OSU run game presents problem for Mustangs’ D
The Mustangs look to bounce back from the ambush theyexperienced in Fort Worth when they travel to Stillwater, Okla. totake on the undefeated Oklahoma State Cowboys.
Oklahoma State already owns a win at UCLA and rolled over Tulsalast week 38-21. SMU has a lot of work to do to break their 14-gamelosing streak, but Head Coach Phil Bennett believes his team”will do everything we can to be in a position towin.”
Key Match-Up
Mustang Front Nine vs. Cowboy Rush Attack
Yes, I know there is no such thing as a front nine, but I amreferring to the nine guys SMU will, at times, have in the box asthey try to contain Oklahoma State’s dynamic VernandMorency.
Morency is a junior who ran for over 200 yards in four of hislast six games. Last week he settled for 184 of 276 yards on theground in the win over the Golden Hurricane. The Tulsa game was anoff week for Morency as he opened the season with 261 yards on theground for a victory at UCLA where the Cowboys, as a team, captured426 yards on the ground.
The Mustang defense knows the run is coming and will have bothsafeties, Jamey Harper and Joe Sturdivant, near the line for muchof the night. Both were all over the field against TCU combiningfor 16 tackles, but it will be their ability to stop the run thatwill be huge.
“Sturdivant played very well,” Coach Bennettsaid.
The Mustangs’ front four took a hit against the Frogs whenAll-Conference defensive tackle Alan Adami was ejected in thesecond quarter. With the return of Adami and some of the young guyslike Lucky Delay getting time along the front, the team “mayplay five men on the defensive line” according to CoachBennett.
The Cowboys coaches have to be salivating over last weeks’tapes as the Frogs rolled up 162 yards on the ground to go alongwith their 397 yards through the air, but the Mustangs should comeback with a strong effort. If the Mustangs can at least containMorency, it will force the Cowboys to throw the ball with untestedDonovan Woods allowing SMU the chance to pick off some balls.
X-Factors
SMU’s Blake Warren
SMU needs someone to start making big plays in the worst way andWarren, the punt returner/wide receiver from Arp, Tex., has shownsigns of being that guy.
Last week against TCU, Warren had a possible 64-yard touchdownreturn called back by an inadvertent whistle. At only 5-foot7-inches, he has the quickness and vision that, at times, makesdefenders look silly. Warren leads the WAC and is fifth nationallyin punt returns, averaging 23.
OSU’s Darrent Williams
Williams may be the most spectacular player in the country whonever takes an offensive snap. In his role as a punt returner,Williams was named the Big 12 special teams player of the weekafter running 59 yards for a touchdown last week against Tulsa.
Williams, an all Big 12 first team selection last season, hasreturned five interceptions for touchdowns in his career. Goodenough for an NCAA career record he shares with four otherplayers.
Look for the Cowboys to play more zone than usual because ofSMU’s three and four receiver sets, which will allow Williamsto roam and find the ball. If Williams ends up in the end zone on apunt or an interception it could mean a long night for theMustangs.
Inside the Cowboys
Lost Art?
The forward pass has become nearly extinct in the OSU offense asthey have relied heavily on the ground. This apparently is becauseno one can stop the OSU ground attack, which has allowed DonovanWoods to ease into the starting quarterback position.
The redshirt freshman is the younger brother of wide receiverD’Juan Woods and someone Mustang fans may remember, RashaunWoods, something that Coach Bennett has taken notice of.
“One Woods was tough enough four us,” Bennett said,”now [we] have two.”
Donavan has put the ball in the air only 16 times in two gamescompleting only five of those passes for 95 yards. Like all theCowboys, Woods has been very effective on the ground as he ran for62 yards and three touchdowns.
However, the Cowboys have had no reason to pass.
Both Tulsa and UCLA put eight and nine players in the box and itdidn’t matter as OSU continued to shove it down their throatsand gain yardage whenever they wanted.
Coach Les Miles said that will change a little bit against theMustangs.
“I think we will throw the ball more against SMU,”he said.
The hope is that Woods has worked out some of the jitters of aninexperienced starter and will be able to take advantage of SMUstacking up against the run. It definitely will not be the throwingexhibition that the Cowboys put on last season, but if Woods throwsfor over 100 yards in the game and doesn’t turn the ballover, the Cowboys will be hard to beat.
Inside SMU
Offensive Minded
Despite moving the ball better this season, SMU still hadtrouble finding the end zone.
The Mustangs went with the two-quarterback system against TCUwith Tony Eckert and Chris Phillips both having their moments.
Phillips was 6-of-14 for only 51 yards, but his best throw ofthe night, an on-the-run 40-yard strike, was dropped near the goalline by Devin Lowery. Look to see both play (and possibly JeradRomo) Saturday with Coach Bennett looking for some of the mistakesto be eliminated.
Both quarterbacks would be helped if SMU could get the runninggame going.
Foy Munlin is averaging only 26 yards a game on the ground andonly 3.2 yards per carry.
A goal of the spread offense is to stretch the defense out allover the field and take advantage of the increased running room. IfMunlin can get going early, it will allow the Mustangs to controlthe clock and give their quarterbacks some comfort room to findweaknesses in the OSU secondary.
Orange Crushed
Last season OSU came to Dallas and rolled over the Mustangs 52-6as Rashaun Woods set an NCAA record with seven receiving touchdownsfrom then quarterback Josh Fields.
Both are now collecting checks; Woods is in the NFL and Fieldsis in minor league baseball, which gives the Mustangs a betteropportunity to snap their 14-game losing streak.
SMU holds an advantage in the series against the Cowboys 6-3-2,but the last victory came in 1950.
SMU looks to turn their season around at 6:05 p.m., Saturdaynight at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla.
Trent Redden is a junior finance and public policy major Hemay be reached at [email protected].
