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Aug. 26, 2019: It's Always Sonny On The Hilltop

SETTING THE SCENE
•    The Mustangs open the 2019 season on the road at Arkansas State. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. CT on ESPN+.
    
•     Six Mustangs have been named to Watch Lists to open the 2019 season, including James Proche, who earned a spot on the Maxwell, Biletnikoff, Paul Hornung and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Lists. Reggie Roberson Jr. (Biletnikoff, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose) joins him on a pair, while Hayden Howerton (Rimington), Tyler Page (Wuerffel), Demerick Gary (AFCA Good Works) and Shane Buechele (Earl Campbell Tyler Rose) also earned mentions.

•     In addition to first-team All-American Athletic Conference selection James Proche, who is the NCAA active career leader with 2,724 receiving yards, the Mustangs return All-AAC honorable mention selection Richard Moore at linebacker.

•     SMU is coming off a 5-7 finish in 2018, which included a 4-4 finish in The American West Division, and returns 17 starters.

THE SERIES
Saturday's meeting will be the fourth in the series between SMU and Arkansas State, with the Mustangs holding the 2-1 advantage. The Red Wolves won the only meeting in Jonesboro, 45-28, in 2007, while the Mustangs have a pair of wins at home in 2006 and 2017.

ABOUT THE RED WOLVES
Arkansas State went 8-5 in 2018, closing the campaign with an overtime loss to Nevada in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl. The Red Wolves return 13 starters from last season, including top receiver Kirk Merritt, rusher Marcel Murray and tackler Darreon Jackson.

THE COACHES
•    Sonny Dykes is in his second season as head coach of the Mustangs and has a 5-8 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. Dykes' career record stands at 46-53.

•    Blake Anderson is in his sixth season as head coach at Arkansas State, and has led the Red Wolves to five consecutive bowl appearances. Assistant head coach and defensive coordinator David Duggan is currently serving as interim head coach for the Red Wolves. He is in his first season with the program after spending the last three seasons at Western Michigan. 

LAST TIME VS. ARKANSAS STATE
DALLAS -- Ben Hicks accounted for three touchdowns, Ke'Mon Freeman had 92 of SMU's 315 yards rushing and two touchdowns and the Mustangs beat Arkansas State 44-21 on Sept. 23, 2017.

Hicks had a 7-yard run to cap the scoring and threw touchdown passes of 55 and 49 yards to James Proche, who finished with three receptions for 131 yards for SMU (3-1). Xavier Jones had 19 carries for 146 yards and receiver Courtland Sutton added a 2-yard TD run.

Justice Hansen's second touchdown pass, a 19-yarder to Mack Blake gave Arkansas State (1-2) a 14-10 lead with nine seconds left in the first quarter. Sutton's touchdown early in the second put SMU in the lead for good, Freeman had a 35-yard scoring run with 3:32 left in the half and, after the Red Wolves went three-and-out on their next possession, Proche's 49-yarder made it 30-14 at the break.

Jordan Wyatt's interception return to the Arkansas State 33 set up Freeman's second TD run that gave SMU a 23-point lead going into the fourth quarter.

Hansen was 16-of-26 passing for 234 yards, Mack had five catches for 102 yards and Warren Wand ran for 75 yards and a score for Arkansas State (1-2).

QUICK HITS
• Six players have been named to preseason Watch Lists, including Maxwell, Biletnikoff, Paul Hornung and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose selection James Proche.

• The Mustangs welcome 15 transfers to the Hilltop for the 2019 season.

• SMU has 21 student-athletes on its roster who have already earned a degree, the highest total in the nation.

• James Proche, Shane Buechele, Richard Moore and Rodney Clemons have been voted captains for the 2019 season.

BIG GAME JAMES
James Proche led SMU with 93 receptions for 1,199 yards and 12 touchdowns en route to All-American Athletic Conference honors in 2018, and returns as the NCAA's FBS active career leader with 2,724 receiving yards. He led the conference and was in the top 12 nationally in receptions per game (7.8, 5th NCAA), receiving TDs (8th NCAA), receiving yards per game (99.9, 10th NCAA) and receiving yards (12th NCAA). 

Proche was also the Mustangs' top return man with 20 punt returns for 165 yards and 12 kick returns for 276 yards.

He was second in the league for all-purpose yards (138.08, 13th NCAA), and had five 100-yard games in 2018, giving him nine for his career.

Proche is on a number of Watch Lists to open 2019:
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

SEE BALL, GET BALL
Reggie Roberson, Jr. was second on the team with 52 receptions for 802 yards and six touchdowns in only 10 games last season. He posted four 100+-yard receiving games and five games with at least 100 all-purpose yards.

At the conference level, Roberson Jr. ranked fourth in receptions per game (5.2) and receiving yards per game (80.2).

Roberson Jr. opens the 2019 season as a member of both the Biletnikoff and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch Lists.

PONYUP, ARLINGTON
Graduate transfer Shane Buechele joins the Mustangs at quarterback with two years of eligibility remaining. In three seasons at Texas, Buechele threw for 4,636 yards and 30 touchdowns.

As a sophomore in 2017, he reached 1,000 passing yards in just five games, which tied for the eighth fastest mark in Texas history. 

Buechele started all 12 games as a freshman, completing 236-of-391 passes for 2,958 yards (UT freshman record) and 21 TDs (second most as a UT freshman). He was  the first Texas quarterback since 2009 to have at least 2,500 passing yards and 20 touchdowns in a season, and tied for the second-fastest to reach 2,000 passing yards in a season at UT. Overall, Buechele finished the season ranked seventh at UT in single-season passing yards.  

WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR SMU?
William Brown played in seven games for the Mustangs last season, finishing 53-for-85 passing with 625 yards and seven TDs. 

The true freshman started in wins over Navy and HBU and at No. 12/13 UCF.

STAY ACTIVE
CJ Sanders joined the Mustangs after three seasons at Notre Dame and ranks among the top three nationally in kickoff returns (2nd, 94), kickoff return yards (2nd, 2,217), combined kick return yards (2nd, 2,524) and combined kick return TDs (3rd, 4). Sanders played four games in 2018 before redshirting due to injury.

GETTING DEFENSIVE
Junior linebacker Richard Moore led SMU with 92 tackles (56 solo) and had a team-leading 5.0 sacks for 28 yards en route to All-American Athletic Conference Honorable Mention accolades. He also added 13.5 TFLs for 44 yards, five QB hurries and a forced fumble. His 7.7 tackles per game were eighth in The American, while his TFL total was ninth. 

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

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
SMU welcomes 15 transfers, including eight graduate transfers, and five junior college transfers for the 2019 season. In total, the Mustangs have 65 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 features 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, Michael Poujol, Kevin Robledo, CJ Sanders, Delontae Scott and Brandon Stephens. Of those 21, SMU has 10 graduate transfers. Thirty-four Mustangs also earned All-AAC academic honors in 2018.

ON THE FIELD, IN THE CLASSROOM, IN THE COMMUNITY    
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.

In three seasons on the Hilltop, Gary has played in 36 games, recorded 59 tackles, 16 TFLs and 4.5 sacks. Gary is majoring in journalism.

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.

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 Oct. 7 & Nov. 11 due to SMU's off weeks.

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 507 straight games. His 500th was SMU's 63-27 victory over HBU on Sept. 29, 2018.

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.

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 IN THE AP
SMU is one of only 44 schools that have ever been ranked No. 1 by the Associated Press since 1936. The Mustangs have been ranked No. 1 twice. SMU was No. 55 on the AP's Top 100 Programs list released in 2017 and No. 51 on the College Football News Greatest Teams of All Time list in 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) and Navy (2018).

WE DON'T TAILGATE, WE BOULEVARD.
The editors at Southern Living posted a roster of the top 20 Southern schools with the greatest pregame celebrations, and SMU's Boulevard made the list.

From the food and drink to the style and traditions, nobody does tailgating quite like the Mustangs. SMU's beautiful Bishop Boulevard is tailgate central for fun and entertainment. Along The Boulevard, fans can mingle with family and friends and bring a picnic, fire up a grill or visit Mustang Alley vendors.