SMU football’s head coach Sonny Dykes reflected on the Mustangs win at home against Houston Baptist University and his expectations for the upcoming conference game on Monday night at Ozona Bar and Grill for his weekly radio talkshow “It’s Always Sonny on the Hilltop”.
This week, the Mustangs head to Orlando to face tough American Athletic Conference opponent University of Central Florida. The UCF knights have won the past 17 games they have played, including their impressive win over Auburn last season in the Peach Bowl. Coach Dykes is honest about the Mustang defense and says that the defense will need to show more discipline against this top ranked program.
The Mustangs’ 63 points on the board against HBU marks the second highest scoring in SMU history. The offense was able to create these numbers through a multi-dimensional offense that incorporated both a running and spread scheme, and a two quarterback system.
Thanks to all of the Mustang Fans that came to Ford Stadium tonight. Proud of our team. It’s never easy to win we have a lot to work on but I’m excited about the future. #PonyUpDallas
— Sonny Dykes (@CoachSonnyDykes) September 30, 2018
Dykes complimented freshman quarterback Will Brown on his intangibles, as well as senior quarterback Ben Hicks for his leadership and effort in practice these past few weeks. Brown’s ability to execute his job and make plays with his feet as well as his strong arms shows promise for the future of the SMU football program.
Coach Dykes acknowledged that “for us to be a really good offense, we need to do the easy things well.” Dykes and his coaching staff will continue to work on developing the young quarterback to get him more comfortable in the pocket.
“Thats how we are going to build our football program,” Dykes said. “These guys come to practice knowing that everyday is a hard fight to keep a job.”
In addition to an assessment of last week’s game and talk about preparation for the UCF Knights, Dykes touched on his recruiting tour across the Dallas metroplex. He acknowledged that in addition to building a culture and developing players, recruiting is as important as anything for a successful football program. His message about SMU on the recruiting trail emphasizes the educational benefits and internship opportunities available in a big city like Dallas. In addition, the construction of a 27 million dollar indoor facility is a powerful recruiting tool for these impressive high school players.
The Mustangs are set to kickoff at 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 6 in Orlando, FL. With a 1-0 record within the AAC, the Mustangs head to UCF with the goals for the season still intact.
