SMU Mustangs: Keys To The Season, Top Game, Top Transfer, Fun Stats
SMU Mustangs: Key To The 2022 Offense
Lots and lots of big pass plays.
The new coaching staff will keep things moving in a variety of ways, and the SMU offense and passing game is more about keeping things moving and getting lots of parts involved than opening it up down the field, but …
Yards per attempt matter. More to the point, they’re indicative of whether or not the O is working.
SMU started 7-0, coming up with well over seven yards per pass in every game. It even got the passing game moving in the loss to Houston – a back-and-forth offensive fun fest – as all well as the close loss to Memphis.
However, there was too much dinking and dunking over the last three games, falling to get more than seven yards per throw in any of the last three.
By the way, Miami’s passing game – run by now SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee – averaged over eight yards per throw with Tyler Van Dyke bombing away for nine yards per pop.
SMU Mustangs: Key To The 2022 Defense
Seriously, SMU … the pass defense.
The pass rush should be good, and the front six has the potential to be great against the run. Now the secondary has to rise up and keep passing games from going off.
To be very, very fair, teams usually throw to try keeping up the pace, but even so, allowing 278 yards per game through the air were way too many. Worse yet, after a six picks in the first three games, SMU generated just two over a run of eight games.
North Texas, Maryland, and TCU are going to all be bombing away to get things going in September.
SMU Mustangs: Key Player To The 2022 Season
DT Terrance Newman, Sr.
Can he really be the one who turns into the anchor that allows all the dangerous parts on the outside to rumble?
He’s got the 6-0, 324-pound size, and he’s been a part of the rotation over the last four years, but he only has 21 tackles so far. Bulk stops don’t matter for what he has to do – he has to sit in the middle and gum up the works.
SMU Mustangs: Key Transfer
RB Camar Wheaton, Fr.
Rice wide receiver transfer Jake Bailey is going to make a huge impact, and watch out for safety Nick Roberts from ULM as a possible top tackler, but Wheaton might be the best of the transfer bunch.
SMU already has a good enough running back in Tre Siggers, but the 5-11, 190-pound Wheaton has next-level talent as a five-star get for Alabama last year. The Texas native could’ve gone anywhere, and now he might be the focus of ground game.
SMU Key Game To The 2022 Season
Cincinnati, Oct. 22
You ready to finally take that next step forward, SMU?
Going to UCF on October 1st is a huge moment in the American Athletic Conference season, but with three road games in four weeks over the second half of the season – and the home game in that grouping coming against a loaded Houston – beating Cincinnati is a must to be in the title chase.
48-14. That’s what the Bearcats did to the Mustangs last year. 42-13. That’s what they did in 2020. 1-5 all-time in the series, SMU will have the spotlight on it.
SMU Mustangs: 2021 Fun Stats
– Penalties: Opponents 89 for 659 yards – SMU 67 for 627 yards
– Onside Kicks: Opponents 2-for-2 – SMU 0-for-0
– 4th Quarter Scoring: SMU 128 – Opponents 64
Offense, Defense Breakdown
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
SMU Top 10 Players | SMU Schedule