College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the SMU Mustangs season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– SMU Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2019 Record: 10-3 overall, 6-2 in
Head Coach: Sonny Dykes, 3rd year, 15-11 overall
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 46
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 28
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 84
5. College Football News Preview 2020: SMU Mustangs Offense 3 Things To Know
– The SMU offense that was good under head coach Sonny Dykes ramped things up a bit last year. QB Shane Buechele came over from Texas and rocked the passing attack from the start, the receiving corps was terrific, and Xavier Jones was a machine for the ground attack. A whole slew of the key parts are gone, but nothing stops. The system is sound, the coaching staff knows how to generate production, and Buechele is back.
CFN in 60 Video: SMU Mustangs Preview
– The passing attack went from 3,260 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2019 to 4,017 yards and 35 scores last year. There were more big plays downfield, but star target James Proche is now gone after making 204 grabs with 27 scores over the last two seasons. However, Reggie Roberson is back after missing the second half of last year with a foot injury, and tight end Kylen Granson has all-star talent coming off a 43-catch, 721-yard, nine-touchdown season. The air show continues, and it might have to do more, because …
– Xavier Jones and Ke’Mon Freeman are gone from the backfield. The two combined for close to 1,800 rushing yards with Jones scoring 23 touchdowns on the ground. Sophomore TJ McDaniel should be the next man up, but it’s an all-underclassmen running back group that will likely operate in a rotation for a bit.
On the plus side, the offensive line should be terrific. Four starters are expected back, starting with left tackle Jaylon Thomas. Give credit to the offensive system that gets the ball out of the quarterback’s hands in a hurry, but also give some love to a line that was just that good, allowing the fewest sacks in the conference.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: SMU Mustangs Defense 3 Things To Know
4. College Football News Preview 2020: SMU Mustangs Defense 3 Things To Know
– It’s not that the SMU defense was bad. It just wasn’t good against the teams that knew how to run an offense. The D led the nation in sacks and should still bring pressure from all sides, but it also got lit up like a Christmas tree for 289 passing yards per game.
There weren’t too many high-powered offenses on the first part of the slate – part of the reason for the 8-0 start – but Memphis, the Navy ground game, and somewhat stunningly, East Carolina went crazy. Throw in the bowl loss to Florida Atlantic, and SMU allowed 500 yards or more of total offense in five of the last six games. Now it has to rebuild a bit.
– Yeah, the sacks and tackles for loss came in bunches. but junior Turner Coxe is the lone returning starter up front. There’s bulk on the inside, and there should be a decent rotation on the ends, but the run defense might be an issue early on. Making things worse, the linebacking corps is undergoing an overhaul, too, with Delano Robinson the only returning starter and top tacklers Richard McBryde and Patrick Nelson done.
– The secondary that was ripped up is the most experienced unit of the bunch. The corner tandem of Ar’mani Johnson and former UCLA transfer Brandon Stephens are okay, and the safeties can hit, but they all have to start getting off the field a whole lot faster. Everyone will get help from the pass rush, but they all have to come through.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Top SMU Mustangs Players
College Football News Preview 2020: Top SMU Mustangs Players
Best SMU Mustangs Offensive Player
QB Shane Buechele, Sr.
The transfer worked out just fine. The 6-1, 207-pounder might not be big, and he might not have the biggest arm, but he took to the SMU offense instantly, throwing for 3,929 yards with 34 touchdowns and ten picks. He’s not much of a runner, but he’s mobile enough to get by. The real key, though, is his experience – he was good at Texas, becoming great at SMU, and he should be in for another massive statistical campaign.
2. OT Jaylon Thomas, Jr.
3. TE Kylen Granson, Sr.
4. WR Reggie Roberson, Sr.
5. RB TJ McDaniel, Soph.
Best SMU Mustangs Defensive Player
DE Turner Coxe, Sr.
The 6-2, 247-pounder is built like an outside linebacker, but he’s a hybrid defensive end who’s quick off the ball and always working. The 3.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss were fine, but his 50 tackles and closing ability to force fumbles is a must for a D that needs more playmakers.
2. LB Delano Robinson, Sr.
3. CB Ar’mani Johnson, Jr.
4. S Trevor Denbow, Sr.
5. DE Toby Ndukwe, Jr.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Keys To The Season
College Football News Preview 2020: Keys To The Season
Biggest Key To The SMU Mustangs Offense
Don’t forget about the running game. It’s always been a bit of misbelief that Sonny Dykes offenses were pass, pass and more pass. There’s lots of passing, of course, but the ground attack cranks out yards in chunks, too.
The problem is that the running game doesn’t necessarily settle anything down. It’s not exactly along for the ride, but when the games start to get wild-and-crazy, the passing side takes over.
The Mustangs ran for 120 yards or fewer four times. The first time was in the win over TCU, and the other three were in the three losses. The three games with the fewest rushing attempts all season were in those three defeats.
Biggest Key To The SMU Mustangs Defense
The secondary has to stop giving up so many first downs. The Mustang run defense had problems getting cranked on late in the year – Navy, Tulane, and Florida Atlantic kept moving the chains with their respective ground games without an issue – but throughout the season it was the secondary that couldn’t come up with stops.
Third downs weren’t the problem. The pass rush was usually able to do its part on the money downs. But the offenses kept on throwing and throwing some more, with SMU allowing six 300+-yard days and giving up 13 or more first downs through the air in five of their last six games.
Key SMU Mustangs Player To A Successful Season
DT Terrance Newman, Jr.
With so many big losses and so many producers gone on the defensive front seven, SMU has to get a big year out of its big bowling ball on the inside. The 5-11, 315-pound Newman should get some help from Stanford transfer Michael Williams, but it’s his line to potentially anchor after getting his feet wet with five tackles and a sack.
Key Game To The SMU Mustangs Season
Memphis, Oct. 3
It was one of the wildest games of the year. SMU vs. Memphis got the fill primetime Saturday night treatment, and the game lived up to it in a wild 54-48 Tiger win. That turned out to be the AAC West title game.
This year, it’s the conference opener for the Mustangs. With no UCF to face, beat Memphis, take care of home in showdowns against Navy and Houston, and it’s their spot in the conference championship for the taking.
– SMU Mustangs Schedule
2019 SMU Mustangs Fun Stats
– 1st Quarter Scoring: SMU 128 – Opponents 55
– Sacks: SMU 51 for 320 yards – Opponents 17 for 108 yards
– 4th Down Conversions: SMU 22-of-30 (73%) – Opponents 15-of-32 (47%)
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: SMU Mustangs Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
1. College Football News Preview 2020: SMU Mustangs Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
It’s not like SMU went bum-slaying over the first half of last year.
Sometimes, teams build up great recodes because of an easy slate, but SMU beat Temple, Arkansas State and TCU on the way to the 8-0 start, and it took down Tulane later in the year.
This was a good team that struggled late – giving up 51 points or more in three of the last five games – and now it’s going to need to rebuild in a hurry.
That’s what the first part of 2020 is for.
With Texas State, Stephen F. Austin and North Texas to start, there should be just enough time to rebuild the defensive front seven and establish the right pecking order at running back.
The passing game will once again be incredible, the defense will once again get into the backfield, and this will once again be a dangerous team in the American Athletic Conference race.
Set The SMU Mustangs Regular Season Win Total At … 6.5
Seven wins might be a big push considering some of the AAC teams are a whole lot better – like Tulsa and Tulane – but assuming another win over TCU is dangerous, and three of the last four games are on the road.
The biggest conference showdowns, though, are in Dallas, getting Memphis, Cincinnati, Navy and Houston in Gerald J. Ford.
There are just enough holes to fill across the board – including on special teams – to expect a step back, but it’s going to be another fun season from start to finish.
