Texas A&M / SMU

[Frank Costanza]

Interesting game, certainly not from a competitive standpoint, but somewhat from the stench of the line (even now at 32.5). It’s technically a road game for A&M, but really won’t be. Will be more like a neutral site game - Aggies have a big alumni base in D/FW and SMU fans aren’t lining up to buy tickets. (And playing at Ford Field will actually give A&M players some reliable footing vs. that crap this past weekend at home.)

SMU is bad, really bad, maybe the worst in FBS right now. Not ground-breaking news of course. They’ve had an off week, and that’s probably their only advantage here. I was at the opener vs. Baylor and sat 23 rows up behind the SMU bench, and was amazed, in-game and even during warmups, to see how small, slow and unathletic SMU was. Jones got tired of the SMU admin, has let things run dry and it’s not surprising he left. Ponies have no playmakers on either side of the field. Outscored 88-6 this season (their lone score on the last play of the UNT game). They're averaging minus 6 yards / game rush. -7 TO margin. And on and on.

Interesting quotes from the SMU interim coach after today’s practice (from the Dallas Morning News):
- "We’re young. We don’t know how to practice yet obviously. We can get better every week (then) by the time we hit conference we might be a decent football team.”
- “Right now I don’t think we’re a very fundamentally sound football team. I want a fundamentally sound football team that can run and hit. And I think a team will adapt to a head coach’s style once they know what it is (but) we’re not even close to where we need to be right now.”
- "I look at A&M as a challenge. I don’t expect them to come down here and for us to beat them. We can’t get any lower than we were coming out of that North Texas game.

A&M was flat / uninspired this past weekend. (Actually outgained by Rice 481-477). I guess / assume Sumlin will be up their asses after being comatose for several stretches against Rice. Or perhaps they’re in look-ahead mode to the meat of their SEC schedule starting with Arkansas.

Looks like several of you are on the game. I cannot imagine how SMU scores much and, even worse, how they’ll keep A&M out of the end zone. Sumlin wants to stay entrenched in the D/FW area from a recruiting angle, and he should be able to name the score here. That’s probably what makes this game even scarier.

http://collegesportsblog.dallasnews...le-of-winning-a-conference-championship.html/

 

[bjorks]

I agree. But we all know when it looks too good to be true, it is.

 

[bjorks]

No reason why this isn't a 55-6 type game

 

[Grovehard]

I'll add that Sumlin and Bailiff (Rice HC) are friends, and that likely affected the final score. I don't know how A&M doesn't accidentally cover against SMU.

 

[GridironGems]

Only negative I see for A&M is Speedy Noil won't play this weekend. But that's about it

 

[Silkydiamonds]

I'll add that Sumlin and Bailiff (Rice HC) are friends, and that likely affected the final score. I don't know how A&M doesn't accidentally cover against SMU.

Great point, former neighbors, talked on the phone weekly

 

[Frank Costanza]

Great point, former neighbors, talked on the phone weekly

Yeah, definitely, was brought up Saturday night.

A&M didn't score in Q4. Maybe something to it.

 

[B.A.R.]

Thanks for the thoughts etc. Great post...

 

[Frank Costanza]

BOL this weekend B.A.R.

One nugget worth noting on this game - Kenny Hill will be playing in front of a lot of family this weekend. He's from Southlake (near Dallas). Quite a few A&M players from the D/FW area, I'd expect you'll see Hill and all of them going all out on Saturday.

 

[pressitup]

Part of coach' presser.
Looking at the scheduling etc could bode well for the Ags vs. the Hogs.

On playing in the metroplex…
“This is a contract that was done a long time ago. People ask about our schedule, and I hear other coaches talk about it. We had two things happen. One, we changed conferences, and it became very hard to schedule games in the next 1-2 years (especially) when you drop down to an 8-game conference schedule. Two, I think people really overlook this, is one of our non-conference games previously used to be Arkansas. That game is now a conference game. The schedule changed dramatically. We not only changed leagues but into the same one that Arkansas is in. We’re going to Dallas back-to-back weeks. I think it’s a good thing for us in recruiting. Last time we were up there we had a huge contingency of fans. When we practiced for the Cotton Bowl we practiced at SMU and there had to be couple thousand people out there. I look for that to happen again, to have a lot of Aggies there. Playing in the Metroplex is a good thing for us. The other thing that’s interesting is we caught a break from a game-time scheduling standpoint, not just this week but next week. We have two game times at 2:30, two travel times at 2:30, the same bus trip. We’re looking for the same type of prep Monday through Saturday and the same type of performance and effort these next two weeks. Very rarely at this point in college football do you get to duplicate the same type of situation from a travel and game-time standpoint. I think we caught a break there.”
On the status of Speedy Noil …
“Speedy probably will not play this weekend.”
On the status of Zaycoven Henderson…
“Probable for Saturday. I would say Zaycoven will play Saturday, Mike Matthews will be probable. Jordan (Mastrogiovanni) the same. Cam Clear the same. We’ll see, how about that.”

 

[B.A.R.]

BOL this weekend B.A.R.

One nugget worth noting on this game - Kenny Hill will be playing in front of a lot of family this weekend. He's from Southlake (near Dallas). Quite a few A&M players from the D/FW area, I'd expect you'll see Hill and all of them going all out on Saturday.

:shake:

 

[pressitup]

I remember seeing someone post about Sumlin messing around vs. Rice , as far as routes/throws.

On the success of the passing game…
”The first game, we started off at South Carolina and we were very quick with our throws because there were a lot of uncertainties going to that game. Going into Lamar we were trying to take some shots. This week we tried to work on our intermediate passing game. I think what is making us successful in the passing game is Kenny (Hill) taking what the defense gives them. He does not have any interceptions right now and he is taking care of the ball pretty well. At the same time (credit) our receivers, Coach Beaty has done a great job. Our wide receivers understand the route-running concept and what we are trying to do and trying to accomplish with the play. The players understand it as well now and they can go out and execute it pretty well. With Kenny and his poise, that calm nature that he has just passes off on everyone else. We did make some mistakes in the Rice game, we had a few drops. But he is one of those guys that is like, ‘Hey, we will get it the next time’. I think you could see that as well with some of the kids that had drops in the game. They stepped up and made plays later.”

On the approach this week without Speedy Noil…
”I don’t think it is going to change anything. I think it’s another opportunity for a kid to step up and make plays. I’m very pleased with all the receivers that we have. It’s unfortunate for Speedy this week, but I think it’s going to give some kids an opportunity to step up and make plays. Ed Pope is going in that position right now, and I think Pope has had a great start to the season. It’s not going to change anything with what we’re doing offensively.”