UNIVERSITY PARK — The finish consequence could also be what most bear in mind from SMU’s game against Baylor Saturday, however Mustangs head coach Rhett Lashlee isn’t keen to overlook the leap his workforce made from Week 1 to Week 2.
After an total sloppy efficiency in SMU’s season opener against East Texas A&M, SMU performed a stable sport for 3 ½ quarters earlier than all of it fell aside late within the fourth.
“I really am pleased with the growth,” Lashlee mentioned. “I think that’s probably what makes the loss so difficult is we made the jump. We played well enough to win against a really good opponent, and we just embodied the old saying: We snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.”
The 48-45 Baylor win proves SMU didn’t do fairly sufficient to keep undefeated, placing much more strain on Lashlee’s workforce as it heads to Missouri State Saturday for its first highway sport of the 12 months.
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Saturday can be Missouri State’s first residence sport as an FBS program. The Bears made the leap to faculty soccer’s highest degree this season and have began 1-1 after a loss on the highway to USC and a come-from-behind win at Marshall final week.
Facing a workforce that made the College Football Playoff simply 9 months in the past, Missouri State has one thing to show. But so does SMU.
“We need to play well,” Lashlee mentioned. “We need to play ticked off. We need to win and heal up that wound of last week.”
SMU has to clear up a number of areas earlier than reaching the hardest a part of its schedule, which begins with a highway sport against rival TCU subsequent week after which ACC play after that.
Finishing — the glaring problem from last week’s game — is the highest precedence for the Mustangs. However, they is probably not ready this week the place their opponent makes a comeback like Baylor did.
SMU can as an alternative deal with its cross rush and defensive position. After graduating its complete beginning defensive position, SMU is rebuilding that place. It’s additionally coping with accidents to its prime two linebackers.
The Mustangs stopped the run for a lot of the sport against Baylor however didn’t document a single sack or any pressures against Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson. That needs to be totally different this week and shifting ahead.
“Just execution, finishing our rushes,” defensive lineman Cam Robertson mentioned. “We’ve just got to be better overall on doing what we’re capable of doing. This week taught us a lot.”
The Mustangs additionally want to type out their kicking state of affairs. Veteran kicker and three-year starter Collin Rogers missed three area targets final week, together with one on the finish of regulation and one in additional time.
As a consequence, Lashlee has reopened the kicking competition, giving redshirt freshman Sam Keltner an opportunity to compete for the beginning job in apply this week. The starter can be determined simply forward of Saturday’s sport.
“We’re gonna be true to what we do,” Lashlee mentioned. “We love both guys. We love everybody in this program, but competition is what we do. Any of us are replaceable.”
Lastly, SMU needs to emerge from this week against Missouri State more healthy than it entered.
The Mustangs are dealing with injuries to their prime vast receiver, prime two linebackers, quarterback, beginning defensive lineman and two of their prime freshmen. An additional week of relaxation for a few of these gamers may gain advantage them, so long as SMU can keep away from another accidents within the course of.
The Baylor loss could proceed to sting for SMU, however Saturday’s sport offers an essential alternative to bounce back, particularly realizing the problem forward simply seven days later.
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