SMU Prepares for Unpredictable San Jose State
Oct 20 | Football
The SMU Mustangs (1-5, 1-2 WAC) will face the San Jose Spartans (3-4, 1-2) in a key WAC game Saturday at Spartan Stadium. The game will mark the first meeting between the two schools.
SMU, coming off its first victory of 1999, will look to end its three-game road losing streak at the expense of the unpredictable Spartans, who have lost two in a row after upsetting Stanford, 44-39, October 2 in Palo Alto. The Mustangs are playing their first game in California since losing to 13th-ranked UCLA in the Rose Bowl on September 10, 1994.
At his weekly media lunch Wednesday, SMU head coach Mike Cavan said that practice has gone better this week after his team defeated heavily favored Fresno State on national television last Thursdday. Players Rodnick Phillips and Raymon Brown, who was named WAC Defensive Player of the Week, also attended the media luncheon.
Head Coach Mike Cavan
"We cut down on our mistakes against Fresno State and were also fortunate to get the ball back when mistakes did happen. We still had too many fumbles."
"Defense set the tempo of the game from the get-go and forced some key turnovers."
"(Cornerback) James Orr was awarded a scholarship earlier this week. He has really improved and has made some big plays for us and will only continue to get better."
"(Rodnick) Phillips had a big day and his best game of the season against Fresno State. The pass he threw to (Cody) Cardwell was one of the biggest plays of the game for us because it turned field position back to our favor and helped us control the clock in the fourth quarter."
"It was a good win and one we really needed - a big, must win for us that was good for the whole football program. It has given us more life and enthusiasm on the practice field this week."
"It was good to have the game on Thursday night and get our first win because it gave us more time to enjoy it and still have all of our preparation time to get ready to play San Jose State."
"San Jose State is a very unpredictable football team and I think their injuries have dictated that. The running back (Deonce Whitaker) can really make things happen but you just don't know how much the ankle will affect him. They are second in the league in offense despite playing with injuries the last couple of weeks."
"We still haven't found all of the answers yet, but are getting closer. James Orr is playing real well and getting better to help us out in the secondary - but one game doesn't do it. We have to put a few more of those Fresno State type games together."
"I've enjoyed the three back rotation (Rodnick Phillips, Kris Briggs and Johnnie Freeman) because each one of them brings something different to the field. Rodnick is an old war horse. When he's right, he gives you things you don't get from freshmen. You cannot substitute experience - you need that experience down the stretch. That's why we keep playing the younger guys, so they can get experience. They are going to become good players, but we're not ready to shelve Rodnick."
"We had a little reminder course on the sideline with Rodnick (Phillips) about running the ball straight ahead and leveling the pads. I think he got the message because he had an opportunity at the end of the half and got the job done."
"Our line blocked a little better for us which gave us more time to execute on third down and we picked up some more first downs. We did a better job of putting ourselves in position to convert on third down."
"Austin Adami just seems to be more comfortable a center. It's a better fit for the team when he's there."
"Our guys have always worked hard at practice, even through the losses. Maybe not with the same enthusiasm as this week, but they had a little reward with the win and it has made it a little more fun in. It's like training a dog - you keep doing the same thing over and over without a reward and the dog starts to wear down and wonder what he's doing out there. Give the dog a reward after doing something, and he's all ready to go out and do it again."
"The younger guys are starting to understand what it takes to win. The seniors have stayed committed and have worked hard through it all - they should be commended for that. It's good for the younger guys to see that from the experienced players."
"I have actually gained two pounds back over the weekend. My wife wanted me to gain five and I was doing a pretty good job of it until Sunday - when I started thinking about San Jose State and lost my appetite."
#28 Rodnick Phillips - Senior Running Back:
"I think the team has gained a little more confidence in what we are doing this week."
"The younger guys now know what a victory feels like and hopefully will play harder and continue to get better each game."
"I just went out and had fun. I was trying too hard to live up to the expectations that were put upon me and was trying to do too much. I played more relaxed, which allowed my game to come back to me. My brother told me to just go out and have fun and do what I know I can do."
#4 Raymon Brown - Senior Safety:
"We cannot dwell upon what has happened in the past and just need to work harder to keep this level of play up the rest of the season."
"I think the younger players have picked up on what it takes to be a winning football team. They seem more relaxed and confident - we've gelled as a team a little more."
"San Jose State wasn't being pressured offensively the first couple of weeks and once that adjustment was made, you started to see them making mistakes. I know Coach Schumann will put us in a position to play well."
"We'll just have to get after them on each play and force some mistakes. It will start up front. If the defensive line gets some pressure, it will take some off the secondary. Even though we're playing better, you can't cover someone forever. The defensive line comes ready to play each week and that is what we're expecting Saturday."
