU. Who that person is, I don't know.

So that is how he writes his reports. Sort of like how I do my little writeups based off of what is available to me. I'm sure Phil Steele knows where the SMU campus is at since the schools claims fame to Doak Walker, Eric Dickerson, Don Meredith, etc. If you do not know who any of those three players are, then you obviously have never paid any attention to football, let alone SMU football.

His magazine contains mostly statistics and very few vitals about the players besides height & weight. There isn't a whole lot of player info in the magazine he puts out.

[Hoss]

Actually, I know someone who was on Phil Steele's staff until two years ago. He said that 99% of the info in that magazine comes from school-issued press releases and prospecti.

As for my breakout players: Devin Lowery and Johnny Fitzgerald

[mustangswillwin]

Mouton and Jones will be missed, but I heard DeLay is up to 280 these days. His first 3 games last season showed signs of success before his injury....we will see