A Word With Willis

Reinstated SMU Quarterback Talks About The Road Back

DALLAS - Justin Willis, a two-year starting quarterback at SMU, took time Tuesday from a busy summer school and workout schedule to talk about his recent reinstatement to the team, his goals for the season and life, in general.

Willis says he's learned from his suspension and his goal now is to become "the established leader I once was on the team."

Willis was suspended by head coach June Jones in February for violating team rules and did not participate in spring practice. Jones says the quarterback position is wide open.

A junior this fall, Willis has thrown for 4,991 yards and owns school records for career touchdown passes (51) and touchdown passes in season (26).

Redshirt freshman Logan Turner will compete with Willis for the starting job, along with highly-touted incoming freshmen Bo Levi Mitchell and Braden Smith and others.

Justin Willis, from 6/24/08, near the SMU campus:

How are you different from two years ago?

“I think I know a lot more, not just about football, but about life, and life at SMU, in general. I’ve been here three, going on four years. So, I mean, I’ve kind of experienced everything - unfortunately, sometimes. But I’ve been able to talk to people about it.”

“I think I’m showing a lot more wisdom and maturity now. … And I think it’s helped me become a better person now, for sure.”

Have SMU people been available to talk?

“Oh, yeah.” … “They were ready to talk when everything else was going down for me. And I still had everybody on my side and that was a good thing. My coaches, Coach Jones and [assistant head coach Dan] Morrison, they’ve been a big [part of the] success to what I’ve done so far.”

“So I’m excited to get a chance to work with them on the field.”

How have you been welcomed back by the team?

“Good, I think.” … “I was always in the weight room. I had to work out my own workouts. And the players saw that. Then I talked with Tommy Poynter and a couple of the seniors about just the whole ‘gaining-the-respect-back.’ I don’t plan to gain it back in a couple of days at all. I’m going to make sure I show them that.”

“Tommy told me the best thing: he knows what my intentions are and what I’m about as a person. So I don’t think there’ll be a problem with that, knowing the players I have at SMU.”

How’s the relationship with Coach Jones?

Willis has thrown for 4,991 yards in two seasons and he owns school records for career (51) and season (26) touchdown passes.

“It’s gotten better. He’s been so busy.” … “I’m anxious to see, when two-a-days start, just how good it can get.”

“When he’s here, we talk and I think our relationship is better, for sure, than what it was before. But we’ll get a chance for that.”

“Coach Morrison and I have really pushed our relationship the past two months and it’s gotten really close. He’s helps me, just not in football, again, but with life in general.”

Your thoughts on being suspended?

“I think I am glad it happened. It woke me up. You need that every once in a while. I’m making it a positive, for sure.”

How’s it going with the Run and Shoot?

“Since [the new staff] got here, from Day 1, I’ve met with Coach Morrison. I’ve watched film constantly, every day. I already had a pretty good concept about the offense, in general.”

“I’m not going to say I know it like the back of my hand, but I’m getting pretty familiar with it and I just don’t think it will be a problem to learn it.”

“I can’t miss anything and I don’t want to miss anything. That’s the approach I’ve taken.”

> Check out the CUSA Fans 2008 SMU football preview to see what SMU Correspondent Rick Atkinson thinks of June Jones' Mustangs in 2008!

What will it be the biggest difference from last year?

“The big difference is it’s going to be more on the receivers and more on the linemen, not so much more on the quarterback. I think the last two years we’ve kind of relied on, not necessarily me making plays, but the offense was centered around what the quarterback did.”

“And it kind of is now, but it’s more ‘get-the-ball-out-of-your-hands-and-let’s-watch-what-the-receivers-do.’ And the linemen’s protection is different than what we had before which is going to allow the quarterbacks and receivers to simplify their game and make the game easier.”

Will you still have a tendency to run?

“That’s the funny thing … because Coach Jones’ offense really doesn’t allow you, in most instances, to be able to run because everything is so quick. It’s all about timing.”

“In Coach Jones’ offense the protection is so simplified, and the routes are, he’s basically telling you what he wants to do with the ball.”

“The way our line protects allows the quarterback to have a pocket all the time. And it shouldn’t break down if we do it properly.

“I don’t consider myself a running quarterback, but I have run in the past. I don’t think there’s going to be a big … change for us.”

Are you looking forward to the competition at quarterback?

“I am.” … “I’ve always thought Logan Turner’s been a great friend and a great quarterback. I’ve known him for some time now.”

“For them to come in, Bo Levi Mitchell and Braden Smith and whoever else might come, you know, it’s just fun. It’s competition. I think you get better or you can get worse. My high school coach, Coach [Joey] Florence always told me that. You can either get better or worse. You can’t stay the same, so why not have competition and better yourself?”

Was your increase in interceptions last year the result of trying to do too much?

“Oh, definitely. Especially toward the end of the season. I always felt like the offense was playing from behind. So with that, I forced myself into thinking, ‘We need to make a play here … to get back in the game.’”

“It wasn’t necessarily misreads or bad reads. It was more like, ‘I think I can stick it in there and take a chance.’”

What was it like dealing with all the close losses in ‘07?

“It was tough. I think a lot of people were seeing some of the frustration in the players. I mean, I know they were seeing frustration in myself. And it wasn’t necessarily at anybody or the coaches, but just, ‘Why can’t we get a break, you know?’”

“You never really felt like anything was going your way. But that’s just a life lesson learned by itself.”

Deion Sanders recently brought his Prime U training session to SMU’s Ford Stadium with Pacman Jones, Devin Hester and other pros. What was that like?

“It was a good little deal. … “We just went through drills with some of the NFL players. There were other college players there. … It was a clinic in a sense but it was more of just a workout.”

“We got to see the speed of Devin Hester and Pacman Jones, so it was exciting. It was a fun day.”

What about that speed?

“It’s different, but it gives you an idea what you want to eventually reach as a goal. Me, I felt myself being a fan for a while, just soaking it all in. Then I realized, ‘Wait, I’m out here too with them, so I kind of gotta work.’”

Did you throw against Deion?

“No. He was one of the instructors. I threw it against Pacman a couple of times. It went well, but I can definitely understand his talent and where he’s at right now.”

Any roommates now?

“When [new teammate Alex Odiari] came in this summer he needed a place to stay … so I welcomed him into my apartment. … Alex is a good guy so we get along fine.”

“We’ve known each other since high school.”

What do you weigh?

“About 191. I plan on being closer to 200. I’ve been eating really good lately, the past couple of months. But working out in this heat has gotten my weight down. I’ll get back up before two-a-days start.”

“[Strength and conditioning coach] Vic Viloria helps me with that, with my maintaining a diet.”

What’s your personal goal this year?

“To become the established leader I once was on the team. That’s first and foremost on my part.”

What about a team goal?

“It’s obvious. We have to go to a bowl game. With what we’ve got now … I think that’s very possible.”