Run offense – C
Quarterback Justin Willis was SMU’s leading rusher with 55 yards. That is not an effective run game. DeMyron Martin looked good in the first quarter – charging the line and having enough space to get going behind the line. But he was a non-factor for the rest of the game, finishing with only 38 yards for the day. James Mapps, the power back, had 27 yards. SMU needs to have a balanced offensive attack if it is going to win games. That did not happen Monday.
Pass offense – D
Willis scrambling in the backfield and waving his arms around is not a play in the SMU playbook. If it is, it needs to be removed. Willis fell back into bad habits of forcing when called plays didn’t occur. That happened a lot Monday and it resulted in two needless interceptions. The vaunted receiving corps didn’t help either, with Zack Sledge’s 64 yards receiving being the highest. There were too many drops in the second half by the Mustangs – passes that Willis threw right at the receivers.
Run defense – D
The most atrocious play of the day was at the start of the second quarter. SMU’s defense audibled into a blitz and went after Tech QB Graham Harrell. But the audible was so noticeable and SMU made it so apparent they were going to attack the quarterback that it backfired. The defensive line does not need to scream “All Out!” each time they decide to blitz. This happened repeatedly throughout the game. There was rarely pressure on the quarterback, something that needs to change against North Texas.
Pass defense – F
SMU’s cornerbacks and safeties were overmatched before Monday’s game started. They made things worse on the field by not tackling properly. There were far too many arm tackles which allowed Tech to gain copious amounts of yards after the catch. The secondary needs to wrap up and bring wide receivers down. SMU also failed to create any chaos in the passing lanes, letting Harrell get the ball to his receivers at will. Playing man coverage might not be the best idea for this group.
Special Teams – A
The only bright spot – and points on the board – were courtesy SMU kicker Thomas Morestead. He was a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals. He also did his usual good job with punts, averaging 47 yards for the day and a long of 56. Kick returner Jesse Henderson provided good field position throughout the day, including his first return of 46 yards in the first quarter. Mapps got in the way several times on returns, including two awkward battles for the ball between him and Henderson.
Coaches – C
This is harder to determine because the game was such a blowout. Bennett did his usual taking-the blame-routine during the post-game press conference, which in this case is only true to an extent. The real coaching questions after this game come from the offensive side of the ball. There needs to be more consistent play calling offensively. Too often it seemed like Willis was told to just make something happen. A diversity of called plays would be nice.
Overall – D
Yes, it was pretty much a complete disaster. The defense was ineffective and the offense ground to a halt inside the red zone. There is a lot to improve upon in every facet of SMU’s peformance. But the thing is, SMU wasn’t supposed to win this game. Should they have played better? Yes. But should anyone be surprised at the outcome? No. If SMU plays like this next week though, things could get ugly fast. A win over North Texas is not optional. It is required.
