Game Notes | Live Stats | Twitter Updates
SMU Athletics Mobile App
 
TV: ABC | Channel Finder
Radio: KLIF 570
Listen

Oct. 28, 2019: It's Always Sonny On The Hilltop (Audio)
Coach Dykes: American Athletic Conference Weekly Teleconference
Coach Dykes: Weekly Availability

SETTING THE SCENE
•    The No. 15/14 Mustangs head to No. 24/23 Memphis Saturday for a 6:30 p.m. CT prime time game on ABC. The match-up will also be featured on ESPN College GameDay. The Mustangs were last featured on College GameDay Nov. 19, 2011 at Houston.  

•     SMU defeated Houston, 34-31, last Thursday to improve to 8-0 for the first time since 1982 when SMU started 10-0 en route to an 11-0-1 season. With the win, SMU remains one of nine undefeated teams nationally.

•     SMU moved up one spot in the AP Poll and three spots in the Coaches Poll for a 15/14 ranking this week. The ranking is the highest for the Mustangs since October 1985 when they were ranked No. 3.

•     Patrick Nelson was named the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week. Nelson had a season-high tying 3.0 TFLs in the win over Houston, including 2.0 sacks, giving him his fourth game this season with multiple sacks. The senior has 9.5 sacks on the season, tied for fifth all-time in a season at SMU.    

•     Head Coach Sonny Dykes was named a mid-season addition to the Dodd Trophy Watch List, celebrating the head coach of a team who enjoys success on the gridiron, while also stressing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity. He was also an addition to the Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Watch List.

•     Shane Buechele was named a mid-season addition to both the Maxwell and Manning Award Watch Lists.Buechele is the second Mustang named to the Maxwell Award Watch List, joining James Proche, who was on the preseason edition. The Maxwell Award is presented to the outstanding collegiate football player in America in honor of Robert W. "Tiny" Maxwell, while the Manning Award honors the nation's top quarterback.

THE SERIES
Saturday's meeting is the 12th between SMU and Memphis. The Tigers hold the 8-3 all-time advantage and have won the last five in the series. The Mustangs last won in Memphis, 34-29, in 2013. 

ABOUT THE TIGERS
Memphis enters this weekend's match-up at 7-1 on the season and 3-1 in conference play after a win over Tulsa last weekend. Their lone loss of the season came on the road at Temple on Oct. 12. The Tigers enter the AP Poll at No. 24 and climbed two spots to No. 23 in the Coaches Poll. 

THE COACHES
•    Sonny Dykes is in his second season as head coach of the Mustangs and has a 13-8 record on the Hilltop. In his first season, SMU boasted one of the most explosive offenses in school history and a vastly-improved defense. The season included his first win as SMU head coach, a 31-30 overtime victory over Navy at home, and a 45-31 win over then-No. 17 Houston at Ford Stadium. He has been named to both the Dodd Trophy and Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Watch Lists. Dykes' career record stands at 54-53.

•    Mike Norvell is in his fourth season as head coach at Memphis and has led the Tigers to bowl games in each of his first three seasons at the Helm. He holds a 33-15 overall record, including a 10-win season in 2017. Norvell came to Memphis after coaching at Arizona State. 

LAST TIME VS. MEMPHIS
DALLAS (AP) -- Patrick Taylor Jr., ran for 111 yards and two touchdowns and Memphis beat SMU 28-18 on Nov. 16, 2018.

Brady White's 16-yard touchdown pass to Joey Magnifico with 9:26 before halftime gave Memphis a 7-3 lead it never surrendered. Taylor's 9-yard run after intermission extended the lead to 14-5. Ben Hicks threw a 31-yard score to James Proche just before the end of the third and SMU was with two but couldn't get closer.

White threw a 9-yard score to Joey Magnifico to start the fourth and Taylor added a 2-yard TD run and the lead was 16.

Hicks threw for 344 yards and two touchdowns -- both to Proche. Proche finished with 12 catches for 134 yards.

QUICK HITS
•    James Proche, Shane Buechele, Richard Moore (out for 2019 with an injury) and Rodney Clemons were voted captains for the 2019 season.

•    SMU is 8-0 for the first time since 1982 (13-4 in the last 17 games), it's the best start since going 10-0 to begin that season before finishing 11-0-1. 

•    The Mustangs have scored 40+ points in six games this season, setting a program record. SMU has at least 34 points in each game this year and is averaging 43.0 on the season.

•    SMU is 4-0 in conference play for the first time since 1986, and the 8 wins are the most since 2011    (8-5 after winning the BBVA Compass Bowl). 

•    The Mustangs are 4-0 on the road this season, giving them the most consecutive road wins since a streak of 4 in 1984-85. SMU has won 6 of its last 7 on the road, the best since a 19-1 road-stretch from 1980-85.

•    SMU did not allow a sack for the second time this season in the win at USF, and have only allowed six in 2019.

•    SMU had 655 yards of total offense off 109 plays in the win over No. 25 Temple. The 655 yards were the second most in school history, while the 109 plays were an SMU and conference record. SMU has 500+ yards four times this season.
•    The Mustangs went 4-0 in September. The last time they did so when playing at least four games was November of 1984 against Texas A&M, at Rice, at Texas Tech and against Arkansas.

WATCH US
Six Mustangs are on watch lists this season, including James Proche (Maxwell Award, Biletnikoff Award, Paul Hornung and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Lists), Reggie Roberson, Jr. (Biletnikoff, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose), Shane Buechele (Maxwell Award, Manning Award, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose), Xavier Jones (Doak Walker), Tyler Page (Wuerffel), Demerick Gary (AFCA Good Works).

HOT START
Not only is SMU 8-0 to start the season for the first time since 1982, but the Mustangs have outscored opponents 86-20 and outgained them 1,165-462 (145.66-57.75) in the first quarter this season. At the half, SMU has outscored opponents 176-86 and outgained them 2,155-1,253 (269.38-156.63). 
 
WHAT A RUSH
The Mustangs have 24 rushing touchdowns in 2019 after just 17 during the 2018 season.

In the win over USF, Xavier Jones (2), Shane Buechele and Tyler Lavine posted rushing TDs for SMU. The Mustangs had 252 rushing yards in the game, giving them their third 300-yard game this season.

SMU registered 56 carries for 390 yards (14th most in a game for SMU) and five rushing TDs in the win over Texas State, giving the Mustangs the most rushing yards since the 467 total against TCU on Sept. 28, 1985. It was also the most rushing TDs since the five at Connecticut in 2018.

TJ McDaniel posted 159 yards and three TDs off eight carries to become the first Mustang with 150+ yards and 3 TDs in his SMU debut. He was the third freshman in school history to accomplish the feat, and ninth player (10th time) overall to post the numbers.

In addition to McDaniel, Jones also had 108 yards in the game, giving SMU two 100-yard rushers for the first time since the game at UConn in 2018.

Jones leads the Mustangs with 751 yards off 143 carries and 12 rushing TDs. Both Jones (4th, 34) and Ke'Mon Freeman (T7th, 24) rank in the top 10 on SMU career rushing TD list.

STREAKING
With the win over No. 25 TCU, SMU had its first five-game, non-conference winning streak since 1984-85. The 1984 season was also the last time SMU went perfect in regular season, non-conference action and 1950 was the last time the Mustangs went 4-0 or better in regular season, non-conference action. The Mustangs eight game winning streak is also the longest since SMU won 10 straight in 1982.
    
CLUB TAKEAWAY
The Mustang defense has 17 takeaways this season, giving them at least one takeaway in 19 straight games (39 total). In 12 of those games, SMU has had multiple takeaways. The 19 straight games is currently the second-longest (Syracuse 20) active streak in the nation. 

At Houston, Clemons posted his team-leading fourth interception, while Patrick Nelson and Delontae Scott had forced fumbles.

Ar'mani Johnson (2) and Chevin Calloway (1) registered their first career interceptions in the win over Tulsa. Johnson ran his first back for a 64-yard TD.

Rodney Clemons had a pair of interceptions at USF, making him the first Mustang to post two in a game since Horace Richardson at ECU in 2016.

The three fumble recoveries in the win over No. 25 TCU were the most since SMU had three against Navy on Sept. 22, 2018.

Overall, the Mustangs are +5 in turnover margin this season, only having lost the turnover battle in the game against Texas State. 

DYNAMIC DUO
The receiving duo of James Proche and Reggie Roberson, Jr. has a combined 18 100-yard receiving games in its career, the most of any duo on a team in The American. In 2019, the pair has already posted five 100-yard games (Proche vs. UNT, Tulsa; Roberson Jr. at Arkansas State, at TCU, Temple).

Proche leads the AAC in receptions per game (7.6), while Roberson is second in receiving yards (803) and receiving yards per game (100.4). Roberson's 250 yards and three TDs vs. Temple were the most by a receiver in The American in a game this season.

GETTING DEFENSIVE
After 7 sacks and a season-high tying 13 TFLs at Houston, the Mustangs have 36 sacks in 2019, tied for second in a season at SMU. It's the fourth time this season with 5+ sacks, and third time with 10+ TFLs. 

Rodney Clemons was the Mustangs' leading tackler against Houston with eight, and added an interception and two pass break-ups. It was his team-leading fourth interception of the season. 

CHANNEL 3
James Proche continues to climb the SMU record books with 61 receptions for 692 yards and eight TDs in 2019. The senior is in the top three all-time at SMU for career receiving yards (3,416), receptions (251) and receiving TDs (33). 

Proche was named the Walter Camp Award National Player of the Week, the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award National Player of the Week and the AAC Offensive Player of the Week after his 153 yard, two-TD performance in the overtime win against Tulsa. Proche caught the game-winner in the third OT, a 25 yard pass from Shane Buechele. It was his 11th-career 100-yard game, sixth-career game with 10 or more receptions and fifth straight with a TD reception (tied for the longest streak at SMU).

He now has 4,386 all-purpose yards after his 20th career game with 100+ all-purpose yards in the win over Houston, and his one receiving TD gives him seven straight games with a receiving TD. Aldrick Robinson holds the record at eight consecutive games.

Proche is also the FBS career active leader in receiving yards and receiving TDs.

2019 Watch Lists
Maxwell Award - College Player of the Year
Biletnikoff Award - Outstanding FBS receiver
Paul Hornung - Demonstrates an extreme, high-level of versatility
Earl Campbell Tyler Rose - Nation's top offensive player with a Texas tie

PONYUP, ARLINGTON
Shane Buechele set the record for most passing yards by a Mustang in his first start with 360 in the season-opening win at Arkansas State on Aug. 31. The junior went 30-for-49 with 360 yards. The totals were his second-highest in career attempts and yardage, and third-highest for completions.

In week two, Buechele went 21-31 with 292 passing yards and 3 TD (3rd career 3+ TD game), while adding 24 yards on the ground. The 316 yards of total offense gave him his first consecutive games of 300+ yards.

Buechele was named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll after the win over No. 25 TCU. The junior completed 23 passes for 288 yards and two TDs, while rushing for 30 yards and his fifth-career rushing TD. His 318 yards of total offense gave him his third game this season with 300+.

Buechele was named Co-Offensive Player of the Week and a Manning Award Star of the Week following the win over USF. The junior threw for 226 yards and three TDs off a season-high completion percentage of 84.0. 

The junior had a career day against No. 25 Temple on Oct. 19 with 457 passing yards and six passing TDs. The TD total ties an SMU record, while the passing yardage is fourth. It was his sixth straight game with multiple passing TDs this season.

In the win over Houston, Buechele moved into eighth on SMU's single-season passing TD list (20). He has now has multiple passing TDs in seven straight games this season.

Among career active FBS leaders, Buechele is 11th in passing yards per game (224.5), 12th in completions per game (18.87), 14th in completion percentage (.625) and 16th in passing yards (6,961).

TEXAS TIES
Shane Buechele isn't the only Texas transfer who has found success with the Mustangs. In two seasons on the Hilltop, quarterback Garrett Gilbert ranked second all-time at SMU in 300-yard passing games (9), third in career yardage (6,460) and completions (603) and tied for fifth in touchdown passes (36).

X GON' GIVE IT TO YA
Running back Xavier Jones had a career-high tying three rushing touchdowns to open the season against Arkansas State and matched that total in week two against North Texas. His back-to-back performance made him the first Mustang to have 3+ TDs in consecutive games since Zach Line in 2011 (5 vs Northwestern St. 9/17, 3 at Memphis 9/24) and earned him a spot on the Doak Walker Award Watch List and AAC Player of the Week honors.

Jones posted his sixth 100-yard rushing game of the season, 12th career, against Houston, and sixth game with multiple TDs this season. He has had at least one TD in every game this season (14 rushing, 2 receiving). 

His 36 career rushing and 39 total TDs are tied for fifth among FBS career active leaders, while his 3,044 rushing yards are 11th.

Jones holds the SMU freshman record for rushing TDs with 10, and was a member of the Doak Walker Watch List in 2016 and 2018 and the Maxwell Award Watch List in 2018.

THE KING REGGIE
Reggie Roberson, Jr. opened the 2019 season with a career-high 180 yards off 11 receptions to lead the Mustangs over Arkansas State. It was the fifth 100-yard game of his career. In week two, Roberson Jr. tied his career high with a pair of touchdown receptions against North Texas. In week three, he led the Mustangs with four catches for 68 yards.

Roberson Jr. had a career day in the win over No. 25 Temple, posting the second-best single-game receiving yard performance in SMU history. The junior racked up 250 receiving yards and three TDs in the Mustangs' win. For his efforts, Roberson was named to the CFPA National Player of the Week Honorable Mention list.

The game was his seventh career 100-yard game, and third this season, and third career multi-TD game. 

He is a member of both the Biletnikoff and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch Lists.

STAY ACTIVE
CJ Sanders joined the Mustangs after three seasons at Notre Dame and is the FBS active leader in combined kick return yards (3,069) and kickoff returns (114) and is tied for combined kick return touchdowns (5). He ranks second in kickoff return yards (2,746) and is fourth in kickoff return touchdowns (4, 3 tied with 5).

The redshirt senior wasted no time getting started in 2019, returning his fourth-career kickoff return for a touchdown en route to AAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. The 98-yard return ties him for the eighth longest at SMU. Overall, Sanders finished with three returns for 133 yards against Arkansas State. 

He posted his second 100-yard return game  of the season in the win over Tulsa (119 yds). 

Sanders played only four games in 2018 due to an injury and was named a Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award Nominee. Ten times during the 2019 college football season, three inspiring student-athletes from all levels of college football, who have overcome injury, illness or other challenges, will be recognized as nominees.

DOUBLE DUTY DENBOW
In the win over No. 25 Temple, safety Trevor Denbow had a season-high six tackles. Denbow is pulling double duty this season and is also the Mustangs' No. 1 punter with 17 for 687 yards and a career-long 72 yarder on Oct. 19 against Temple (T-11th at SMU).

Against Houston, Denbow went 6-241 punting (40.2 average) with a long of 52, and a career-best three inside the 20.

BIG BOSS PAT
Patrick Nelson is tied for fifth on the Mustangs' season sack list with 9.5 on the season. In the win at Houston, Nelson had 3.0 TFLs, including 2.0 sacks. It was his fourth game this season with multiple sacks. He also had his first forced fumble, the fourth of his career, in the game. For his efforts, Nelson was named the AAC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season.

Nelson has posted consecutive games of 2+ sacks twice this season (UNT 2.0, Texas State 3.0 & Temple 2.0, at Houston 2.5).

Nelson leads The American and is ranked sixth nationally in sacks per game (1.19), and is second in the conference and 15th nationally in TFLs per game (1.5).     

TRIBUTE 23
Since 2009, the SMU coaching staff has chosen a deserving student-athlete to wear the number 23 to honor Jerry LeVias.

LeVias was the first African-American to receive an athletic scholarship in the Southwest Conference. While at SMU, LeVias made athletic and academic All-America teams and, in 1966, contributed to the Mustangs' first SWC title in 18 years. He was an All-American in 1968 and was chosen All-SWC in 1966, 1967 and 1968.

Senior Rodney Clemons has been awarded the number for 2019.

"He's developed into a really good football player," Head Coach Sonny Dykes said of Clemons. "Rodney's such a smart kid and does a good job tackling, and all those things you want a safety to do... so he's really starting to come into his own."
    
Players To Wear #23 In Honor of Jerry LeVias
Rodney Clemons, S, 2019
Jordan Wyatt, CB, 2018
Nick Horton, DE, 2016-17
Jeremiah Gaines, TE, 2015
Stephon Sanders, LB, 2012-14
Chris Banjo, DB, 2009-11

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
SMU welcomed 14 transfers, including seven graduate transfers, and five junior college transfers for the 2019 season. In total, the Mustangs have 60 new names on the roster this season.

WELCOME TO THE HILLTOP
Ra'Shaad Samples joined the Mustang coaching staff in July after serving as an assistant wide receivers coach at Texas. Prior to his stint at Texas, Samples spent two years as an offensive assistant at Houston in 2016 and 2017 working with the running backs and receivers (2016) under Darrell Wyatt and working with the quarterbacks (2017) under Brian Johnson. He played a role in the mentorship of Kyle Allen, D'Eriq King and Marquez Stevenson. 

Samples played in six games at Oklahoma State in 2014 as a redshirt freshman, registering three catches for 11 yards. In 2015, he transferred to Houston, and sat out the 2015 season due to transfer obligations and the 2016 season due to injury.

A.J. Ricker joined the Mustang staff in January and serves as the offensive line coach. Ricker came to the Hilltop after serving in the same capacity at Kansas in 2018.

Ricker served in an offensive analyst capacity at Oklahoma State in 2017 and Houston in 2016. While at OSU, the Cowboys posted the nation's top passing offense with 389.2 yards per game, and ranked second nationally in total offense (568.9). In 2016, Houston ranked 17th in passing offense (296.3) and 26th in scoring offense (35.6).

In addition to Samples and Ricker joining staff, Randall Joyner took over defensive line duties, while Josh Martin now adds special teams coordinator to his duties.

GRIDIRON GRADS
The 2019 SMU roster opened the season with 21 student-athletes who have already earned a degree, tying for the highest total in the country. Zach Abercrumbia, Chris Biggurs, Shane Buechele, Rodney Clemons, Pono Davis, Charlie Flores, Luke Hogan, Kevin Johnson, Xavier Jones, Richard McBryde, Tommy McIntyre, Richard Moore, Tyeson Neals, Patrick Nelson, Merek Pierce, James Proche, Kevin Robledo, CJ Sanders, Delontae Scott and Brandon Stephens. Of the 20 remaining, SMU has nine graduate transfers. 

ON THE FIELD, IN THE CLASSROOM, IN THE COMMUNITY    
Junior Tyler Page is one of 93 student-athletes from college football's Football Bowl Subdivision named to the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List. The Wuerffel Trophy, known as "College Football's Premier Award for Community Service," is awarded to the FBS player that best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement.        

Page is a Finance major in the Cox School of Business from Friendswood, Texas, and currently boasts a 4.0 grade-point-average in his major. He was named to SMU's Honor Roll with High Distinction in the fall of 2018 and the Honor Roll with Distinction on three other occasions. Page is also a three-time All-American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team honoree.

One of SMU's most faithful participants in community service activities, Page has regularly taken part in Children's Hospital visits, elementary school service events, The Big Event, SMU youth football clinics and various other activities.

Senior Demerick Gary was announced as a nominee for the 2019 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. The award is given annually to college football players for the impact they make off the field.

Gary is a leader in community service initiatives for the Mustangs, taking part in a variety of events. Activities include visits to the Children's Hospital, working with Feed My Starving Children, elementary school pep rallies and SMU football youth clinics. On the field, Gary played in 11 games for the Mustangs in 2018, making seven starts. The Dallas native registered 23 tackles, including three for loss. He also added a fumble recovery, one break-up and a quarterback hurry.

Coming into 2019, Gary has played in 36 games, recorded 59 tackles, 16 TFLs and 4.5 sacks. Gary is majoring in journalism.
    
IT'S ALWAYS SONNY ON THE HILLTOP    
The second season of It's Always Sonny on the Hilltop with Head Coach Sonny Dykes begins Monday, Aug. 26 at Ozona Grill and Bar, and runs throughout the 2019 campaign. The show will stream live each Monday from 7-8 p.m. 

Fans can also tweet their questions for Coach Dykes using the hashtag #AlwaysSonny, or by clicking the "Ask The Coach" button on SMUMustangs.com. The show will also be available on the TuneIn App by searching "SMU", on Facebook live at Facebook.com/SMUMustangs and on Twitter (@SMUMustangs) and Instagram (@SMU.Mustangs).

There will be no show Nov. 11 due to SMU's off week.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL 150TH ANNIVERSARY
The 2019 football season marks college football's 150th anniversary. The Mustangs will wear the CFB150 uniform patch to commemorate the season.

As part of the national celebration of the 150th season of college football in 2019, the American Athletic Conference will showcase some of the great moments and key individuals from its member schools who have added to the rich tradition of the sport and its contribution to American society and culture.

FAST LAYNE    
Paul Layne holds an unrivaled Mustang record, having attended every SMU game for the last 40-plus years, even going to Tokyo.

He had to pull a "fast one" more than once to keep his streak alive – like the time his ex-wife remarried. He persuaded her to schedule her wedding on a Friday within driving distance of SMU's game at Nevada the following day. So the night before the Mustangs tangled with the Wolf Pack in Reno, Layne attended the wedding in California's Sonoma Valley, then drove 200 miles to catch the opening kickoff.

Layne even attended a game dressed in a Halloween costume to disguise his case of adult-onset chicken pox. 

Starting when Layne attended SMU and was a team cheerleader, he's attended 515 straight games. His 500th was SMU's 63-27 victory over HBU on Sept. 29, 2018.

THE RED CARPET
SMU may need to install a red carpet in the Mustang locker room as SMU has become "the place to be" in Dallas.

Among the celebrities, legends, current and former pros that have attended practice or stopped by the stadium in recent years are: Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, Terrell Owens, Tim Brown, Michael Irvin and Deion Sanders, as well as former SMU standouts Reggie Dupard, Eric Dickerson, Craig James, Jerry Ball, Russell Carter and Don Meredith.

Former President George W. Bush even visits SMU football practice. Bush has also performed the ceremonial coin toss at games against Navy (2011), Memphis (2012), Texas Tech (2013), Cincinnati (2014), UNT (2015), Memphis (2016), Navy (2018) and Texas State (2019).

PONY UP-GRADES!
Across all funds, donors gave more than $18.7 million to support Athletics in fiscal year 2019, a total that includes $9.6 million in capital gifts.    

Specific to Ford Stadium, SMU has made significant investments since 2011, including an upgraded locker room finished in August 2018, a new team meeting room with stadium-style seating and renovated positional meeting rooms, a new playing surface, lighting system, A/V system, new suites and club seating.

Prior to the 2016 season, Paragon Sports Constructors installed a new synthetic turf playing field at Ford Stadium. The new synthetic turf field is PowerBlade Bolt as manufactured by Shaw Sports Turf. The design for the new field remained the same, featuring the Mustang logo at mid-field with 'SMU' and 'Mustangs' in opposing end zones.

In the summer of 2013, SMU added a new 233-seat Hall of Champions Club and seven new suites in time for SMU's move to the American Athletic Conference. Among the great features of the new Club and suites is their indoor/outdoor design which allows fans to enjoy the comfort of indoor amenities as well as the excitement of sitting out in the bowl and hearing the roar of the crowd and the hard-hitting action on the field.

SMU also opened the Indoor Performance Center prior to the 2019 season.

#PONYUPDALLAS
The Mustangs wore Dallas-themed uniforms to symbolize the relationship between SMU and the city of Dallas in wins over North Texas on Sept. 7, No. 25 TCU on Sept. 21 and Houston on Oct. 24.

• The helmet decal featured the famous Triple D interlocked with the timeless SMU Pony, symbolizing the unity between the city of Dallas and SMU.

• The stripe on the helmet and jersey sleeves pay homage to the Dallas Cowboys.

• The number and pant stripe pay tribute to the 1966 Dallas Cowboys, led by quarterback and SMU alum Don Meredith.

• The script 'Dallas' featured on the chest pays homage to SMU alum and AFL founder Lamar Hunt and the Dallas Texans.