Ponies' Ranked Defense Gets Credit to Players from Coach

Has another challenge this week with Tulsa coming in for Homecoming

DALLAS — SMU defensive coordinator Scott Symones wasn't taking any credit Tuesday for a defense that ranks in the Top 20. That's the way things are with most coaches, but clearly he has a lot to do with it, whether he wants to take any credit.

"Players win games and players make plays," Symones said earlier this week. "We've got good players. Obviously being bought in the scheme, then the confidence that comes with that. When you're playing confident, you're playing fast. Every offense we play is going to get better every single week. Not to take anything away from our last three opponents, but they've struggled mightily on offense."

Tulsa can throw the ball. Quarterback Cardell Williams has thrown for 1,056 yards through seven games and leading rusher, Anthony Watkins, has 396 yards. It's the best offensive talent the Mustangs have faced in a while.

"We really haven't seen a quarterback that can throw the ball in three weeks," Symones said. "Now we're going to play quarterbacks that can sling it, that can move it in every single game moving forward. Stats sound great right now and we're all about promoting the guys. What they've done at this point, but it really doesn't matter if we don't finish. We've got a really good football team coming here Saturday and we'd better be on our game or they'll wake us up really quick."

But Williams isn't the only threat at quarterback. Back-up Roman Fuller has a high completion percentage when he's on the field and Jaylon Braxton, who gave Tulsa a huge lift late in the season last year is strong with the deep ball and has averaged seven yards per carry for 145 yards.

"This will be the best skill that we've seen in conference, by far," Symones said. "They can throw the ball, both those quarterbacks can push the ball downfield vertically, both have really strong arms. They have receivers that can run and their backs do a really good job being downhill and falling forward and keeping them ahead of the chains.

The Mustangs' next chance is Saturday morning against Tulsa and it's homecoming. The game kicks off at 11 a.m. and will be televised on ESPNU. You can't hear the game in DFW on The Ticket 96.7 FM and 1310 AM with Rich Phillips and analyst Scott Garner.

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