Analysis, diagnosis, prescription for football program
Walking down The Boulevard towards Ford Stadium, there was adistinct scent of victory in the air. It smelled a lot likecharcoal, I noticed. The gates were full of people funneling intothe venue.
Mustang Faithful, a group of which I am a part, had thisfeeling: it’s UTEP, we’re at home, and we’re duefor a win. Saturday was supposed to be our day. Just like this issupposed to be our year, as so many thought after lastseason’s positive end, Saturday, our day, got ruined.
UTEP was not the culprit, nor were the officials or lack ofattendance. I’ve taken a while to make an official diagnosisof the problem — it takes about five games before you canreally pinpoint a problem. In terms of heart and competitiveness, Ithink our team brings it regularly. There is one area in which SMUis not quite measuring up.
Quarterback Richard Bartel has proved that he has a strong arm.He can be very efficient running the offense, despite the fingerpointing that a quarterback endures when a team is not successful.Bartel tends to sidearm a lot of throws; a trait that puts aquarterback in danger of getting passes intercepted or batted down.Saturday, after a completion, a coach was mimicking the passingmotion that Bartel should be using. That’s easier said thandone. Drew Bledsoe has gotten away with it for years and BrettFavre and other great quarterbacks can use a sidearm to squeezethrows into small places. When Bartel really throws the ball,it’s a pretty spiral that drops in nice spots. So why wouldhe sidearm a throw here and there? The reason is that he always hasa small target.
SMU’s wide receiver corps is very quick, fast and has goodhands. Individually, they are all great wideouts. However, as aunit, they provide the offense with as much of a hurdle as anasset. Newly converted Matt Rushbrook, the leading receiver thusfar, Trey Griffin and returning senior Chris Cunningham are fast aslightning and dangerous with the ball. However, they are all thesame — fast as lightning and dangerous with the ball. Despiteofficial listings, each is less than 5 feet 10 inches tall, whichcreates a problem. On some routes, it’s nearly impossible tohit a small target while getting the ball over the defensive lineand in a spot that a defending corner or safety can’t get to.For the rest of the season, one of two things has to happen.
Successful teams quite often have wide receivers that complementeach other: a guy who stretches the field and a big target —a possession receiver with meat hook hands and the strength to givea good little nudge to miniscule corners who dare challenge him fora ball in the air. Right now, SMU is not using one of those guys.They’re on the roster, but they’re not being used. Guyslike Cedric Vinson (5 feet 11 inches tall, 196 pounds) are watchingmore than playing and Jay Taylor (6 feet 4 inches tall, 190 pounds)has suffered through injuries.
This 0-5 record and sporadic offense need a big target. Thebiggest receivers on the roster are freshmen and only one of them,Reynaldo Pellerin, has seen some action.
If the big guys don’t see the field more, the offensiveline is going to have to open up passing lanes. The pocket wasstable Saturday, which would normally be a good thing, especiallyfor a quarterback that stands at about 6 feet 5 inches tall;however, having to hit these small, quick-cutting targets may beasking a bit much for even Roger Staubach.
I’m not a fan of putting the best players on the field atall times. I believe that some blueprints stick around because theywork. Small-ball basketball may entertain for a while, and even winsome games, but when the playoffs roll around, it won’t work.You have to be able to run a half court offense.
On the field, you have to be able to get the ball to a big guywho you can trust. We have a great set of receivers, but they arenot a matching set. Pellerin and the other rookies will developinto those types of guys. I hope, for Bartel’s sake, thatthey do.
Neither he nor Tate Wallis, nor any other quarterback on ourroster, can prosper in this offense. I love SMU football andrespect the players and the staff. So that’s my diagnosis… and prescription.
Funny thing is, if our special teams play improves anddoesn’t give up a touchdown, and if Keylon Kincade makes itinto the end zone with the ball (a play that he recovered fromnicely to rush for over one hundred yards again), that’s a12-point swing, since we wouldn’t have gotten the safety, andeverybody stops panicking and I, for one, wouldn’t havenoticed our “little” problem.
