Rice running back C.J. Ugokowe breaks the tackle of SMU defensive back Tyler Jones in Friday night’s 56-27 loss at Rice Stadium. After the Mustangs scored the first 13 points of the game, Rice responded with 28 unanswered points. For more pictures of the game, visit www.smudailycampus.com. (Lindsey Perkins)
For the SMU Mustangs’ defense, the statistics from Friday night’s game against the Rice Owls show little change from last year’s team and do not offer much comfort. As in most cases, though, the sheer statistics fail to capture the entire defensive picture. This is undoubtedly true about the Mustangs defensive effort against the Owls.
The numbers do not paint a pleasant picture for the situation of the Mustangs defensive unit. The Owls managed to put up 56 points behind 466 yards of total offense. Owls’ senior quarterback Chase Clement tossed six-touchdowns, three to Jarett Dillard and managed to lead Rice on the ground with 109 yards.
As the game wore on, Clement and Dillard looked almost unstoppable, while the SMU defense tried to figure out the Owls’ spread offense.
Turnovers impossible to overcome
In spite of the final score and numbers, the Mustangs as a defensive unit do not deserve all of the blame for giving up eight touchdowns.
For one of Rice’s touchdowns, in the third quarter, the defense never even had an opportunity to stop the ball. SMU freshman quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell’s second interception was returned by Rice free safety Andrew Sendejo 55 yards for a touchdown.
Besides the interception return for a touchdown, the defense allowed three one-play touchdown drives that arose from three of the five Mustang turnovers.
Two out of the three Mitchell turnovers that were not returned for touchdowns resulted in one-play scoring drives. The first one came at the end of the first quarter when Mitchell fumbled the ball with four seconds left in the quarter.
This lead to a 35-yard touchdown strike from Clement to wide receiver Patrick Randolph as the first quarter expired.
The second occurred in the third quarter when Mitchell’s interception was returned 54 yards down to the SMU one-yard line, leading to a one-yard touchdown run by James Casey on the next play.
It was not just Mitchell’s turnovers that left the defense with tough field position. Sophomore receiver Aldrick Robinson fumbled the ball towards the end of the third quarter. This left the Owls on the SMU eight yard-line and allowed them another one play scoring drive.
Thus, the Mustangs defense was on the field for a total of three plays during these four Owls scoring drives.
Third and long looks easy for Owls
Besides the first drive of the game, the SMU defense had the Rice offense right where they wanted them on third down. Before the turnovers started piling up for the Mustangs, the defense had Rice in third and long situations on the third, fourth, and fifth touchdown drives.
On every drive, Rice had one down that was third-and-seven or longer. In spite of this, the Mustangs defense was unable to stop the spread attack from crossing up the defense or stop Clement from converting the long yardage situation with his legs or arm.
On these scoring drives, the defense seemed close to stopping Rice and giving the offense another opportunity to go out and regain the lead. However, like in the 2007 season, third down proved difficult for the defensive unit.
The SMU defense’s inability to stop the Owls on third hurt the Mustangs in multiple ways. Besides giving up points, the defense had to spend more time on the field, albeit not too much time, considering how quickly the no-huddle Owls offense moves down the field.
Even though the defense never helped itself by stopping drives in long yardage situations, the unit as a whole is not solely responsible for Rice’s 56 points.
