Boulevarding, screaming fans and fun Saturday afternoons are all back in action on The Hilltop as the SMU football team kicks off their new season.

The Mustangs are coming off of a losing season but are looking to bounce back as one of the comeback teams in the American Athletic Conference. During the off-season, head coach Chad Morris had the opportunity to evaluate fringe players to see if they are capable of making an impact on the field during the season. Redshirt sophomore Ben Hicks has taken the starting quarterback after an impressive showing in spring workouts. Morris praised Hicks for his consistent play and slimming down from 218 to 203.

In a preview of the 2017 football season by Adam Grosbard, Morris said of Quarterback Ben Hicks: “He has totally transformed his body. He looks great, he moves well,” Morris said.

The most talked about topic in the off-season was the talk of Courtland Sutton’s decision to stay for his senior year or to go forgo his final year of eligibility and enter into the NFL Draft. The senior All-American wide receiver decided to stay for his senior season at SMU. The coaching staff, players and fans were all thrilled to hear the news of Sutton’s return and are delighted to see that he is committed to the team.

Sutton will inevitably be the number one target and playmaker for the SMU offense and will hope to add onto his record-breaking season last year.