Into the Frying Pan?

TCU Next For SMU In The Battle For The Iron Skillet

DALLAS - After the 43-7 scorching at the hands of Texas Tech in Lubbock last week, things might get hotter for 1-2 SMU Saturday night against arch rival TCU. It’s the Battle of the Iron Skillet and SMU head coach June Jones expects that and the kitchen sink to be thrown at his Mustangs.

“I’m not so sure TCU isn’t the best team we’ve played or are going to play,” he said at Monday’s media breakfast. The 3-0 Horned Frogs, with the nation’s No. 2 defense, are coming off an impressive 31-14 win over Stanford at home.

Quarterback Andy Dalton threw for 145 yards, completing 20 of 36 with no picks. He also rushed for 101 yards on 17 carries. Team leading rusher Ryan Christian ran for 82 yards on ten carries.

“Their offense is very productive,” Jones said. “They do a good job. I think they still want to run the ball. That’s their deal but they do a good job with their scheme and with their passing game.”

Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell was intercepted five times last week in a 43-7 loss at Texas Tech, (shown here against Texas State.) "I gave him probably too much in this game to do," said SMU head coach June Jones.

TCU’s offense ranks third in the Mountain West and is tops in time of possession, averaging 37:26 per game.

Jones said, defensively, he’s most impressed with TCU’s team speed and their belief in their scheme, which hasn’t changed in years. Senior linebacker Robert Henson is the Frogs’ leading tackler with 21 stops.

The last time the Frogs visited Dallas, three years ago, they’d just stunned OU in Norman. SMU promptly dumped TCU, 21-10, for the Frogs’ only loss in ‘05. (This year, TCU travels to OU the week after playing SMU.)

Jones said he’s already sensed the rivalry between the two schools and noted the importance of protecting the home turf.

“You’ve got to win your home games,” Jones said. “We’ve had one home game and we’ve won it. Now we’ve got some more and if we win all of them and steal one or two somewhere, we’ve got a chance, still, for a bowl game and that’s what we’re shooting for.”

(Put another way, SMU must beat TCU or the season could start to slip away. Tough road games at Tulane and UCF are next, followed by league powers Tulsa and Houston at home. Lose to the Frogs and 1-7 becomes a real possibility.)

Jones saw some positives from his defense at Lubbock, though the Mustangs gave up 693 yards. “We knew we weren’t going to slow them up,” he said. “We just had to make some plays. I thought for the first time our defense started to have an identity. They played aggressively. We did a lot of zone blitzes … that the kids did correctly.”

Linebacker Justin Smart led SMU with seven tackles. Defensive end Youri Yenga’s second-quarter sack of quarterback Graham Harrell was the first allowed by Texas Tech this season. Yenga also forced a fumble on the play, his second in two weeks.

The Mustangs allowed Red Raider conversions on only seven of 14 third-down opportunities, good enough, Jones said, for SMU to have had at least a chance to win had the offense “played efficiently.”

Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell tallied five interceptions, three on the Mustangs’ first four possessions, before giving way to Logan Turner in the third quarter with Tech leading, 36-0.

On Monday, Jones, for the first time, sounded slightly frustrated by Mitchell’s play, though he’s sticking with him for TCU. “He’s got to learn how to play the game,” Jones said. “And you’re not going to learn standing over there by me [on the sidelines.] Every quarterback that’s ever played the game has had one of those days.”

“He made some rookie decisions, throwing the ball back into the middle of the field when he was scrambling. … I obviously haven’t gotten my point across to him enough not to do those things.”

"We're building a foundation and it doesn't get built overnight," said Jones. "But every week I've seen some improvement in certain areas."

“I gave him probably too much in this game to do. And I realized that as the game was going on. He’s not ready for some of the things that I did. I thought he was and he wasn’t. He’ll be better next time.”

Jones praised his offensive line. “I think the o-line has played very well. And we played an 18-year-old freshman center [Blake McJunkin] in there that had never played in a D-1 game before. He played well.”

Jones also noted Vincent Chase, a former tight end, who made his first start at right tackle. Both McJunkin and Chase started due to injuries to Mitch Enright and Tommy Poynter, respectively.

Jones said freshman left tackle Kelvin Beachum, Jr. had “his best game.”

The offensive front has allowed just four sacks in three games. “They’re young, but they’re very competitive and are buying into what we’re telling them,” Jones said. “We’ve just got to continue to get better. And we’ve got to do some things better in the run game.”

DeMyron Martin carried 10 times for 33 yards and Chris Butler came on late for 22 yards on five tries.

“We’re building a foundation and it doesn’t get built overnight,” Jones said. “But every week I’ve seen some improvement in certain areas. We took a step back, obviously, last week offensively, but these kids are going to be very disappointed when they look at the film because they shouldn’t have a taken a step back.”

Quotable Jones:

• On wideout Emmanuel Sanders, who had his fourth straight 100-plus-yard game: “He reminds me of Jerry Rice, to be quite honest. That’s the work ethic that Jerry had.”

• On Patrick Fleming’s play at defensive end: “I think everybody can see he’s got a chance to be a big-time player.”

• On McJunkin’s first start at center: “He did nice job considering we’re putting a big load on him. All his snaps were good. He fought his rear end off.”

SMU Football Notes:

• Sanders’ 128 receiving yards per game ranks fourth nationally.

• SMU’s passing offense ranks 15 th nationally, with 303 yards per game.

• SMU assistant head coach Dan Morrison says DeMyron Martin is doing “a great job” and he’s “the classic back that you want in this offense.” Morrison added, “They’ll probably try some different running backs at different times. I don’t think we really lock into anything in that regard.”

• Braden Smith, SMU’s preseason #2 quarterback, will now redshirt. Said Morrison: “I think it was just decided that this would be a good chance for him to kind of grow into the position and watch and observe and practice when he can. He’s a great kid and a great competitor.”

On Deck:The State Farm DFW Duel - Battle for the Iron Skillet, SMU vs. TCU, Saturday, September 20, 2008, 7 p.m. CT, Ford Stadium (32,000), Dallas, Texas; TV: CBS College Sports; Radio: KTCK 1310 AM.

Prediction: Frog head coach Gary Patterson will never forget the ’05 loss to SMU. He’ll have ‘em ready. TCU 41 SMU 20.

Did You Know? Both Bo Levi Mitchell of SMU and Andy Dalton of TCU starred at quarterback for Katy High, near Houston. Mitchell led the Tigers to the 5A state championship in ’06 and Dalton took Katy to the 5A finals in ’05.

Article by Rick Atkinson -
CUSA Fans SMU Correspondent