Kicking Down The Door

2007 SMU Mustangs In-Depth Football Preview

DALLAS - Quick – who said this?

“One year ago, we knocked on the door. This year, we beat on the door. Next year, we’re gonna kick the sum-bitch in.”

• A) The Big, Bad Wolf
• B) SMU head coach Phil Bennett
• C) Houston Oilers coach Bum Phillips

“C” is correct. Phillips uttered the lines after a 1980 playoff loss to the Steelers.

Mustangs head coach Phil Bennett at last Friday's media day at SMU.

But we’ll give partial credit for “B”, because if Bennett didn’t say it, he surely thought it after SMU’s loss to Rice last year that cost the Mustangs their first bowl game since ‘84.

SMU, a 4-4 finisher each of its two seasons in Conference USA, now looks to get over the hump in a big way.

“Our goal is plain and simple,” said Bennett last Friday at SMU’s media day at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. “It’s to win the Conference USA championship.”

“We missed an opportunity [last year,]” Bennett said. “I felt we very easily could have been an eight-win season, and should have been an eight-win season.

Coming up short near the goal line in ’06 cost SMU dearly against Houston and Rice. “It’s a motivator, without any question, Bennett said.

“This year, one of the things that we’re focusing on is finishing,” he said.

Things are certainly trending in the right direction, otherwise. In ‘06, the Mustangs:

• had their first non-losing season, (6-6), and were bowl-eligible for the first time since ’97,
• increased their win totals for the third consecutive year,
• had their first winning September since ’92,
• were in the conference title race in November,
• and had a conference-high six players on C-USA’s All-Freshman team.

Bennett, in his sixth year at SMU with a 17-41 record, admits progress has been slow. “I’m not gonna beat around the bush,” he said. “This has been harder than I thought. It’s been humbling. But I can tell you, I’m committed.”

And so are school administrators, evidently. Bennett said he believes SMU has committed more funds to football this year than in all his years on The Hilltop combined.

After last season, Bennett said AD Steve Orsini asked him flat out, “What do you need?” And nearly all items discussed have been accomplished, Bennett said, including staff increases and extensive weight room remodeling.

New strength coach Vic Viloria has also greatly improved conditioning and weight training results, he said.

Could this be the year?

2007 SMU OFFENSE

The offense returns ten players who’ve started and, for the first time in years, there’s no question who’ll be quarterback – record-breaking sophomore Justin Willis.

New starting center Mitch Enright.

SMU was fourth in the league last year in scoring offense, with 27 points per game. Bennett wants it over 30. Other areas needing improvement include the Mustangs’ 125.8-yard rushing average - eighth in C-USA - and their 32 sacks allowed – tenth in the league.

O-Line: This crew has loads of depth. Senior Ben Poynter moves from center to left tackle and sophomore Mitch Enright steps up at center. The right side is senior-laden with Kenard Burley at tackle and Caleb Peveto at guard. At left guard is junior Sean Lobo.

Said Poynter, “We’ve got a lot of guys who know what they’re doing. We have … maybe nine players who can really contribute during the games this year, which is quite a bit, for any offensive line to have that kind of rotation.”

That rotation includes Chase Smith, Tommy Poynter, Lucky Delay, Joe Holmes and others. Not a freshman in the bunch.

SMU averaged 3.7 yards per rush last year. “Not good enough,” Bennett said. “You gotta be over be over 4 [yards] if you’re gonna win the championship.”

Quarterbacks: C-USA Freshman of the Year Willis is set to light it up again. In ’06 he completed 182 of 270 passes for 2,047 yards, with just six picks. His 26 TD passes and 67.4 percent completion rate are school records. Willis’ 158.4 efficiency rating was second in C-USA and tenth in the nation.

But Willis admits he must protect the ball better. “I didn’t have many interceptions thrown,” he said, “but I had some costly turnovers, fumbling the ball, in key games.”

Justin Willis (16) takes snap from Mitch Enright (51). From left in red, Ben Poynter (66) and Sean Lobo (74). From left in white, Rock Dennis (10), Charlie Berry (92) and Damon Hurst (44).

Willis said his throwing hand, injured earlier this year, is 100 percent.

RS freshman Zach Rhodes and true freshman Logan Turner are battling for the No. 2 spot, with the departure of Corey Slater.

Running backs: Can junior DeMyron Martin regain his ‘05 form, when he rushed for 854 yards and seven TDs? Bennett thinks so, calling him “new and improved.”

“I think he’s got a commitment that, to be quite honest with you, he didn’t have a year ago,” Bennett said. “I didn’t think that he cherished the fact of being a part of this program.”

Martin was sidelined five games last year with a foot injury and his totals fell to 369 yards and no rushing TDs. He said his biggest challenge has been focus. In his first collegiate game, the ‘05 win over TCU, Martin electrified the home crowd with three touchdowns and 118 yards rushing.

“I was so motivated and so focused, getting to play,” Martin said. “Then it kind of went downhill from there.”

Martin says he’s ready now.

A talented stable of backs includes seniors Cedrick Dorsey and Fred Turner, sophomore James Mapps and redshirt freshman Chris Butler. Of this group, Mapps led last year with 321 yards on 69 attempts, a 4.7-yard average.

Receivers: Sophomore wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders led the team last year with 46 catches for 605 yards. His nine receiving touchdowns were the most ever by a freshman at SMU. He also broke Jerry LeVias’ 29-year-old school record by catching TD passes in six consecutive games.

Sanders, the tallest starting wideout at 6-1, said he’s not worried about height disadvantages.

“Speed and size, they even out,” he said. “Height drives defenses crazy – if you can go up and get it. Some guys have height, but they can’t go up and get it. Speed’s gonna drive defenses crazy regardless, because if you’ve got speed, the game’s much faster.”

“One thing you can’t do is … measure a man’s heart,” he said.

Senior Devin Lowery moves back to receiver from defensive back. Junior Columbus Givens is healthy after recovering from serious illness and senior Zack Sledge is poised for “a breakout year,” according to Bennett. QB Rhodes may also see time here.

Of those returning, Givens was No. 2 behind Sanders in ’06 with 22 catches for 306 yards and four TDs.

At tight end, junior Vincent Chase takes over for three-year starter Ryan Kennedy. Bennett says Chase could be his best tight end yet.

2007 SMU DEFENSE

Only six starters are back, with three of four gone up front, including last year’s sack leader, Justin Rogers. The unit must also replace its two leading tacklers, middle linebacker Reggie Carrington, who decided to forego his last year of eligibility, and All-Conference safety Joe Sturdivant.

“Defensively, we’ve got some work to do,” Bennett said.

On the up side, two fifth-year seniors who took ‘06 off for academic work are back: cornerback Brandon Jones and tackle Charlie Berry.

Last year’s unit led C-USA in rushing defense, with 107.5 yards per game, but the secondary gave up 245 through the air, ninth in the conference.

Coach Joe Sawyer, right, works with defensive tackle Charlie Berry.

D-Line: Senior end Cory Muse, the only returning starter, is healthy after playing on a bad knee most of last year. Muse led the team last year with 10.5 tackles for a loss and had seven sacks, second only to Rogers.

Opposite Muse is junior Patrick Handy, and in the middle are Berry and RS freshman nose guard Chris Parham.

Muse said he likes SMU’s makeup this year. “You have to play with energy and emotion. That’s the type of team we have right now. We’ve been to the bottom. Every year’s gotten better, even last year, [though] we came up short.”

Linebackers: “Let’s not kid ourselves,” said senior linebacker Wilton McCray. “Losing Reggie Carrington was a loss. But, you know, we can’t worry about that. We have to worry about who’s here. And we’re coming together well.”

Senior Damon Hurst and redshirt freshmen Ryan Moczygemba and Pete Fleps are working to fill the middle. Junior Tony Hawkins returns on the strong side and Will Bonilla provides experienced backup.

McCray, the team’s third leading tackler last year, with 70, said success is now up to the players.

“We have no more room for excuses,” he said. “We have great facilities. We have great coaches. We have a great staff behind us and the administration. They’re giving their all to us and we have to pay them back on the field.”

Defensive backs: Bennett says this could be the best secondary he’s had at SMU. Three starters return and a talented JC transfer, Rock Dennis, was added. There’s depth at corner too.

Sophomore Bryce Hudman takes Sturdivant’s strong-side spot and Dennis will handle free safety. Senior Jonathan Lindley and sophomore Bryan McCann return at the corners. Jones is considered a third starter at the corner.

“I was very disappointed in our pass defense on third down,” Bennett said of ‘06, adding opponents’ third-down conversion rate was maybe the highest in his coaching career, 45 percent.

2007 SMU SPECIAL TEAMS

SMU led the league last year in three of four special teams categories: punting, kickoff coverage and kickoff returns. Bennett said if not for penalties the Mustangs would have led in punt returns too.

Punter: Junior Thomas Morstead’s 43.8 yards per punt led C-USA. The mark is also the best by a Mustang since all-time leader Craig James’ 44.9 average in 1982. Morstead, at 6-5, 230, is also nice to have around for tackling duty, if necessary. “I’m definitely a big body,” he said. “I think Coach [Bennett] kind of likes that.”

Kicker: Morstead hit 13 of 18 field goal attempts last season with a long of 50. Sophomore Kellis Cunningham, one of three true freshmen to play and letter last season, will again handle kickoffs. He averaged 61.4 yards per kick with 16 touchbacks last season.

Kickoff Return: Jessie Henderson, who led the nation in kickoff return average before a mid-season foot injury, is back. This year’s rule change calling for kickoffs from the 30-yard-line should give Henderson ample chances to break one.

Punt Return: Sanders, who returned kickoffs during Henderson’s absence last year, is slated to see his first action as a punt returner. Other options include Zack Sledge, Columbus Givens, Bryan McCann and Devin Lowery.

2007 SMU Football Schedule (Central Times)

Mon. 9/3 vs. Texas Tech 3 p.m. (ESPN)

Head Coach Phil Bennett exhorts the Mustangs during end- of-practice sprints in 100-degree weather.

Sat. 9/8 vs. North Texas 7 p.m.

Sat. 9/15 at Arkansas State 6 p.m.

Sat. 9/22 at TCU 7:30 p.m. (CSTV)

Sat. 9/29 vs. UTEP 3:30 p.m. (CSTV)

Sat. 10/13 at Southern Miss 6:30 p.m. (CSTV)

Sat. 10/20 vs. Tulane 2 p.m.

Sat. 10/27 at Tulsa 2 p.m.

Sun. 11/4 at Houston 7 p.m. (ESPN)

Sat. 11/10 vs. Rice 2 p.m.

Sat. 11/17 vs. UCF 2 p.m.

Sat. 11/24 at Memphis 2 p.m.

Sat. 12/1 C-USA Championship TBA (ESPN)

Bottom Line

Starting at least 2-2 is a must for SMU to stay on track for a bowl and build momentum for conference play.

Wins over Texas Tech and TCU are possible, but losing either would not be disastrous. North Texas and Arkansas State are different. Lose these and things get dicey. In fact, drop the North Texas game at home and SMU fans will run from Ford stadium directly into oncoming traffic.

That ain’t happenin’, though.

An improved rushing game, protection for Willis and a big play defense will spell turnaround season.

Where are my bowling shoes?

2007 SMU Prediction: 8-4, West champs.

Bowl: Texas Bowl vs. Kansas State, Dec. 28, at Reliant Stadium, Houston.

Quotable Bennett

• On the twentieth anniversary of SMU’s death penalty: “I’m not sure it matters to the players, but it does to me. I took this job knowing it was a tough job. I want to be the guy to turn this program around. This is a big year for us – plain and simple. [SMU’s] been fair to me. They’ve worked with me. … People can talk about other programs, but nobody has suffered what this program has suffered – bar none.”
• “I’ve never tried to be a phony. I’m passionate about football. I’m a teacher. I’m not one of those coaches who sits there and watches everybody else coach. That’s not who I am. I never will be. I’m a coach and I feel like I can coach any position on the field.”

Check out the 2007 SMU football 2-deep roster.