July 20, 2007

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The 2006 season showcased a bright future for SMU Football. The Mustangs upped their win total for the third straight season, posted their highest win total in a decade and reached bowl-eligibility all while featuring a slew of talented young players.

SMU student-athletes filled a Conference USA-high six spots on the All-Freshman team and also took two spots on The Sporting News' Freshman All-America squad. Quarterback Justin Willis and wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders each set new school records in various categories and Willis was named the C-USA Freshman of the Year by numerous outlets. Willis and Sanders combine with 2005 honorees DeMyron Martin and Jessie Henderson to give SMU four former frosh All-Americans on its 2007 roster.

SMU continues to win off the field as well, as the Mustangs received the American Football Coaches Association's 2006 Academic Achievement Award after the school recorded a 100 percent graduation rate.

As the 2007 season draws near, SMU coaches, players and fans alike are filled with anticipation and hopes of a Conference USA championship and the Mustangs' first bowl berth in 23 years.

QUARTERBACKS
For the first time in Bennett's tenure, SMU returns a clear-cut quarterback favorite. Justin Willis was a revelation to Mustang fans as a freshman in 2006, taking the gridiron by storm. Willis completed 182 of 270 pass attempts on the year for 2,047 yards with 26 TDs and just six interceptions, earning All-C-USA honors in the process. He had three four-plus-TD-pass games and set a new SMU record for TD passes in a season. His 158.4 passing efficiency rating ranked second in Conference USA and 10th in Division I-A. Willis did suffer a broken hand in January and was somewhat hampered during spring drills.

Backing up Willis is redshirt freshman Zach Rhodes, who will also see playing time at wide receiver. Rhodes is an extremely athletic player who runs a sub-4.4 40, giving SMU a tremendous run-pass threat.

"Justin improved in the off-season," said Head Coach Phil Bennett. "I appreciated his toughness going through the spring less than a month after major hand surgery. He may not have been 100 percent, but his toughness impressed me."

"Zach gives us a multi-dimensional guy," continued Bennett. "We played him in a couple of different places this spring and we'll continue to do that in the fall. He's an athlete that needs to be on the field."

RUNNING BACKS
SMU's running game was hampered by injuries in 2006, as preseason All-C-USA back DeMyron Martin suffered a foot injury in week two at North Texas. Martin missed five of the next six games and only broke the 100-yard mark in the season finale at Rice. Martin showed a new dedication in the spring and looks to regain his freshman form in 2007.

"DeMyron had a much better spring," said Bennett. "He has made a real commitment to this program and to himself. He's ready to show people what he's capable of doing this season."

If there was a silver lining to Martin's injury cloud, it was that several other backs got significant playing time. Cedrick Dorsey, James Mapps and Fred Turner each had opportunities, with Mapps and Turner posting 100-yard games. All three return in 2007.

"At running back, we have five guys we're very comfortable with - DeMyron Martin, Cedrick Dorsey, James Mapps, Fred Turner and Chris Butler. They're all capable guys - and guys a lot of teams would like to have."

TIGHT ENDS
At tight end, former prep All-American Vincent Chase will become the featured end with the graduation of three-year starter Ryan Kennedy. Chase started four games in 2006, but could become a focus of the offense in 2007.

"Simply put, Vincent Chase has a chance to be the best tight end we've had here," said Bennett.

Chase will be backed up by running back-turned-fullback-turned-tight end Andrew McKinney and Mario Walker. All three should see time in SMU's multiple-end formations.

WIDE RECEIVERS
While the experience of Bobby Chase and Reynaldo Pellerin will be missed at wide receiver, SMU features a nice young corps of talented wideouts.

After his breakout freshman season, any discussion of SMU receivers has to begin with Emmanuel Sanders. An All-Conference USA pick in 2006, Sanders recorded team-highs with 46 grabs for 605 yards and nine TDs - the most ever by a freshman at SMU. He hauled in scoring passes in six straight games to break Jerry LeVias' 29-year-old SMU record for consecutive games with a TD catch and his 151 receiving yards against Houston made him the first SMU player with 150-or-more receiving yards in a game since 1998.

SMU also returns Zack Sledge and Columbus Givens, each of whom had starts last season, while Devin Lowery returns to the offense after spending the 2007 season as a starter at corner.

"At wide receiver, Emmanuel, Zack, Columbus and Devin are guys that we really like," said Bennett. "Our goal right now is to develop some depth behind them. We're moving Jessie Henderson to the slot from running back and Zach Zimmerman is a solid backup, but we have to get some other guys to step up. Wideout is a spot where some true freshmen have a chance to get in the mix."

OFFENSIVE LINE
While the Mustangs return four of the five 2006 starters along the offensive line, they will have a little different look in 2007 as starting center Ben Poynter moves to left tackle and Mitch Enright gets the nod at center. Sean Lobo and Caleb Peveto missed spring drills, but are expected to start in the upcoming season alongside returning right tackle Kenard Burley.

"Kenard just continued to get better this spring and moving Ben to left tackle was really a positive move for us," said Bennett. "Mitch emerged at center and will help us this season. Our line has a chance to be solid - possibly two-deep solid. While it was disappointing that Sean and Caleb could not go through the spring, it was good for Tommy Poynter and Joe Holmes to get all those reps with our first team. Lucky DeLay and Chase Smith are two other guys that could see playing time. That would give us two left tackles, two left guards, two right guards, two right tackles and two centers. That gives us a complete two-deep without having to rely on any freshmen."

OFFENSIVE WRAP-UP
"We will be an improved offense," said Bennett. "We tweaked a few things in our run game and addressed our short yardage situations this spring and that should really help us. To reach our goals, we must protect the football and still have the ability to score 28 to 32 points a game. We made a dramatic improvement last year in scoring offense and when we bring our running game up, we'll be an improved football team. I'm very encouraged about what we did offensively in the spring and I believe we're on the right track."

DEFENSIVE LINE
"On the defensive line, losing three starters poses a challenge. Having Cory Muse back, though, will be huge. Cory will be a four-year starter and should have a big senior season. Last season, he played on a bum knee the last five games, missed two games and still finished third in the league in sacks with seven. He's a playmaker."

Muse was indeed a force in 2006, earning second-team All-Conference USA honors from the league's media. He helped anchor an SMU defense that led C-USA and ranked 24th in the nation against the run and ranked sixth individually in the conference in tackles-for-loss with 10.5.

That said, perhaps the biggest question facing SMU as it enters 2007 will be the additions to the starting front four. "In addition to Cory, Charlie Berry and Patrick Handy will return up front and those guys have played a lot of football," said Bennett. "They know the tempo of the game and can help our younger kids get to the level of where we need them to be. Charlie worked hard to get back to where he is, but he still has to be more consistent. Patrick, on the other hand, filled in well last season when Justin Rogers was hurt and played at a very high level."

Berry and Handy have both seen substantial playing time. Berry has played in 30 games for SMU at tackle over three seasons, while Handy played in 10 in 2006 at end, starting twice.

"Inside, we have a lot of possibilities. Chris Parham, Zac Thomas, Ryan Leonard, Mickey Dollens and Kyle DeGroat are all potential players for us. They're not at the level we need them at yet, but every one of them got better this spring and will continue to improve this fall."

"At defensive end, we were impressed by Justin Smart. We moved him from linebacker, and he's a guy that's explosive and can move. Kyle Griffin also had a good spring and showed his maturity at the position. He can be a very productive player. Adrian Dizer had some very bright moments and Jordan Johnson is a guy that has a lot of snap at the position."

LINEBACKERS
Two SMU linebackers - Wilton McCray and Tony Hawkins - will return in 2007. The duo combined for an impressive 123 tackles, 15 for-loss, a sack and three interceptions in 2006.

"At linebacker, our starters will be as good as anybody's in the conference. Wilton McCray is a four-year starter and Tony Hawkins made huge strides in the spring. Damon Hurst was a special teams demon last season and we moved him to middle linebacker this spring and that was a good move. I feel really good about those guys."

"Will Bonilla is a guy that has experience and is a tremendous back-up. We're still looking for more depth, but Taylor Bon, Ryan Moczygemba, Jason Jackson, Chase Kennemer and Pete Fleps will all get more looks this fall. We just need those guys to step up."

SECONDARY
SMU will certainly miss four-year starter and All-Conference player Joe Sturdivant in 2007, but will counter his loss with the return of three starters and the addition of a talented junior college defender.

"In the secondary, we've got three good corners and have to find a fourth," said Bennett. "We really have three starters at corner - Bryan McCann, Jonathan Lindley and Brandon Jones. Tim Crosby showed some things this spring and could be that fourth guy, but he's just not as consistent as the other three yet. Our fifth corner spot is going to come down to a battle between La'Cori Johnson, Derrius Bell and A'Darius Medford. When it's all said and done, this could be the best group we've had."

"At safety, Bryce Hudman had a good spring. He started a lot of games as a redshirt freshman and has all the tools. His knowledge showed this spring. I was also very pleased with Rock Dennis. Rock came in from junior college and adjusted well. He got better and is a real playmaker. He's a guy that will fit into our package well. David Haynes showed some consistency back there after we moved him from corner and he and Rock are having a nice battle."

SPECIAL TEAMS
"As far as the kicking game goes, we individualized things last year and let Kellis Cunningham kick off while Thomas Morstead punted and kicked our field goals. That worked well and we plan on doing the same thing this season."

It did indeed work well, with Morstead earning All-C-USA honors as a punter and Cunningham averaging 61.4 yards per kickoff with 16 touchbacks.

"Thomas is a guy who's very athletic and has an explosive leg. On kicks, his consistency has to become better and his directional punting could improve, but he did hit 13 of 18 field goal tries and averaged almost 44 yards a punt."

On returns, 2005 All-American Jessie Henderson should be back at 100 percent and will be a serious threat to opponents.

"Having Jessie back will be big," said Bennett. "We'll also bring Aldrick Robinson into the mix and both of them could be All-American kick returners."

"Punt returns are a concern right now, but we've got Columbus Givens, Bryan McCann, Emmanuel Sanders and Zach Sledge, just to name a few, that could handle the job."

FINAL THOUGHTS
"It was great to be playing for a conference championship last November. That has been one of our goals since we got here - to be playing meaningful games late in the season. We still need to improve our consistency, however, if we want to compete for conference titles. Last season we didn't reach all our expectations, but there were some positives and one of those positives was that our best players were our younger players. We're excited about the guys we have coming back - on both sides of the ball. A bowl game is an absolute possibility. Our guys will grow from last year's experience. We'll be a better football team and we're going in with the goal of being Conference USA Football Champions."