This weekend the Mustangs (0-6) look for their first victorywhen they host the Boise State Broncos (5-1), the No.1-ranked teamin the WAC.
“They are by far the best team in the WAC,” Mustanghead coach Phil Bennett said. “It’s going to be a bigchallenge for us to get ready on both sides of the ball and comeout and compete with these guys.
Bennett said that although the Bronco kicking game is sound,everything starts with their quarterback, senior RyanDinwiddie.
“I think they’re able to do what they’re doingbecause he can comprehend a lot,” Bennett said.
“Dinwiddie makes good decisions. I always judge aquarterback by a guy who can make a good play a great one [and] abad one a good one. … He’s a playmaker. AgainstLouisiana Tech when the game was on the line, he [made] two playsthat [were] absolutely the game breakers,” Bennett said.
Dinwiddie presents a unique obstacle for the Mustangs toovercome. This season, he has thrown for nine touchdowns and 1,750yards and has had only one interception. In Boise State’svictory over the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes last weekend, Dinwiddiecompleted 12 of 26 pass attempts for 199 yards.
“The key to their success has been their offense, and theyalways find a niche to make a big play, and for us to have success,we cannot afford to give up any big plays on the defensive side ofthe ball. Anything they get has to be earned,” Bennettsaid.
Bennett knows that SMU must tap into the surprisingly weakerBronco defense in order to pull off a Week 7 upset.
“Defensively, they’ve given up more yardage andplays then they did a year ago,” Bennett said.
Against the Broncos, Mustang wide receiver Reynaldo Pellerinexpects the team to maintain the mindset that they have shared forthe past six weeks.
“It’s the same as week one,” he said.”We’re working harder as the weeks go on. The game planchanges, and hopefully we come out with a win,” Pellerinsaid.
Through the tough times, cornerback Jonas Rutledge has been oneof the bright spots this season.
Rutledge was named to CollegeFootballNews.com’s Mid-seasonAll-American Team as the nation’s best kickoff return man,with an average of 31.8 yards per return in 14 returns thisyear.
Even with Rutledge’s impressive play, Bennett knows that a0-6 record is tough for even the most resilient of teams toswallow.
“Now is the time that we all find what we’re reallymade of. The easiest thing in the world is to lie down onsomething. It takes inner toughness and an inner strength to fightthrough adversity,” Bennett said.
Despite all of the adversity, Bennett remains optimistic thatthese are merely trying times toward the greater goal.
“I told the seniors that what disappoints me is that weprobably won’t get the record that they wanted as asenior,” Bennett said, “but their legacy could be thatthey helped get this thing going.”
Kickoff against the Broncos is at 2 p.m. on Saturday in GeraldJ. Ford Stadium.
