This article is part of a series previewing SMU football's 2020 football roster. Today, we discuss the players wearing Nos. 76-80.
Today, The HillTopics takes a look at the athletes wearing Nos. 76-80 in its "Introducing the 2020 Mustangs" series. Much like the previous article in the series, which focused on athletes wearing Nos. 71-75, SMU only three athletes will don Nos. 76-80, according to the current roster.
However, all three of the athletes -- all offensive linemen -- could be very important pieces to the success of the SMU offense in 2020.
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Alan Ali is a junior center for the Mustangs. He's been a starter for 21 of his last 25 games, including all 13 from the 2019 season. The 6-4, 295-pound lineman, who will wear No. 77, didn't allow a sack and could be one of the premier linemen in all of the American Athletic Conference this season.
We have to remind ourselves how important Ali's job is. He's the first to touch the ball and is responsible for making sure quarterback Shane Buechele is able to handle the snap. Now in his third year as a starter, Ali will be called upon to anchor the line and help spearhead the entire offense.
Beau Morris held down the right tackle position last year for the Mustangs, and he's expected to do the job once again in his senior season. Wearing No. 78, Morris is returning after playing in all 13 games and starting in 12 of them. In 17 games in the last two seasons, Morris has made 15 starts.
At 6-6 and 295 pounds, Morris has good feet and solid length. He's earned the trust of the entire SMU coaching staff, and he's looking to have a breakout season in 2020.
Wearing No. 79 will be Danielson Ike, a redshirt freshman out of Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, Missouri. Ike played in two games last season but was redshirted and still has four years to play for the Mustangs.
Ike is a big man at 6-6 and 338 pounds. He's considered a backup at the tackle spot and will challenge both Morris and Jaylon Thomas for playing time. Ike is a former all-state selection who chose SMU over offers from several Power 5 blue bloods, including Alabama, Michigan and Oklahoma.
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Today: Nos. 76-80
