SMU Mustangs @ Houston Cougars Football Preview

Mustangs look to pull off road upset against Cougars

Date: Sunday, November 4, 2007, 7 pm Central

Location: Robertson Stadium (32,000), Houston

Television: ESPN

Season Records: SMU 1-7, 0-4 C- USA / Houston 5-3, 4-1 C- USA

The Series: Houston leads, 12-9-1; the teams have split the last two meetings:

• 2005 – SMU, 29-24, in Houston
• 2006 - Houston, 37-27, in Dallas

Injuries/personnel report

SMU:

- offensive guard Tommy Poynter (ankle) – out for season

- safety David Haynes (knee) – out for season

- defensive end Cory Muse (leg) – out

- safety Bryce Hudman (unknown) – questionable

- safety De’Von Bailey (unknown) - questionable

- defensive end Patrick Handy (unknown) - questionable

Houston:

- no info

SMU vs. Houston Overview

And so it’s over. The Phil Bennett era at SMU, that is.

On Sunday, AD Steve Orsini pulled the not so unexpected trigger, one day after a miserably close loss to Tulsa mathematically eliminated the Mustangs from bowl contention.

SMU’s sixth consecutive defeat was like others during Bennett’s tenure: a blown lead, unexplainable mistakes, and a late meltdown – another win that somehow got away.

Emmanuel Sanders hauls in a 24-yard touchdown pass that put SMU up, 20-7, in the third quarter at Tulsa.

“I made a lot of great friends,” Bennett said Monday. “People here have been very supportive of what we’ve been trying to do. We’ve been close, but as you all know, when you’re in this business, close doesn’t count.”

“To say it doesn’t hurt, would be a lie,” he said. “It does. Nobody wants to concede failure. But I think there will be some points in this tenure that we’ve had here, that will turn out to be positive.”

Bennett, with a sixth-year record of 18-48, will coach the team’s final four games.

Saturday’s loss was SMU’s third this year after leading by double digits. This time, the Mustangs appeared to have surely salted one away with a two-point lead, two minutes left and in possession of the ball on Tulsa’s one-yard line.

But after two failed plunges into the line, Tulsa drove 99 yards for the game-winner - a 51-yard dagger from Paul Smith to Charles Clay with 45 seconds remaining.

Bennett said he won’t be asking his team to rally ‘round him these last few weeks. “I don’t want them playing for me,” he said. “I want them playing, number one, for their selves, the team, this program and this university.”

Next up for SMU is defending conference champion Houston. The Coogs are a bit like Tulsa - except they can pass and run, they score more points and they have a conference-leading defense. (Gulp.)

Houston’s losses came at Oregon, 48-27, at Alabama, 30-24, and at home against ECU, 37-35.

Head coach Art Briles, with a fifth-year mark of 31-27, has led the Coogs to three bowl appearances. Houston, coming off a big 34-31 win at UTEP, is currently alone atop the West.

“Right now the measuring stick in Conference USA is going through Houston,” Bennett said.

Can the 19-point-underdog Mustangs, with nothing to lose, give the mighty Coogs a game? Maybe even win? Isn’t that reason enough to switch over to ESPN from the Dallas Cowboys game?

Houston Offense vs. SMU Defense

Advantage: Houston

Here’s the name of this tune: stop Houston’s Anthony Alridge and Donnie Avery or the Bayou City’s gonna make you sweat, baby.

Alridge, a 5-9, 175-pound senior speedster from Denton, Texas, leads Houston in rushing with 132.9 yards per game and is coming off a 204-yard effort at UTEP, his third 200-plus-yard game this year.

His career-best mark of 225 yards came at SMU last year when he scorched the Ford Stadium turf with two 77-yard touchdown runs. They don’t call him “Quick Six” for nothin’.

Though Smith finally got his 300 passing yards last week, SMU’s injury-riddled defense held the vaunted Golden Hurricane attack in check most of the way, collecting two interceptions and three fumbles.

Bennett praised the group, especially the new starters and those playing new positions.

Redshirt freshman safety Tyler Jones, in his first career start, forced a fumble and led the team with 15 tackles.

“I was extremely proud of Tyler,” Bennett said.

Defensive end Jordan Johnson, in his first career start, forced two fumbles. Bennett also noted the play of corner Brandon Jones, safety Bryan McCann and corner Devin Lowery in the makeshift secondary.

Jones and linebacker Damon Hurst had their first career interceptions. Hurst’s forced fumble and recovery were also career firsts.

Bennett praised defensive end Youri Yenga, who recorded his first career sack and forced a fumble, and tackle Ryan Leonard. Both are true freshmen. SMU fans are getting a good look at the future. This young group gets tested again Saturday.

On Tulsa’s game-winning pass, Bennett said the problem was not with Hurst, who fell down leaving the receiver open. “If anybody was at fault, it was me,” he said, adding he knew what was coming and should have called a timeout.

Bennett also pointed to an improper pass rush that gave Smith too much time. “If they stay in their rush lanes, the play is over,” he said. “You cannot ask a linebacker or corner or anyone else to cover for 7-8 seconds.”

SMU Offense vs. Houston Defense

Advantage: Houston

Bennett said SMU didn’t deserve to win at Tulsa after failing to punch it in from the one-yard-line – twice. He said a busted blocking assignment cost them on fourth down and running back DeMyron Martin appeared to slip on third down.

Justin Willis (16) talks it up with the offensive line.

Quarterback Justin Willis threw for 192 yards and rushed for 44 more. Willis is C-USA’s fourth leading passer with 242.6 yards per game. He’s second in total offense, averaging almost 300 yards per game, and still leads SMU in rushing.

James Mapps led SMU rushers at Tulsa with 69 yards on 14 carries. Columbus Givens’ first touchdown catch of the year gave SMU a 7-0 lead. Emmanuel Sanders’ touchdown grab, his fifth this season, put the Mustangs up, 20-7, in the third quarter.

“Offensively, we never got in sync,” Bennett said. “[We] didn’t score the points we needed with the opportunities we had.” SMU scored three points off five Tulsa turnovers.

And scoring won’t come any easier this week.

Houston’s D allows 354.8 yards per game, the least in C-USA, and it’s the league-leader in pass defense, allowing just 203.9 yards per game. The Coogs are fourth against the run, giving up 150.9 per game.

Senior free safety Rocky Schwartz leads Houston with 61 tackles. Corner Brandon Brinkley had a pick at Alabama and a key breakup at UTEP. Linebacker Ernest Miller leads C-USA in passes defended, with 11 breakups.

Defensive end Phillip Hunt gave SMU fits last year, collecting three sacks and four tackles for a loss.

SMU vs. Houston Special Teams

Advantage: Even

After a stellar game at Tulsa, SMU’s Thomas Morstead leads C-USA in punting with a 44.1-yard average. He also booted field goals of 32, 50 and 52 yards. The career-long 52-yarder put SMU up, 23-21, in the fourth quarter.

Morstead is 10 of 14 on field goal attempts, with a long of 52. His current school-record consecutive PAT mark is at 58.

For Houston, Chase Turner has 41.6-yard punting average, with a long of 59. (Morstead’s long is 72.)

T.J. Lawrence is 8-13 in field goal kicking with a long of 46 yards. And, like Morstead, he’s “PAT-perfect” (39-39).

Lawrence’s kickoffs average 64.5 yards, with 18 touchbacks. SMU’s Kellis Cunningham averages 62.4 with three touchbacks.

Houston’s Teric Williams is third in C-USA with an 8.3 punt return average on 17 tries. Avery had a 100-yard punt return against ECU.

Intangibles

Advantage: Even

National television in a courtroom makes people crazy sometimes. It’s the same with football. With a loose, wide-open performance, SMU could catch a spark and play lights out. There might even be an emotional wave after way too much heartache this year.

Then again, the Mustangs are 0-4 on the road - and it is Houston. The Coogs may be the ones going crazy.

SMU vs. Houston Prediction

Houston pulls away, 48-21. Too many weapons and too much D.

Quotable Bennett

• On the team he leaves behind: “I still believe these guys that are here, that are coming back, will have a chance to win a championship.”

• On SMU AD Steve Orsini: “He has a great vision for this program. I have no doubt that he’s gonna make an impact during his tenure here.”

• On short-yardage woes: “By God, at some point this year, we’ve gotta make a fourth-and-one or a third-and-one.”

SMU Football - Did you know?

• Justin Willis’ two touchdown passes at Tulsa tied him with Chuck Hixson’s career record of 40 set in 1968-70.

• Bennett said he recruited Anthony Alridge but couldn’t get him “into school.”

• SMU safety Tyler Jones’ grandfather was Bennett’s high school coach in Marshall, Texas.