April 8, 2005

QUARTERBACKS
SMU used three different starting quarterbacks in 2004 - Chris Phillips, Tony Eckert and Jerad Romo. All three experienced success and setbacks a year ago and all three are back in 2005.

Phillips started as a true freshman in 2003 and was the openingday starter in 2004, but was injured in the Oklahoma State game and sat out the remainder of season as a medical redshirt. Eckert took the reigns for the San Jose State game and led SMU to its first win in 15 tries and finished the year as SMU's top passer, throwing for over 1,400 yards - the most for a Mustang quarterback in four seasons. Romo saw time in nine games and finished the season as the Ponies' top rusher with 434 yards and four TDs.

Head Coach Phil Bennett evaluated all three, saying, "Tony is a tremendous touch passer and also throws a good deep ball. Jerad is such a good runner that we tried him at wideout a few times last year just to get him more touches, while Chris is a big, strong quarterback that can run you over or hit one of our receivers on a long pass play."

"That said, all three have aspects of the game that they need to work on. Tony's got to get better at running the ball and protecting the ball, Jerad has got to be more accurate in his throwing and Chris has to make better decisions and become a better touch-passer. We also need all our quarterbacks to be mentally sharper."

"For us to get better, we must make better decisions and take care of the football," he continued. "Our touchdown-to-interception ratio has to be opposite what it is right now. I'm excited, though, because for the first time since I've been here we have three guys that have started games."

"It's really a three-man race right now. People have asked me if I'm against playing two quarterbacks, and the answer is `No.' But I would like to see one of them take charge. All of them want to be the starting quarterback and I think it's a healthy competition. It's something that if we handle right will only make us better. They're great friends and fierce competitors. I'm counting on them competing and pushing each other. I think any one of them can give us the leadership we need at that position."

RUNNING BACKS
Who joins the starting QB in the backfield is also up in the air. Foy Munlin, SMU's preseason starter last season, was injured before the first game and the Mustang rushing attack never really recovered. Romo, a back-up quarterback, finished as the squad's leading running threat in 2004 and the only other 2005 returnee with more than seven career carries on his resume is sophomore Cedrick Dorsey. Dorsey showed flashes last season, even scoring the winning TD on a 25-yard scamper in overtime to defeat Tulsa, but played most of the season injured and never really showed his full abilities.

"Our job this spring, and I say this unequivocally, is to find a feature back," said Bennett. "I don't know who it will be yet, but we have to find our guy. Last season, we saw some things we really liked in Cedrick Dorsey, and he played most of the year with injuries. I want to see how he holds up and how he's matured."

"We also have Richuel Massey, who's got to put it together this spring, and Fred Turner, one of the team's fastest players who we've moved to running back. Two other possibilities are guys who redshirted last season - Jessie Henderson and DeMyron Martin."

"We just have to see what we have back there and how they all fit together. As I've said to the offensive staff, our chore is to find a feature back. That means mixing and matching and all those kids with the starting line and getting them quality reps. That's the only way to see who's best fitted for that feature-back role."