(Photo Credit: Matt Visinsky/On3)
Key Players Returning:
WR Moochie Dixon, WR Jordan Kerley, TE RJ Maryland, OC Branson Hickman, OG Justin Osborne, OT Marcus Bryant, OT Jaylon Thomas, DE Junior Aho, DE DeVere Levelston, LB Turner Coxe, LB Nelson Paul LB Shanon Reid, LB Issac Slade-Matautia, CB Bryce McMorris, CB Jahari Rogers, CB Sam Westfall, DS Chace Cromartie, FS/KR Bryan Massey, DS Isaiah Nwokobia, PR Roderick Daniels Jr., PK Collin Rogers and PT Ryan Bujcevski.
Key Players Departing:
QB Tanner Mordecai, RB Tyler Lavine, WR/PR Rashee Rice, OG Jaylon Thomas, OT Owen Condon, NT Elijah Chatman, LB Jimmy Philips, LB Gary Wiley, CB Ar’mani Johnson, NB Brandon Crossley and BS Nick Roberts.
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: RB Jaylan Knighton (Miami, Fl transfer), OL Jakai Clark (Miami, FL Transfer), OT Hyrin White (Missouri transfer), CB Charles Woods (West Virginia transfer), CB Chris Megginson (Liberty transfer), LB Ahmad Walker (Liberty transfer), LB Alex Kilgore (Kast, Texas), DL Daemian Wimberly (Austin, Texas), DL Elijah Roberts (Miami, FL transfer) and DL Jordan Miller (Miami, FL transfer).
2022 Results
G02 @ North Texas W 48-10
G02 LAMAR W 45-16
G03 @Maryland L 27-34
G04 TCU L 34-42
G05 @ UCF L 19-41
G06 NAVY W 40-34
G07 CINCINNATI L 27-29
G08 @ Tulsa W 45-34
G09 HOUSTON W 77-63
G10 @ South Florida W 41-23
G11 @ Tulane L 24-59
G12 MEMPHIS W 34-31
BOWL vs. BYU L 23-24
Misc. Team Information:
2022 Record: 7-6 (4th in AAC)
Home: 4-2
Away: 3-3
Neutral: 0-1
AAC: 5-3
Non-AAC: 2-3
Head Coach: Rhett Lashlee
SMU: 7-6
Career: 7-6
Bowls: 0-0
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Preston Stone (28-48, 388 yards, 64.3%, 8.1 avg., 2 TD, 1 INT)
Rushing: Velton Gardner (70 car., 368 yards, 5.3 avg., 1 TD)
Receiving: Jordan Kerley (37 car., 588 yards, 15.9 avg., 6 TD)
TDs Scored: Jordan Kerley/RJ Maryland (6)
Sacks: Nelson Paul (5)
Tackles: Isaac Slade-Matautia (67)
Tackles For Loss: Nelson Paul (9)
Interceptions: Shannon Reid/Jahari Rogers (2)
Pass Deflections: Jahari Rogers/Sam Westfall (3)
Forced Fumbles: 5 Tied (1)
Kick Returns: Bryan Massey (9 ret., 205 yards, 22.7 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Roderick Daniels Jr. (9 ret., 104 yards, 11.6 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Collin Rogers (16-20 fg/fga., 80%, 58-58 xp/xpa., 106 pt.)
Punting: Ryan Bujcevski (40 punts, 1747 yards, 43.7 avg., 15 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 2 Preston Stone (RS SO)
RB: 00 Jaylan Knighton (SR/TR)
WR: 1 Jordan Kerley (SR/TR)
WR: 00 Jordan Hudson (SO/TR)
WR: 12 Jake Bailey (RS SR/TR)
TE: 82 RJ Maryland (RS SO)
LT: 52 Marcus Bryant (SR)
LG: 00 Logan Parr ((RS JR/TR)
OC: 00 Jakai Clark (SR/TR)
RG: 51 Justin Osborne (RS SR/TR)
RT: 50 Hyrin White (GR/TR)
KR: 00 Bryan Massey (SR)
PK: 41 Collin Rogers (SO)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 5 Elijah Roberts (SR/TR)
NT: 6 Jordan Miller (RS SR/TR)
DE: 96 DeVere Levelston (RS SR/TR)
LB: 9 Nelson Paul (SR)
LB: 34 Ahmad Walker (JR/TR)
LB: 8 JaQwondis Burns (RS JR/TR)
NB: 1 Brandon Crossley (SR/TR)
CB: 3 Charles Woods (RS SR/TR)
CB: 25 Kevaris Hall (RS JR/TR)
FS: 00 Bryan Massey (SR)
SS: 2 Jonathan McGill (SR/TR)
PR: 13 Roderick Daniels Jr. (JR)
PT: 92 Ryan Bujcevski (GR/TR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: B
Kickers: A
Punters: B
Opponents:
09/02 LOUISIANA TECH BULLDOGS | SMU trails the series 2-4. The Mustangs won (39-37) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
09/09 @ Oklahoma Sooners | SMU trails the series 1-5-1. The Mustangs lost (10-24) the last meeting between schools in 1995.
09/16 PRAIRIE VIEW A&M PANTHERS | First meeting between schools.
09/23 @ TCU Horned Frogs | SMU trails the series 42-52-7. The Mustangs are 2-7 since 2013 and their lasts series win (42-34) was in 2021.
09/30 CHARLOTTE 49ERS | First meeting between schools.
10/12 @ East Carolina Pirates | SMU trails the series 4-5. The Mustangs lost (38-52) the last meeting between schools in 2020.
10/20 @ Temple Owls | SMU leads the series 3-2. The Mustangs won (47-23) the last meeting between schools in 2020.
10/28 TULSA GOLDEN HURRICANE | SMU leads the series 16-13. The Mustangs are 3-6 since renewing the series in 2014 and their last series loss (31-34) was in 2021.
11/04 @ Rice Owls | SMU leads the series 48-41-1. The Mustangs lost (14-36) the last meeting between schools in 2012.
11/10 NORTH TEXAS MEAN GREEN | SMU leads the series 35-6. The Mustangs are 7-2 since restarting the series in 2014 and their last series loss (23-46) was in 2018.
11/18 @ Memphis Tigers | SMU trails the series 4-10. The Mustangs lost (25-28) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
11/25 NAVY MIDSHIPMEN | SMU trails the series 11-13. The Mustangs are 4-4 since restarting the series in 2015 and their last series loss (28-35) was in 2019.
Predictions:
Home: 4-2
Road: 0-6
Neutral: 0-0
AAC: 3-5
Non-AAC: 1-3
Overall: 4-8 (11th in AAC)
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