September 1, 2017

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By Dylan Edwards, SMUMustangs.com

Finally, the offseason is over, and it's time for Chad Morris' third year at the helm of SMU football to begin. In his short time on the hilltop, Morris has already raised expectations for Mustang football.
 
Last season, SMU fell just shy of a bowl game at 5-7. This year, with the added depth and experience returning on both sides of the ball, the program fully expects to grab bowl eligibility and more.
 
"We feel like this is the best SMU football team we've had since we've been here," Morris said. "You can't coach experience. You just have to develop it. To develop experience, you have to take time. When you do that, you go through ups and downs. That's what we have. We have plenty of experience."
 
SMU is led into the season by preseason All-American Courtland Sutton. He's the catalyst of the offense and is looking to build on his record-setting sophomore campaign that saw him set SMU's single game receiving mark (252 yards) as well as the sophomore season receiving record (1,246). 
 
Sutton isn't the only playmaker for Morris' dynamic tempo offense, either. The Mustangs return a 1,000-yard rusher and Doak Walker watchlist running back Braeden West to spark the ground game. SMU's returning players accounted for nearly 95 percent of the yards from last season. It also helps to have Evan Brown anchoring the offensive line at center. Brown has been named to both the Outland and Rimington Trophy Watch Lists. 
 
The Mustang defense looks to continue to improve under defensive coordinator Van Malone. SMU had a knack for forcing turnovers last year, finishing in the top-20 for takeaways. Senior defensive end Justin Lawler is the linchpin upfront with his ability to get after the passer and always be in the right spot to make a play.
 
Depth on both sides of the ball is the biggest difference from last year's squad. The lack of depth in spots caused the Mustangs to struggle in the second half of some games and falter down the stretch. This year, with another year of Morris adding talent to the roster, that issue has been addressed. SMU has players on both sides of the ball that have been through the fire earlier in their career and are now seasoned vets.
 
SMU's defense gets a test right out of hte gate by facing a Stephen F. Austin team that scored points in droves last season. The Lumberjacks averaged more than 30 points while racking up 440 yards per game on the offensive side of the ball.
 
"We have great respect for Coach (Clint) Conque's program and what he's done," Morris said. "We know they're going to be well-coached and try to play fast."
 
The season opener will also be a "Salute To Our Heroes" game, serving as a tribute to all active military members and veterans. The first 5,000 fans to enter Ford Stadium will receive Salute To Our Heroes white-out branded thunder sticks, and all fans are encouraged to wear white. The game kicks off at 6 p.m.
 
"This is going to be a great challenge for us opening up this season," Morris said. "We look forward to Saturday night at Ford Stadium."