SMU Mustangs vs. Rice Owls Football Preview

Mustangs look for victory over Rice

Date: Saturday, Nov. 10, 2007, 2 p.m. Central

Location: Gerald J. Ford Stadium (32,000); Dallas

No Television

Season Records: SMU 1-8, 0-5 C-USA / Rice 2-7, 2-3 C-USA

The Series: SMU leads 45-38-1. The 45 wins are the Mustangs’ most against any opponent. Rice’s 38 wins are its most over any school. Rice won last year in Houston, 31-27. SMU has won four of the last five 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

Rice:

- no info

SMU vs. Rice Overview

SMU fans who thought the Mustangs might lie down at Houston last Saturday were pleasantly surprised. The Cougars might have been surprised too.

Though their coach had been fired and their bowl dreams are long gone, the Mustangs got all over heavily-favored Houston early and trailed only 31-28 in the fourth quarter before falling, 38-28.

And if SMU doesn’t turn the ball over four times before halftime, the Mustangs win this game, right, coach? “I don’t think there’s any doubt,” said SMU head coach Phil Bennett on Tuesday.

SMU's Wilton McCray (5) and Tyler Jones (41) wrap up Houston's Anthony Alridge for no gain in the first half.

It was SMU’s seventh loss in a row.

“I thought we got focused,” Bennett said.

“As I said after the game, I applaud my coaches. We’re all veterans. We all know the situation. We didn’t dwell on it. And the kids responded.”

“I think the way we handled it was the right way. Our obligation is to go out and … do the best we can do.”

Bennett is coaching SMU’s final four games this season after being fired October 28.

One thing the last two weeks have shown: the Mustangs can compete with the best in the West, Tulsa and Houston. But in this crazy conference, no one can be overlooked, including SMU’s next opponent, 2-7 Rice.

Last Saturday, the Owls rallied for 28 fourth-quarter points at home to drop UTEP, 56-48. Rice quarterback Chase Clement went nuts, scoring a C-USA record eight touchdowns – six passing and two rushing – on his way to a school-record 498 yards of total offense.

Rice’s other win came at Southern Miss and the Owls have narrowly lost to Houston and Memphis.

“We respect Rice, obviously,” Bennett said. “I mean, we have to respect everybody. We’ve gotta find a way to go out and win a game.”

Rice ranks near the bottom of C-USA in total offense and rushing. And the young Owls, though improving, are last in scoring defense and total defense.

First-year Rice head coach David Bailiff had a 21-15 mark in three years at Texas State. Bennett’s record is 18-49 in his sixth and final year at SMU.

SMU Offense vs. Rice Defense

Advantage: SMU

Quarterback Justin Willis had four fumbles in the first half at Houston, losing three.

Bennett called Willis’ turnovers “an issue,” but said it was correctable.

Bennett said someone asked him why Willis wasn’t benched. “You know what?” Bennett said. “He gave us a chance to win.” Indeed Willis did, coming back to throw two second-half touchdown passes - with no turnovers.

SMU could have a big day against the Owls, whose 4-2-5 scheme allows 510.9 yards and 42.2 points per game, the most in the league. Rice’s pass defense also ranks last in C-USA (328.3 ypg).

But Bennett noted the Owls’ young defenders appear to be coming together. “The young guys they’ve got, they’re making some mistakes, but they’re playing hard,” Bennett said.

Rice held UTEP to just 49 yards rushing and had seven three and outs.

The Owls start true freshmen at defensive ends, Cheta Ozougwu (6-2, 240) and Scott Solomon (6-3, 250). Senior cornerback Gary Anderson (6-0, 180) leads C-USA with 14 passes defended.

Safety Andrew Sendejo (6-1, 213) and linebacker Brian Raines (6-1, 222) are among the league’s top tacklers with 75 and 66 stops, respectively.

Rice Offense vs. SMU Defense

Advantage: Rice

The Owls rushing offense averages just 107.6 yards per game, eleventh in the league - but watch the pass, guys.

Clement (6-1, 208), Rice’s junior signal-caller, is one the top quarterbacks in C-USA according to Bennett. And after his record-breaking performance last week, who’d argue?

Phil Bennett (right, in white), fired as head coach of SMU last week, hasn't lost his passion for the game.

“He’s a guy that when the game was on the line Saturday against UTEP, he was able to make plays with this feet and his arm. I think he keeps plays alive for them, much like Justin does for us.”

Clement, like Willis, leads his team in rushing, though only for 36 yards per game. Clement was injured last year and didn’t play against SMU.

Apologies to Flip Wilson, but do the name Jarett Dillard ring a bell? Dillard, you’ll recall, caught three touchdown passes in last year’s meeting in Houston, including the fourth-quarter game-winner that sent Rice bowling.

Dillard, Rice’s first All-America receiver since Buddy Dial in 1958, has combined with Clement for 31 career touchdowns, making them the most productive pair in Rice history.

Dillard (5-11, 185) has 51 catches for 753 yards and nine touchdowns this year.

Tommy Henderson (5-9, 183), Toren Dixon (6-2, 208) and Dillard each caught two touchdown passes last week against UTEP.

Senior Joel Armstrong (5-11, 195), who played quarterback against SMU last year, had a career-high eight catches against Memphis and has 18 catches in the last four games.

True freshman tailback Justin Hill (5-11, 205) had his first start against Texas and had a 54-yard touchdown run at Southern Miss.

SMU’s passing and rushing defense rates ninth in C-USA, (298.7 ypg and 192 ypg, respectively), and the Mustangs give up 36.7 points per game, just better than Rice.

Still, SMU’s injury-riddled defense held its own for much of the game against high-powered Houston. Anthony Alridge got away for a 36-yard TD run in the second quarter, and the Coogs got their yards, but SMU gave up just one second-half score.

Bennett said his defense is really banged up now, though. “We’ve got an injury problem on defense,” he said. “We’re trying to get some guys back.”

“It’s just gonna be a wait and see.”

Without naming names Bennett said bruises and hamstring strains abound. Tuesday, the Mustangs practiced in shells-only. Safeties Bryce Hudman and De’Von Bailey, who didn’t play last week, are “getting better,” Bennett said.

At Houston, redshirt freshman safety Tyler Jones had his second consecutive 15-tackle game and his first career fumble recovery. Linebackers Wilton McCray and Damon Hurst had 11 stops each.

SMU vs. Rice Special Teams

Advantage: SMU

Punter/kicker Thomas Morstead tops C-USA with a 44.1-yard punting average. Rice punter Luke Juist, like Morstead, has a longest punt of 70+ yards, though his average is 39.1. Both are good at sticking the ball inside the twenty.

Rice kicker Clark Fangmeier has hit 5 of 8 field goal attempts with a long of 46 yards. Morstead is 10-15 with a long of 52.

Morstead’s school-record PAT streak stands at 62.

Kick returner Tyler Smith leads the Owls with a 21.8-yard average and a long of 42. Jessie Henderson averages 20.8 for SMU with a long of 46.

Punt returner Sanders leads SMU with an 8.7-yard average and long of 31, while Rice’s Ja’Corey Shepherd averages 5.3 with a long of 12.

Intangibles

Advantage: SMU

It’s Homecoming for the Mustangs and what better time to end a losing streak? Plus SMU players are auditioning for a new coach who’s undoubtedly paying attention somewhere out there.

And how about a little revenge for the Owls knocking SMU out of a bowl last year?

SMU vs. Rice Prediction

SMU ends the skid, 38-31.

Quotable Bennett

• On an “illegal touching” call on SMU’s Columbus Givens which nullified a second-quarter touchdown at Houston: “You could go ten years and that not be called. … That’s a no-call.”

• On SMU’s Zack Sledge wanting to coach: “He’s gonna be a good coach. I’m gonna help him get a graduate assistant job. I think it’s ironic that he came here and he wants to coach now. I can see it. He’s got that passion.”

• On the Mustangs’ motivation this week: “They realize it’s Homecoming, that they’ve got a lot to play for. Obviously, it’s a bitter-sweet situation, but … that’s why you play. That’s why I coach. You get a chance to go out and compete again on Saturday.”

SMU Football - Did you know?

• These names are floating around, unofficially, for SMU’s coaching vacancy: Terry Bowden, Turner Gill, Mike Shula, Rick Neuheisel, Major Applewhite, Paul Johnson, Gary Barnett and Dennis “I’ve got a secret” Franchione.

• Justin Willis’ mark of 43 career touchdown passes is an SMU record. His 47 career passing/rushing touchdowns tie him with Eric Dickerson (1979-82) for third place all-time at SMU.

• Rice is the least penalized team in C-USA (37.7 ypg) and its opponents are the most penalized (74.7 ypg). SMU is one of the more penalized teams in the league (66.6 ypg).