Opponent Breakdown: SMU Mustangs Offense
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SMU joined the ACC last year and immediately put itself at the top of the conference by making the conference championship game in year one. The Mustangs have been able to utilize speedy transfers at their skill positions to maximize Rhett Lashlee’s explosive offensive system. Lashlee rode that system to a head coaching job for a program that has rewarded him with a new contract this year. With a week to prepare, Lashlee will undoubtedly have a plan to get his offense going against a strong Louisville defense.
SMU lost a lot of players from last season, but Kevin Jennings is back at quarterback, and he has continued his strong play since taking over the starting job early last year. Jennings is a mobile quarterback who likes to make the throw when possible as opposed to using his legs. However, when he uses his legs, he can be a real problem. Jennings ran for 113 yards against the Cards last year on top of his 281 yards passing.
Brashard Smith is playing on Sundays this year, but the Mustangs have started to figure out how to replace him late in the season. Miami transfer Chris Johnson has become a more consistent part of the offense lately, but his health is a concern coming into this game. His speed is tough to plan for, but he isn’t likely to run through tackles at his size. He and Derrick McFall give the Mustangs a nice young duo with speed and the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.
The more consistent option for the Mustangs at running back is TJ Harden, who is a load at 6-2/225. Harden is coming off a huge game against Boston College, where he ran for 130 yards on 8 yards per carry. Harden is the back we will see most often on Saturday, but the staff has done a good job of balancing out Harden’s power with the backups’ speed. The Cards will have to avoid giving up the big runs they allowed against Clemson.
SMU lost its top two receivers from last year, but they haven’t skipped a beat with their passing game. Jordan Hudson and Ramello Brinson have expanded their roles on the outside to give Jennings consistent options in the intermediate and deep passing game. Jalen Cooper and Yamir Wright are also options that allow the passing game to spread things around. If there is an area of this offense that worries me, it is the options in the passing game. It’s tough to focus on one or two guys.
SMU has one of the best tight end duos in the country in RJ Maryland and Matthew Hibner. Maryland is a legit big-play threat with his speed and athleticism. He can take a short pass and turn it into a big play, and he is also a pure deep threat down the sideline. Hibner isn’t much of a big-play threat, but he stepped up when Maryland was out last year to be a key part of the offense. SMU has done well to utilize both of them this season.
SMU gets inconsistent play for its offensive line, but a lot of its pass-blocking issues come from Jennings extending plays and holding onto the ball. They have great size up front, but they are a little young in some areas, which can cause them issues. Run blocking is a real issue for them, and that has caused problems in the run game. SMU has had a few games this year where they have become one-dimensional because they couldn’t block for the running backs.
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