Gameday Central: SMU-USF pre-game notes

Last Saturday's road win against then-ranked TCU is old news for the SMU football team. As impressive as it was, it hasn't been much of a topic of discussion in the SMU locker room as of late.

Chalk that up to SMU's "Go 1-0" mentality each week. Last week happened, and it was a good time, but this week is what matters the most.

Today marks the start of American Athletic Conference play for the Mustangs, and they are in Tampa, Florida, for their conference opener against an USF team looking to silence all of the buzz that SMU has generated in the last four games. USF (1-2) returns to action after a bye and hosts a 4-0 SMU team with a legitimate target on its back.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Previewing SMU vs. USF

If SMU coach Sonny Dykes has his way, his team will walk out of Raymond James Stadium with an earned victory and added confidence. If that happens, it will mean the Mustangs will have put on the show Dykes knows his team can offer every week in conference play.

"I think our players had a sense that we had a chance to have a good football team," Dykes said. "We've played pretty good football so far."

Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CT at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

TALE OF THE TAPE

CATEGORY	SMU	USF

Points per game	43.5	21.7
Rushing yards per game	216.8	112.3
Passing yards per game	297.2	180.3
Total yards per game	514.0	292.7
Fumbles-lost	6-2	8-3
Average yards per punt	40.3	44.5
Penalties per game	5.3	8.0
Average sacks per game	3.8	2.7
Time of possession per game	30:20	25:54
Red zone scoring	77% (20 of 26)	75% (9 of 12)

SMU DEPTH CHART (OFFENSE)

POSITION	FIRST TEAM	SECOND TEAM

LT	71 Jaylon Thomas, So.	79 Danielson Ike, Fr.
LG	75 Hayden Howerton, Jr.	74 Braxton Webb, Jr.
C	77 Alan Ali, So.	75 Hayden Howerton, Jr.
RG	57 Cobe Bryant, Jr. OR 72 Nick Dennis, Sr.	72 Nick Dennis, Sr. OR 57 Cobe Bryant
RT	78 Beau Morris, Jr.	57 Cobe Bryant, Jr.
TE	83 Kylen Granson, Jr.	14 Ryan Becker, Sr. OR 81 Ben Redding, So.
RB	5 Xavier Jones, Sr.	2 Ke'Mon Freeman, Sr.
QB	7 Shane Buechele, Jr-GT	9 William Brown, So.
WR	8 Reggie Roberson Jr., Jr.	13 Judah Bell, So.
WR	3 James Proche, Sr.	4 Tyler Page, Jr.
WR	22 Myron Gailliard, Sr.	1 CJ Sanders, Sr.

SMU DEPTH CHART (DEFENSE)

POSITION	FIRST TEAM	SECOND TEAM

DE	35 Delontae Scott, Sr.	22 Tyeson Neals, Jr. OR 38 Toby Ndukwe, So.
NT	51 Pono Davis, Sr.	91 Terrance Newman, So.
DT	96 Zach Abercrumbia, Sr.-GT	10 Demerick Gary, Sr. OR 68 Chris Biggurs, Sr.
DE	97 Turner Coxe, So.	54 Gerrit Choate, Jr. OR 90 Nelson Paul, Fr.
LB	2 Patrick Nelson, Sr.	24 Jimmy Phillips Jr., So. OR 32 JC Rispress, So.
LB	14 Richard Moore, Sr.	50 Richard McBryde, Sr.-GT OR 43 Brian Holloway, So.
LB	3 Delano Robinson, Jr.	9 Shaine Hailey, Jr.
CB	5 Ar'mani Johnson, So.	7 Robert Hayes Jr., Sr. OR 29 Justin Guy-Robinson, So.
CB	26 Brandon Stephens, Jr.-GT	28 Christian Davis, Sr. OR 1 Eric Sutton, Sr.
S	23 Rodney Clemons, Sr.	11 Chevin Calloway, So. OR 21 Donald Clay, Fr.
S	16 Trevor Denbow, Jr.	18 Chace Cromartie, Fr.

SMU DEPTH CHART (SPECIALISTS)

POSITION	FIRST TEAM	SECOND TEAM

K	46 Luke Hogan, Jr.-GT	97 Russell Roberts, Fr. OR 89 Kevin Robledo, Sr.
KO	97 Russell Roberts, Fr.
P	99 Warren Scott, RFr	46 Luke Hogan, Jr.-GT
KR	1 CJ Sanders, RSr.	8 Reggie Roberson Jr. Jr OR 5 Xavier Jones, Sr.
PR	3 James Proche, Sr.	1 CJ Sanders, RSr. OR 8 Reggie Roberson Jr, Jr.
SN	49 Cole Voyles, RFr.	14 Ryan Becker, Sr.
H	99 Warren Scott, RFr.	18 Jacob Oehrlein, RFr.

USF DEPTH CHART (OFFENSE)

POSITION	FIRST TEAM	SECOND TEAM

LT	73 Donovan Jennings, So.	57 Joshua Blanchard, Fr.
LG	64 Demetris Harris, So.	52 Michael Wiggs, Jr.
C	74 Brad Cecil, So.	66 Matt Nelson, Jr.
RG	78 William Atterbury, Sr.	67 Hal Roberson, Sr.
RT	77 Marcus Norman, Sr.	76 Jarrett Hopple, Jr.
TE	89 Mitchell Wilcox, Sr.	87 Fred Lloyd, So.
HB	2 Jordan Cronkrite, Sr.	10 Kelley Joiner Jr., Fr OR Trevon Sands, Sr.
QB	12 Jordan McCloud, RFr	11 Blake Barnett, Sr.
SLOT	20 Johnny Ford, So.	13 Eddie McDoom, Jr. OR 19 Bryce Miller, So.
WR	15 Jernard Phillips, Jr.	4 Stanley Clerveaux, Sr.
WR	5 Randall St. Felix, So.	84 Xavier Weaver, Fr. OR 81 Kevin Purlett, Sr.

USF DEPTH CHART (DEFENSE)

POSITION	FIRST TEAM	SECOND TEAM

DE	4 Greg Reaves, Sr.	40 Jason Vaughn, Fr.
DT	90 Kevin Kegler, Jr.	91 Rashawn Yates, So.
DT	6 Kirk Livingstone, Sr.	96 Kelvin Pinkney, Jr. OR 98 Blake Green, Jr.
DE	42 Darius Slade, Sr.	56 Tyrik Jones, Jr.
MLB	55 Patrick Macon, Sr.	59 Andrew Mims, So.
SLB	11 Dwayne Boyles Jr., So.	47 Tae'Aviion Gray, Fr.
WLB	44 Antonio Grier Jr.	41 Demaurez Bellamy, Fr.
CB	7 Mike Hampton, Jr.	25 Eugene Bowman, RFr.
CB	9 KJ Sails, Jr.	20 Bentlee Sanders, So.
SS	8 Devin Studstill, Sr.	3 Vincent Davis, So.
FS	2 Nick Roberts, So.	22 Mekhi LaPointe, So.
NICKEL	20 Bentlee Sanders, So.

USF DEPTH CHART (SPECIALISTS)

POSITION	FIRST TEAM	SECOND TEAM

P	39 Trent Schneider, Jr.	25 Kenny Scribner, Fr.
PK	24 Coby Weiss, Jr.	32 Spencer Shrader, Fr.
H	39 Trent Schneider, Jr.
LS	49 Ian Deneen, So.	48 Andrew Beardall, RFr.
KO	32 Spencer Shrader, Fr.
KR	20 Bentlee Sanders, So.	14 Jah'Quez Evans, Fr. OR 15 Jernard Phillips, Jr.
PR	9 KJ Sails, Jr.	20 Bentlee Sanders, So. OR 20 Johnny Ford, So.