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I think we would struggle against both UNT and UTSA from what I've seen so far, but it's still too early to tell how the season will play out. This next game against TCU will tell me a lot.

My biggest concern with this team is how soft we look against quality opponents, but that is in part because of the "run and shoot" or spread offense that we play. When JJ was having success at Hawaii, it was because he was spreading the field before everyone and their brother adopted that approach. His approach was viewed as somewhat of an equalizer when you had less talented players than your opponents. Ever since the death penalty, we've played with smaller, slower and less skilled guys than our former SWC foes that moved onto BCS level.

I know everyone preferred JJ to Paul Johnson at the time, because Johnson's system was "boring" and kids were going to want to play in an exciting offense, but I wonder where SMU would be if Johnson had come aboard? He's clearly a system guy, but a system that is against the grain and attracts hard nosed players who are "pesky" to face on the field. I suspect we might have had about the same degree of success, but I think we would have been a lot more competitive against the big boys.

But in response to the question that started this thread...yes, I don't think we play Georgia as tough as UNT did. I'm also not sure we could go into El Paso and beat UTEP as badly as UTSA did. And...it's probably a good thing we don't play Rice this year. Who's left...Texas State?

UNT has a lot of seniors and they could win the C-USA west.

We've been passed up by UTSA too.

UTSA went into El Paso and won easily missing 3 starters with their defense not allowing an offensive TD. UTEP not good sure, but when is last time we went there or on the road anywhere and won pretty easily except Memphis. Usually we pull a Tulane.

There is a moment when Chris Parks makes a flying attempt to tackle a guy 6+ yards away from him. He dives straight at him while their guy is running laterally, as if he won't be somewhere else when he got there. It was so ridiculous that it reminded me of the ALL OUT blitz against Tech...such an obvious attempt to "look" like you are competing but fundamentally not caring if you are actually competing. It's a farce. Only a handful of guys played like they really thought they could compete...of it weren't so many I'd say cut the rest...also, June promotes the culture of "we do what we do" and "got to 'steal' games on the road"...you don't "steal" wins, you work hard, scheme hard and execute hard to win them.

Pony in SA wrote:UTSA went into El Paso and won easily missing 3 starters with their defense not allowing an offensive TD. UTEP not good sure, but when is last time we went there or on the road anywhere and won pretty easily except Memphis. Usually we pull a Tulane.

2012
SMU 17 UTEP 0

Stallion wrote:UTSA upset UTEP in EL PASO something that SMU rarely does. I'm pretty confident SMU would be an underdog to every former SWC team just like we were under Gregg, Rossley, Cavan and Bennett. Just how far has this program really come?

Full circle and back to where we were with little hope of improving

Charleston Pony wrote:I know everyone preferred JJ to Paul Johnson at the time, because Johnson's system was "boring" and kids were going to want to play in an exciting offense, but I wonder where SMU would be if Johnson had come aboard? He's clearly a system guy, but a system that is against the grain and attracts hard nosed players who are "pesky" to face on the field. I suspect we might have had about the same degree of success, but I think we would have been a lot more competitive against the big

Not sure that people preferred Jones over Johnson, I think it was because Johnson turned down the job offer. Then when Jones came along, it was like "Hey, this is even better!"

Big Hoss wrote:There were a couple plays where guys chasing Manziel looked like they were running half speed and just gave up. They were within reaching distance of him if they had just dove or made the effort. Pathetic.

So you think they were going half speed and managed to get within reaching distance of him? I do not think we have any players who can almost catch Manziel if they are going half speed.

Did you consider that maybe he is insanely quick and elusive so they looked like they were going half speed compared to him, or did you just jump straight to assuming a lack of effort?


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Were they going half-speed or just that slow. God bless Bordano-he had a tough injury before ever playing for SMU but he is running about a 4.9 out there at least on gameday. That ain't going to cut it at this level. Maybe he was gassed but we need to look for his replacement