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SETTING THE SCENE
•    The Mustangs host Tulane for Senior Day Saturday at 3 p.m. on ESPNU.

•     Shane Buechele, who was previously a semifinalist for both the Maxwell and Davey O'Brien Award, has thrown for 3,446 yards (4th at SMU) and 30 touchdowns (3rd at SMU) in his first season on the Hilltop, and ranks fifth nationally in passing yards and sixth in passing yards per game and passing TDs.

•     James Proche, who was a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award, ranks second in the nation in receptions per game (8.6), fourth in receiving TDs (13) and 11th in receiving yards (1,068). 

•     Doak Walker Award semifinalist Xavier Jones ranks third nationally and leads the AAC with 19 rushing TDs.

•     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 and the George Munger Award List. Offensive Coordinator Rhett Lashlee is a semifinalist for the Broyles Award, honoring college football's top assistant coach. 

•     The Mustangs rank seventh nationally in scoring offense (43.5), eighth in total offense (506.0) and ninth in passing offense (321.1), while the defense ranks third nationally in sacks (4.09) and fifth in tackles for loss (8.6).

THE SERIES
Saturday's meeting is the 26th between the Mustangs and Green Wave, with Tulane holding the narrow 13-12 all-time advantage. SMU has won the last four match-ups, including a 27-23 win in 2018 in New Orleans. The last three meetings between the two teams have each been decided by four points or less.

ABOUT THE GREEN WAVE
Tulane enters Saturday's match-up at 6-5 and 3-4 in AAC action, and is coming off a pair of conference losses to Temple and UCF. The Green Wave went 5-1 to open the season, but has lost four of its last five coming into Saturday's contest.

THE COACHES
•    Sonny Dykes is in his second season as head coach of the Mustangs and has a 14-10 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 the Dodd Trophy, Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year and George Munger Award Watch Lists. Dykes' career record stands at 55-55.

•    Willie Fritz is in his fourth season as the head coach at Tulane and has a 22-26 overall record with the Green Wave. He led Tulane to a 7-6 overall record, and 5-3 conference mark in 2018 to tie atop the AAC's west division. The Green Wave went on to defeat Louisiana in the AutoNation Cure Bowl. Fritz came to Tulane after two seasons at Georgia Southern.  

LAST TIME VS. TULANE
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  - James Proche hauled in a sideline pass from Ben Hicks and turned it into a 67-yard touchdown for the go-ahead score with 1:15 left in the game as SMU rallied past Tulane 27-23 on Oct. 20, 2018

The late TD gave the Mustangs (3-4, 2-1 American) the lead for the first time all game, and they sealed the win when Richard Moore strip-sacked Jonathan Banks, with Jake Hall recovering with 39 seconds remaining. SMU ran out the final seconds.

SMU defenders recorded a season-high five sacks, 11 tackles for loss and three takeaways - an interception by Christian Davis and strip-sacks of Banks by Moore and Delontae Scott.

Hicks completed 21 of 40 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns, each to a different receiver. He found Xavier Jones for a 55-yard score, Reggie Roberson Jr. from the 16 and Proche for the winner. Braeden West added a 29-yard run.

Banks passed for 153 yards and added a rushing touchdown for Tulane (2-5, 1-2). Darius Bradwell led with 72 yards and a score.

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

•    CJ Sanders was named to the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll after posting a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown at Navy on Saturday. It was his second of the season and ties the SMU single-season and career total.

•    Saturday serves as Senior Day for 24 Mustangs. 

•    The Mustangs set program records for sacks (45) and tackles for loss (95) in a season in the game at Navy.

•    SMU's scoring average (43.5) and total offense (506.0) currently rank first all-time in a season, while passing yards per game (321.1) is second. The Mustangs' rushing TDs total (31) and scoring (479) are second and passing TDs (30) rank third. 

WATCH US
Shane Buechele, James Proche and Xavier Jones led seven Mustang student-athletes on Watch Lists for the 2019 season. Jones is a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award, while Buechele was a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award (Collegiate Player of the Year) and Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award. James Proche was honored as a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award. Sonny Dykes is on the Dodd Trophy, Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year and George Munger Award lists and Rhett Lashlee is a nominee for the Broyles Award.

Other Watch List members throughout the season included Buechele (Manning Award, CFPA, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award), Proche (Maxwell, Paul Hornung, ECTR), Reggie Roberson, Jr. (Biletnikoff, ECTR), Tyler Page (Wuerffel), Demerick Gary (AFCA Good Works) and Gerrit Choate (Burlsworth). 

HOME SWEET HOME
The Mustangs are 5-0 at home in 2019 and are looking to go unbeaten at home for the first time since 1982 (5-0-1 at Texas Stadium) and perfect at home in a season for the first time since going 4-0 in 1968 when games were played at the Cotton Bowl. The Mustangs last went perfect on campus in 1939 when they went 5-0.

SMU last won six games at home in 2017, finishing 6-1 overall.

ON THE RECEIVING END
The receiving duo of James Proche and Reggie Roberson, Jr. has a combined 20 100-yard receiving games in its career. In 2019, the pair has posted seven 100-yard games (Proche vs. UNT, Tulsa, at Memphis, ECU; Roberson Jr. at Arkansas State, at TCU, Temple).

Proche leads the AAC and is second nationally in receptions per game (8.6) and is second in the AAC in receiving yards (1,068) and receiving yards per game (97.1), while Roberson is third in receiving yards per game (89.2) and Kylen Granson is third in receiving touchdowns (8). 

WHAT A RUSH
The Mustangs have 31 rushing touchdowns in 2019, second only behind SMU's 33 in 1981.

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 200-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.

Doak Walker semifinalist Jones leads the Mustangs with 1,124 yards and 19 rushing TDs off 214 carries. Both Jones (T-3rd, 41) and Ke'Mon Freeman (7th, 26) 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 Mustangs did not have a takeaway for the first time in 20 games in the game against Memphis, bringing the nation's second longest active streak to an end. Overall, the defense has forced 18 takeaways this season (9 INTs, 9 FRs) after Tyler Lavine registered a fumble recovery against ECU, and has a takeaway in 20 of the last 22 games. The Mustangs are +4 in turnover margin this season, only having lost the turnover battle twice this season.

At Houston, Clemons posted his team-leading fourth interception, while Patrick Nelson and Demerick Gary 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.

GETTING DEFENSIVE
SMU posted 3.0 sacks in the game at Navy to bring its season total to 45 to set the program single-season record. The Mustangs are third nationally and first in the AAC with 4.09 sacks per game. SMU also had nine TFLs in the game for 95 on the season, also a program mark. The previous record was 91 in 2018. The Mustangs rank eighth nationally, and third in the league, in the category at 8.6 per game.

Individually, SMU has a pair who rank in the top 25 nationally in sacks, as Patrick Nelson is ninth at 0.91 and Delontae Scott is 24th at 0.73. Scott also ranks 11th nationally and first in the AAC in TFLs (1.5). Rodney Clemons leads the conference and is 10th in the NCAA for interceptions with four.

Three Mustangs posted career days at Navy led by Delano Robinson with a career-high 14 tackles (most by an SMU player in 2019). Pono Davis and Brandon Stephens each added a career-high nine tackles.

CHANNEL 3
With his first of two touchdown receptions against ECU on Nov. 9, Biletnikoff and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award semifinalist James Proche became SMU's all-time leader in touchdown receptions with 36. 

Proche added another TD against Navy to extend his record and added 60 receiving yards to become SMU's all-time leader with 3,792 receiving yards, and seven catches to tie the career receptions mark with 285. 

He extended his SMU record of 10 straight games with a receiving touchdown, and his 13 receiving TDs this season are tied for second at SMU.

Proche's 72 all-purpose yards in the game bring his career total to 4,806, second overall for a Mustang. 

Among active FBS career leaders, Proche is first in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, while ranking third in receptions per game (5.94) and  receiving yards per game (79.0) and fourth in all-purpose yards.

PONYUP, ARLINGTON
Shane Buechele set the record for most passing yards in their first start by a Mustang with 360 in the season-opening win at Arkansas State on Aug. 31. The junior went 30-for-49 with 360 yards. 

Buechele is a semifinalist for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award and is a member of the Manning and CFPA Award Watch Lists. He was listed among semifinalists for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback and the Maxwell Awards.

He has thrown for 3,446 yards (4th at SMU) and 30 touchdowns (3rd at SMU) in 2019, and has thrown multiple TD passes in an SMU-record 10 straight games. 

In the win over Temple on Oct. 19, Buechele threw for 457 yards (4th at SMU) and six TDs to tie an SMU record. He added 456 yards at Memphis to give him the fifth-highest single-game total for a Mustang. 

Among career active FBS leaders, Buechele is ninth in completions per game (19.65), 10th in passing yards per game (237.7), 11th in completions (668), 14th in TD passes (560) and passing yards (8,082),16th in total offense (8,425) and 19th in completion percentage (.628).

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
Doak Walker and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award semifinalist 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.

In the win over ECU, Jones became the sixth Mustang to post multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons (2017, 2019).

Jones has an SMU-record 21 total TDs (19 rushing, 2 receiving) and 126 points this season, and has at least one TD in each game. He also tied the SMU record with 19 rushing touchdowns this season.

At Navy, Jones posted his 44th career total TD and 41st rushing TD, both rank fifth among active FBS players. His 3,284 rushing yards are 11th on the NCAA's active career leader's list.

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. 

Roberson missed SMU's games at Memphis, against ECU and at Navy with a foot injury.

STAY ACTIVE
CJ Sanders is the FBS active leader in combined kick return yards (3,355), kickoff return yards (3,032), kickoff returns (122) and combined kick return touchdowns (6), he  is tied for the national lead with five kickoff return TDs.

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 fourth 100-yard return game  of the season against Navy with a 100-yard return (career long) for a touchdown to tie the SMU record for kickoff return touchdowns in a season and a career (SMU only), with two. Sanders also posted a career-high three receptions and 51 receiving yards.

His 815 kickoff returns in a season rank fifth at SMU, while his 1,013 career yards at SMU are ninth.

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, were 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 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 third on the Mustangs' season sack list with 10.0 on the season. In the win at Houston, Nelson had a season-high 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 in 2019.        

Nelson has posted consecutive games with multiple sacks twice this season (UNT 2.0, Texas State 3.0 & Temple 2.0, at Houston 2.0).

Nelson is ranked second in The American and ninth nationally in sacks (0.91).
 
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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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 518 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.

























AAC Releases 2020-21 Football Schedule Matrix
  The American Athletic Conference announced the scheduling model for conference games during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Each team in The American will match up with each conference opponent at least once during the two-year cycle.
    The Mustangs will host Cincinnati, Houston, Memphis and Navy in 2020, with road games at ECU, Temple, Tulane and Tulsa. They will not face UCF and USF. Dates and times will be determined later.
    In 2021, UCF, USF, Tulane and Tulsa will visit Ford Stadium, while road games include return trips to Cincinnati, Houston, Memphis and Navy. ECU and Temple are not scheduled.
    Beginning in 2020, the conference will not have a divisional format and will feature 11 football-playing institutions after the departure of Connecticut from the league. Each team will play four home and four road contests each season. The conference will determine the procedures for determining the participants in the American Athletic Conference Football Championship at a later date.
    Previously announced non-conference games in 2020 and 2021 include match-ups with TCU at Ford Stadium on Sept. 26, 2020 and in Fort Worth Sept. 25, 2021 and Stephen F. Austin on Sept. 12, 2020.







FEATURE: DEMERICK GARY | YOU CAN BE SOMEBODY
    I was four years old when I fell in love with the game of football. My uncles had a youth football team back home that I joined as soon as the pads fit me. They had been doing this for a long time and are a huge reason that I'm here today. Through them and my brothers, football is a cornerstone in our family. It was almost part of a routine.
    Saturday, we would have our games and Sunday, would be church followed by watching the NFL all day.
Choosing SMU
    Being from Dallas, a lot of people think I chose SMU because it was close to home, but it's been so much more than that.
    My main priority was getting the best education. I've worked hard my whole life to earn that scholarship, and I know there's going to be more to life when football ends, so getting the best schooling I could was really important to me.
    Another reason I made SMU my home was how comfortable I felt with both the coaches and the school. Throughout the whole recruiting process, I always knew that SMU was the best fit for what I was looking for, you know?!
More than a Game
    A lot of people see football as just a sport where people battle it out on a field to score more points, but to me, it's been a way of life.
    Football has made me a better man in just about every aspect of life, which is why I fall more in love with this game every day. Honestly, I really feel like football reflects life. It's a constant rollercoaster that teaches you lessons each and every day.
    One of my favorite things about football is that everybody needs to come together to accomplish a common goal. This is a life-lesson that I truly believe can help anyone.
    I can assure you that I would not be a senior in college, preparing to graduate with a journalism degree, if it wasn't for football.
    It's crucial to find out why you love whatever you're passionate about because it can either take you to the next level or completely break you down.   
The Rollercoaster of My Career 
    I've had the honor of representing SMU on the field for the past three seasons, and am now entering my final year.
    I spent my first year playing defensive end and even started by the end of it as a true freshman. Overall, I settled into college ball quickly and was happy with where I was at.
    My sophomore year, I switched from defensive end to defensive tackle, and although I was physically prepared, it took a mental toll on me. I wasn't performing to my full potential, and I was letting my teammates and coaches down. And man, that was tough to swallow.
    I had a lot of conversations with my mom throughout the season, crying to her on the phone because of how mentally drained I was. That season took me from a really high point to a really low point in my life.
    The only thing I could do was stick to what I know; hard work and dedication.
    After my sophomore year, we had some coaching changes, which I learned quickly is a cruel part of the business. I like to think after the struggles I faced the year prior, my junior year was a comeback year where I showed again what I'm capable of. The momentum going into my senior year is at an all-time high, and I can't wait to get back on the field again.
Be the Guidance
    Football, however, gave me a platform to be more than just a football player.    
    My mom taught me to be a giving person, and I've spent my whole life trying to make her proud. 
    I grew up in the inner city, in a neighborhood where a lot of the kids have no guidance. It has always been a struggle knowing how many of these kids were so bright and could make a future for themselves, but were stuck in situations they couldn't control. 
    You see, most of the kids simply don't know differently. With no father figure or someone to look up to, it's all about what they know and are familiar with. And from personal experience, I know how life-changing it can be to have someone that provides guidance and shows that there is a different path.
    This year, some teammates and I got to talk with some elementary school students, and I knew with the opportunity we had in front of us, we couldn't mess it up. I told my teammates how influential we could be to those kids and change their lives. I went in, intending to let every kid know the same message – you can be somebody.
    These kids needed to understand that if they work hard on their studies and themselves, they could be successful. It's always been important to me to use the platform I have to influence as many kids' lives as I can.
    People need to know that there is somebody supporting them, that someone cares, and that's what I hope every kid I meet feels. One time, I even had a kid approach me and say: "You're my hero!"
    It's very hard to describe what goes through my mind when a kid says something like this. But at the end of the day, I'm just grateful that I can make a positive impact.
Community Service in Costa Rica
    This past summer, I even had the opportunity to be a part of a "Courts For Kids" mission trip to Costa Rica.
    Andre Harris, who oversees Life Skills at SMU, was one of the main people that put this trip together. He plays a huge role in my life and it is because of people like him that I get to experience such eye-opening moments.
    This entire trip made me realize how often we take the little things in life for granted. I slept on an air mattress, with no air condition and bugs all around (I can not stand bugs), but all the kids down there felt so much joy and love. They were just happy with the way things were.
    This service trip completely changed my heart and the way I look at things; I'll forever be grateful for that opportunity.
Future Plans
    Now, it's back to football, and I can't wait to get back out on the field.
    After graduation, my first plan is simple, to play professional football in the NFL.
    Whether I play for one year, or ten years, I want to be a college football coach after that. This sport has given me so much and I want to do whatever I can to give back. After all, I want to keep impacting lives in every way possible.