SMU looks to shake a few ghosts

[IE]

UNIVERSITY PARK ? Before this Halloween night is over, the mask will be ripped off the SMU football program.

SMU will be revealed as a legitimate bowl contender, a program finding its way, or revealed as a sliding team in desperate need of two wins heading into its final three games.

The Mustangs host UAB (3-5, 2-2 Conference USA) today in their biggest game in years. Not only will SMU make its first appearance on ESPN or ESPN2 since 1997, but as director of athletics Steve Orsini said, the game means something.

A win puts SMU (4-4, 2-2), which hasn't been bowling since 1984, one victory from becoming bowl eligible. "It's a pivotal game for us, without question," coach Phil Bennett said. "We control our destiny. ... To get the things we want, the window's closing."

A victory against UAB, which considers this game a mustwin in its own right, is crucial because SMU's final three games all have lurking difficulties.

SMU hosts Houston (6-3, 4-1), led by star quarterback Kevin Kolb, on Nov. 11. Then it welcomes first-place Tulsa (7-1, 4-0) on Nov. 18. The Mustangs finish the regular season Nov. 25 at Rice (3-5, 2-2), where they haven't won since 1986.

Bennett has emphasized the importance of this stretch to his players. SMU, winners of five straight at home, hasn't entered its final four games with more than two wins during Bennett's previous four seasons. Its 4-4 mark is its the best start since 1997.

Senior defensive tackle Brandon Bonds said there is pressure.

"At the same time, this is a fun time," he said. "We've never had this excitement."

Quarterback Justin Willis said it's a chance to show that SMU has raised its expectations.

"The difference here is that people really think this is going to be a good season," Willis said. "People will see that the way we come out and play."

ESPN, which has a contract with C-USA for 10 regular-season games, requested an SMU home game this season, conference officials said.

C-USA teams are willing to play on days such as Tuesdays for the exposure. It's the only Division I-A game scheduled for today.

Orsini said SMU is dressing the stadium for its best TV appearance, sliding the band and student sections over and allowing SMU fans to sit on the visitors' side.

Former SMU great Craig James, an analyst who has stated his concerns about the direction of the program in recent years, will be part of the broadcast team.

SMU believes it has spent the last week making improvements after a discouraging 38-21 loss to East Carolina on Oct. 21.

Tonight's result could haunt the program ? for good or bad ? for years to come.

"The people that [watch]," Bennett said, "will definitely form an opinion of where this program is."

FOUR FOR FOUR
SMU's four wins heading into its final four games is the most during coach Phil Bennett's tenure:
2002 1-7
2003 0-8
2004 1-6
2005 2-5

Bowl watch

Teams must win at least six games to become bowl eligible, but that doesn't guarantee a bowl. Conference USA has six guaranteed bowl tie-ins. If more than six league teams are bowl eligible, those with 6-6 records could be left out. Six C-USA teams currently have four wins or more. Tulsa and Houston are already bowl eligible.

 

[IE]

Mustang offense a fright for Blazers
Tuesday, October 31, 2006

DALLAS - UAB head football coach Watson Brown has studied SMU's offense the past week.

He's come up with a conclusion that could be frightening.

"They spread you out and have a running quarterback," Brown said. "It's Rice all over again." Uh-oh.

The UAB defense didn't fare well handling Rice quarterback Chase Clement when the teams met earlier this month. Clement ran 57 yards untouched on the first play of the game, threw for 191 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 141 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-33 Rice victory.

Now the Blazers get the opportunity to see if they can handle SMU quarterback Justin Willis better than they did Clement. UAB (3-5, 2-2 C-USA) and SMU (4-4, 2-2) play tonight at 6:30 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in a Conference USA game televised nationally on ESPN2.

"I think (Willis) had 20 carries last Saturday" in a 38-21 loss to East Carolina, Brown said. "They weren't a bunch of quarterback (running plays). He was scrambling around making plays."

Willis ended up with 29 yards on his 20 carries but he was sacked four times for minus-39 yards, which counts against his final total. Brown said pressuring Willis will be important, but the Blazers also have to make tackles after the pressure.

"I can't tell you how many sacks we've had in the last couple of games where we had somebody and either we miss the tackle or we don't go at proper angles," Brown said. "Then he slips by us and all the sudden we go from a 12-yard sack to a 20-yard completion. We've got to do a better job of that."

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Willis, a redshirt freshman, leads C-USA in pass efficiency. He is 122-of-174 for 1,273 yards with 19 touchdowns and three interceptions. He's rushed for 208 yards on 78 carries with 133 yards in losses.

The only time Willis has been shut down was when he was suspended for the UTEP game after being involved in a fight with another SMU student. Willis was reinstated the next week and, although he didn't start, he led the Mustangs to a come-from-behind 31-21 win over Marshall.

UAB spent extra time working on ways to stop Willis since losing to Marshall 10 days ago. But UAB linebacker Orlandus King said the Blazers have done just as much work on improving their struggling defense.

"First of all, we need to get our toughness back," King said. "We weren't physically tough (in the loss to Marshall). Our minds weren't in the game. Our minds weren't on what we were supposed to get done. We're trying to get everybody right."