For all those who are ready to dump Morris, consider this. SMU is now ranked 25th in the polls. They defeated TCU which is now a legitimate football program. A good portion of SMU’s players were recruited by Morris. It takes time to rebuild a program.
I also find it interesting that SMU’s offensive coordinator is Rhett Lashlee who set passing records in Arkansas as a QB at Shiloh Christian for Gus Malzahn. He spend years as offensive coordinator for Gus until the powers at Auburn made Gus hire the mediocre OC Lindsey and stop calling plays. What a turn around at Auburn when Gus was able to get rid of Lindsey and start calling his plays once again.
I think it’s still a bit early to evaluate SMU’s season. Yeah, they beat TCU, but I don’t know how good TCU is this season, either. UAPB gave TCU all they wanted for 3 qtrs. Morris had SMU on an upswing. He might not be directly responsible for this season’s success, but he took them from moribund to respectable. That helps recruiting no matter who the coach is.
It’s pretty clear Dykes has improved SMU, but 4 games against the schedule they’ve played is probably too soon to tell if they’re a legit top 25 team.
Arkansas State I guess you mean. Don’t really play a killer schedule, have to go on the road for Memphis who has owned them, at Houston, Navy on the road, Tulane who is no longer a gimme they close out the season w at home. Should get at least 9-3 and a bowl game. Currently 5-0.
On the official depth chart 12 starters were transfers or not on campus when Morris was at SMU. Even more on the two deep. Not saying Morris will be unsuccessful at Arkansas, just that SMU is a completely different team roster wise.
Mostly, their improvement is about their new QB, an experienced senior who also had an amazing frosh year in the Little 12. Many comments above ignore the Morris recruits, who’ve played together three or four seasons on the OL and DL lines.
Tulsa is leading SMU 30-9 in the 3rd qtr tonight playing at SMU. Unless SMU stages a huge comeback, I think that top 25 rating for the mustangs is gonna be short-lived.
SMU missed a first down by a yard on a 4th and 2…no review, and given a first down. It was at the point when SMU was desperate for anything good. If TU gets the correct call (it wasn’t reviewed, for no apparent reason) they coast.