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Press Conference

SETTING THE SCENE
•    SMU faces Conference USA Champion FAU at in the Owls' home venue, FAU Stadium, in the 2019 Boca Raton Bowl on Dec. 21 at 2:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on ABC. 

•     The Mustangs went 10-2 during the regular season, the most wins since 1984, marking their sixth 10-win season in program history. SMU was 6-2 in American Athletic Conference play, also the most conference wins in a season since 2010 when SMU went 6-2 to win the Conference USA West Division.

•     This is SMU's second bowl appearance in three seasons, and the first time they have clinched a berth under Head Coach Sonny Dykes. This will be the 17th bowl appearance for SMU, with the Mustangs holding a 7-8-1 all-time record.

•     The Mustangs are looking for their first bowl win since the 2012 Hawai'i Bowl when they defeated Fresno State, 43-10.

THE SERIES
This is the first meeting between SMU and FAU.

ABOUT THE OWLS
FAU finished the regular season 10-3 overall and 7-1 in Conference USA play. The Owls are riding a six-game win streak into the Boca Raton Bowl, including a 49-6 win over UAB in the C-USA Championship Game. This is the fourth overall bowl appearance for FAU since the program's inception in 2001, and second appearance in the Boca Raton Bowl.

THE COACHES
•    Sonny Dykes is in his second season as head coach of the Mustangs and has a 15-10 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.  Sonny Dykes was named one of nine finalists for the 2019 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award by the Football Writers Association and one of 10 finalists for the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award. He was also a semifinalist for the George Munger Coach of the Year Award and is on the watch list for the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Year Award. Dykes' career record stands at 56-55.

•    Glenn Spencer, Defensive Coordinator and linebackers coach, is serving as Interim Head Coach after Lane Kiffin departed for Ole Miss. He is in his first season with the Owls after spending a season at Charlotte. Prior to that, Spencer served in various capacities at Oklahoma State for 10 seasons.


QUICK HITS
•    Nine Mustangs earned All-AAC honors including first-team selections James Proche, Shane Buechele, Xavier Jones and Patrick Nelson. Kylen Granson, Jaylon Thomas, Rodney Clemons, Delontae Scott and CJ Sanders were named to the league's second team.

•    James Proche (Biletnikoff), Shane Buechele (Maxwell, Davey O'Brien) and Xavier Jones (Doak Walker) were all finalists for national awards at their respective positions. All three are finalists for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award.

•    Head Coach Sonny Dykes was named one of nine finalists for the 2019 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award by the Football Writers Association and one of 10 finalists for the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award. He was also a semifinalist for the George Munger Coach of the Year Award and is on the watch list for the Dodd Trophy.

•    The Mustangs are 10-2, posting their most wins since 1984 and their sixth 10-win season in program history. The 6-0, perfect record at Ford Stadium this season marks the first time SMU has won every home game since 1968 (4-0 at the Cotton Bowl) and the first time to win every home game on campus since 1939 (5-0 at Ownby Stadium). The six conference wins are the most league wins since 2010 when SMU went 6-2 to win the Conference USA West Division.

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

WATCH US
Shane Buechele, Xavier Jones and James Proche led eight Mustang student-athletes on Watch Lists for the 2019 season. 

Buechele: Maxell (S), Davey O'Brien (S), Earl Campbell Tyler Rose (F), Manning, CFPA

Jones: Doak Walker (S), Earl Campbell Tyler Rose (S)

Proche: Biletnikoff (S), Earl Campbell Tyler Rose (S), Maxwell, Paul Hornung

Reggie Roberson Jr: Biletnikoff, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose

Tyler Page: Wuerffel Trophy

Demerick Gary: AFCA Good Works Team

Gerrit Choate: Burlsworth Trophy

CJ Sanders: Mayo Clinic Comeback Award

Sonny Dykes: Eddie Robinson Award (F), Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award (F), George Munger Award (S), Dodd Trophy

Rhett Lashlee: Broyles Award (S)

F: Finalist | S: Semifinalist

HOME SWEET HOME
The Mustangs finished the season 6-0 at home in 2019, posting a perfect record at home 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 were 5-0.

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

FOR THE RECORD
The Mustangs have set team records for scoring (516), sacks (50) and TFLs (105) and tied the rushing TDs (33) record in 2019. They also currently have the highest scoring average (43.0) and total yards per game (495.3) in a season.

ON THE RECEIVING END
The receiving duo of James Proche and Reggie Roberson, Jr. has a combined 20 100-yard receiving games. 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 (8.5) and is second in the conference in receiving yards per game (94.9) and receiving yards (1,139). Kylen Granson ranks third in both TDs (9) and yards per reception (17.44) in the AAC, while Reggie Roberson Jr. is 10th in TDs (6). Granson has an SMU-record for receiving TDs for a tight end with nine.

WHAT A RUSH
The Mustangs have 33 rushing touchdowns in 2019, tied with the program-record 33 from 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 1,249 yards and 21 rushing TDs off 232 carries. Both Jones (3rd, 43) and Ke'Mon Freeman (7th, 26) rank in the top 10 on SMU's career rushing TD list.

ALL-TIME LEADER
With an appearance in the Boca Raton Bowl, Rodney Clemons' (2015-19) career games played will total 54, making him the all-time leader on the Hilltop.

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 win streak to start the season is also the longest since SMU won 10 straight in 1982.

CLUB TAKEAWAY
Starting with SMU's game versus TCU in 2018, the Mustangs posted a 19-game takeaway streak that ended at Memphis the season. The streak was the second longest active streak in the nation at the time. 

Overall, the defense has forced 20 takeaways this season (9 INTs, 11 FRs), after fumble recoveries from Delano Robinson and Cole Voyles against Tulane, and has a takeaway in 21 of the last 23 games. The Mustangs are +5 in turnover margin this season, only having lost the turnover battle twice.

At Houston, Rodney 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.

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 5 sacks and 10 TFLs in the win over Tulane, extending the program records to 50 and 105, respectively. The Mustangs lead the nation at 4.17 sacks per game and are third with 8.8 TFLs.

Individually, Patrick Nelson set the single-season sack record with 2.0 against Tulane, bringing his season total to 12.0, while Delontae Scott moved into a tie for sixth on SMU's career list with 18.0. Both rank in the top 20 nationally in sacks/game with Nelson coming in at seventh (1.00) and Scott at 16th (0.83).

CHANNEL 3
For the second consecutive season, James Proche was named to the American Athletic Conference first team as the conference leader in receiving touchdowns (14, 3rd NCAA) and receptions per game (8.5, 2nd NCAA). Proche also ranks second in receiving yards per game (94.9) and punt returns (9.6) and is third in receiving yards (1,139, 15th NCAA).

He currently has 38 career receiving TDs, 292 receptions and 3,863 receiving yards, all SMU records, and his 4,910 career all-purpose yards are also the most for a Mustang. Proche has posted an SMU-record 11 straight games with a receiving touchdown, and his 14 TDs in 2019 tie the single-season record.

The Mustang has 13 career 100-yard receiving games and 23 career games with 100+ all-purpose yards.

He ranks first on the FBS career active lists for receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.

Proche was named a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Awards and was a member of the Maxwell and Paul Hornung Award Watch Lists.

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. 

An Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Finalist, Maxwell and Davey O'Brien Award semifinalist and first-team All-AAC selection, Buechele leads the AAC in passing yards (3,626, 8th NCAA), passing touchdowns (33, 6th NCAA), completions per game (23.33, 10th NCAA) and points responsible for (216, 9th NCAA). He also ranks second in total offense (310.9) and third in passing efficiency (152.5).

In his first season on the Hilltop, the junior has tied the SMU record for single-season touchdowns and set a program record with 11 straight games with multiple passing TDs. His single-season passing yard total only trails Kyle Padron's 3,828 in 2010.

Among career active FBS leaders, Buechele is 10th in completions per game (19.51), 11th in passing yards per game (236.1) and completions (683), 14th in passing yards (8,262), 15th in TD passes (63) and 17th in total offense (8,625).

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).

The first-team all-conference selection leads the league and is second nationally in rushing touchdowns (21), total touchdowns (23), scoring (11.5) and total points scored (138). His 1,249 rushing yards and 104.1 rushing yards per game rank third in the conference. 

He is the program record holder in season TDs, season rushing TDs and points in a season.

He has at least one touchdown in each game this season and multiple touchdowns in eight games. In the Mustangs' final regular-season game against Tulane, he posted his eighth 100-yard game of the season and 14th overall. 

Among NCAA active leaders, his rushing and total TDs rank fifth.

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, at Navy and against Tulane with a foot injury.

STAY ACTIVE
CJ Sanders is the FBS active leader in combined kick return yards (3,373), kickoff return yards (3,050), kickoff returns (123) 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 tied 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 833 kickoff returns in a season rank fourth at SMU, while his 1,031 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 Tulane, safety Trevor Denbow had a career-best 12 tackles. Denbow is pulling double duty this season and is also punting for the Mustangs with 36 for 1,394 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.

Defensively, Denbow is fifth on the team with 55 tackles, including 2.0 for loss, and has four breakups and a forced fumble.

BIG BOSS PAT
First-team all-AAC selection Patrick Nelson became the program's new all-time single-season sack leader with 12.0 in 2019 after a pair in the win over Tulane. He also had a season-high 10 tackles in the contest. Nelson also has a team-leading 17.0 TFLs and is second on the team with 78 total tackles.    

Nelson has posted at least a half sack in eight of the Mustangs' games this season, including 2+ on five occasions. He posted consecutive games with multiple sacks twice this season (UNT 2.0, Texas State 3.0 & Temple 2.0, at Houston 2.0).

Nelson leads the league and is ninth nationally in tackles for loss (1.5) and is ranked second in the league and seventh nationally in sacks (1.00).

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

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.

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.

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 519 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.