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Michigan Wolverines Football: Previewing SMU With A Mustang Insider

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Redshirt junior quarterback Ben Hicks enters his third year as a starter at SMU.
Redshirt junior quarterback Ben Hicks enters his third year as a starter at SMU. (AP Images)
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After Michigan demolished WMU, 49-3, last Saturday, the Wolverines will turn their attention to SMU.

Jacob Prothro of The Hill Topics was kind enough to swing by and answer a few questions about the Mustangs, explaining what the team's biggest strengths and weaknesses are, as well as what their projected starting lineup looks like.

Projected Starters on Offense

• QB Ben Hicks (redshirt junior) — “He’s in his third year as a starter, but has struggled so far this season with mechanical issues," Prothro explained. "Hicks just hasn't been very good, but the problem is that SMU has no depth behind him. He’s not stepping up into the pocket when he should be and has other issues he needs to fix as well. Going up against Michigan’s defense this weekend probably isn’t the best way to fix them.”

• RB Braeden West (senior) — “He’s gotten the bulk of the carries [19 total] the last two weeks," the SMU insider noted. "West actually ran for 1,036 yards as a sophomore two seasons ago but was banged up last year, which is why [redshirt junior] Xavier Jones got most of the reps there in 2017." West has racked up 104 yards and two scores so far in 2018.

• WR James Proche (redshirt junior) — He has been SMU's best wideout through the first two games, leading the squad in both catches (eight) and yards (127), while tying for the team lead in scoring receptions with one. The redshirt junior is picking up right where he left off last year when he reeled in 816 yards and six scores through the air.

• WR Judah Bell (redshirt freshman) — The youngster has made a minimal impact so far in 2018, only hauling in one catch for 11 yards in the first game of the year against North Texas. However, his 6-3, 215-pound physical stature has the potential to create mismatches in the passing game.

• WR Reggie Roberson (sophomore) — Through two affairs, Roberson checks in second on the team in catches (six) and third in receiving yards (75). He actually played in 12 games last year as a freshman at West Virginia, before transferring in and being awarded immediate eligibility.

• WR C.J. Sanders (senior) — The 5-9, 185-pounder has only caught one ball for six yards so far this year. Sanders spent the first three years of his collegiate career at Notre Dame, where he hauled in 26 receptions for 293 yards.

• LT Chad Pursley (redshirt senior) — He has been a staple on the Mustang offensive line, starting 22 games over the past three seasons. That number had the potential to be a lot higher for him, but he missed the entire 2016 campaign with injury.

• LG Nick Natour (redshirt senior) — Like Pursley, he has also been a mainstay on the SMU front, starting 17 contests over the past two seasons. Natour has dealt with injuries as well, though, suffering a season-ender after just seven contests in 2017.

• C Hayden Howerton (sophomore) — The sophomore's SMU career began with a bang, appearing in 12 games and starting six last year as a freshman. At 6-3, 290, he is a load in the middle of the Mustang line.

• RG Jacob Todora (redshirt sophomore) — He made six starts in 2017 as a redshirt freshman, but has struggled so far in 2018. Prothro explained that the right side of SMU's line has allowed too much "leakage" so far in the early going — the line as a whole is yielding 5.5 tackles for loss per game, which ranks 60th in college football.

• RT Larry Hughes (senior) — “He’s a transfer from Kansas who is tied as the second-tallest player on the team at 6-6, and tied for the third heaviest at 310," Prothro revealed. "They’re not sold on Hughes yet, though, because the right side of the line just hasn't gotten the job done."

Projected Starters on Defense

• DE Shabazz Dotson (freshman) — Though just a freshman, he has earned the start in each of the first two games for the Mustangs. Dotson chose SMU out of high school, despite having offers from Power Conference schools such as Indiana, Iowa State, Kansas State, Michigan and Texas Tech.

• DT Chris Biggurs (redshirt junior) — The first-year starter has recorded just two tackles through the squad's first two contests. At 6-2, 300 pounds, Biggurs is an anchor on the Mustang defensive line.

• DT Demerick Gary (junior) — He has taken on a bigger role in 2018 after starting five games last season. Gary has been one of the most productive defensive linemen on the team so far, racking up 1.5 tackles for loss in the early going.

• DE Delontae Scott (redshirt junior) — He posted six tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks last season in just four starts, and is off to a strong beginning in 2018. Scott put on an impressive performance in the opener against North Texas, racking up six tackles, one tackle for loss and half of a sack.

• LB Trevor Denbow (sophomore) — “He’s a JUCO transfer who came in from Navarro College," the SMU writer explaned. "Denbow got kicked out of the North Texas game for targeting, but came back and played pretty well against TCU. The sophomore is best known for his high motor out on the field.”

• LB Richard Moore (redshirt junior) — “He’s a transfer from Texas A&M and one of the best players on the entire team," Prothro revealed. The statistics back that assessment up — Moore has racked up 12 tackles through the first two games, including 1.5 for loss.

• LB/S Patrick Nelson (redshirt junior) — "He’s their rover [an outside linebacker that has the ability to drop back and play safety as well] who they like to line up in the box," the analyst explained. "Nelson transferred in from Illinois and is a great player — he and Richard Moore are the best players on SMU’s defense.” Nelson is outperforming Moore so far in 2018, at least statistically, leading the defense in both tackles (19) and tackles for loss (4.5).

• CB Jordan Wyatt (redshirt senior) — "The veteran is coming off an ACL injury, and hasn’t quite made the splash yet in 2018 that he did last year — he’s still just a step slow," Prothro admitted. "Wyatt is also a captain and a multi-year starter on that side of the ball."

• CB Robert Hayes (junior) — “Hayes is a JUCO transfer from Coffeyville Community College in Kansas," the SMU expert noted. "He's a good tackler, but we’re not sure how he is in coverage quite yet.”

• S Cole Sterns (redshirt senior) — The grad transfer arrived from Northern Arizona after he had spent his entire collegiate career there. In the TCU game, Sterns' six tackles were the second most on the entire team.

• S Rodney Clemons (redshirt junior) — He has started all 25 contests the past two seasons, racking up 124 tackles over that span. Clemons has continued that pace in 2018, compiling 16 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a pass defended in the early going.

Projected Starters on Special Teams:

• Kickers Will Moore (redshirt sophomore) and Kevin Robledo (junior) — Moore has served as the team's extra point specialist through the first two games (and is a perfect 2 of 2), while Robledo has handled the field goal duties. The latter only has one field goal attempt on the year, nailing a 49-yarder against TCU.

• P Jamie Stackville (junior) — The junior had an outstanding game in the opener against North Texas, booming seven punts for 333 yards (47.6 average). His production slipped a bit against the Horned Frogs, though — he averaged just 40.4 yards per boot on 11 punts.

Biggest Strength on Offense

“It's the running game," Prothro explained. "They have two backs returning who have rushed for over 1,000 yards in their career, and the ground game is what the team will rely on against Michigan."

Senior Braeden West rushed for 1,036 yards in 2016, while junior Xavier Jones accumulated 1,075 last season while West was slowed by injury.

The ground game may be what the Mustangs do best, but their attack has actually been one of the worst in the entire country. It ranks 126th nationally (67.5 yards per game), although Hicks' minus-28 yards (he was sacked four times) against North Texas skew those numbers a bit.

Regardless, SMU only ran for four yards against North Texas, but experienced more success the following week against TCU when it racked up 131.

West tallied 78 of those yards versus TCU. However, no other SMU runner has gained more than 22 yards in a game this year.

On top of all that, the team's 2.6 yards per rush ranks 123rd in the FBS.

Biggest Weakness on Offense

“I'd have to go with the passing game," the SMU writer revealed. "They’ve really struggled getting into any kind of a groove this season.

"Hicks was 18 of 38 for 111 yards against TCU, but the thing that really stood out is how he averaged just 2.9 yards per pass.

"I didn’t think anyone could complete fewer yards per pass than Hicks, but apparently WMU’s quarterback did so against Michigan, when he averaged just 2.5."

While the air attack clearly has plenty of flaws, it has actually had a few positives as well (252 yards against North Texas, for example).

Hicks has also had moments of success, averaging 10.5 yards per pass against North Texas. Additionally, he has thrown only one interception in 62 throws this season.

As a whole, though, the unit ranks 103rd in college football for passing offense (180 yards per game), and 124th in completion percentage (47.6 percent).

It's hard to imagine Hicks having much success against a Wolverine secondary that is allowing opponents to complete just 50 percent of their passes (19th best in the country).

Biggest Strength on Defense

“The secondary, because it returns so many guys," Prothro noted. "Against TCU, the defensive backs shut down the Horned Frogs receivers pretty well and only yielded 154 yards.

"Forty-two of those came on a score by wideout KaVontae Turpin, so if you take that out of the equation, they only gave up 112.

"The experience is what makes them so tough."

SMU's entire defensive backfield is made up of veterans — the corner duo features a fifth-year senior in Jordan Wyatt and a junior in Robert Hayes, while the safety tandem includes fifth-year senior Cole Sterns and redshirt junior Rodney Clemons.

The secondary's performance has differed immensely between the first two games, though.

It surrendered 461 yards through the air and an 80.0 completion percentage to North Texas, before allowing just 154 yards and 5.3 yards per completion to TCU.

As a whole, the pass defense checks in 112th in the FBS (308.5 yards allowed per game) and is letting opponents connect on 71.3 percent of their throws (125th).

Biggest Weakness on Defense

“The inability to create a pass rush," the SMU analyst opined. "Against North Texas, they only recorded two sacks.

"The Mean Green's offensive line last year surrendered one sack for every 14 drop backs, yet SMU was hardly able to get any pressure on them.

"It was more of the same against TCU, when they didn't record a sack at all."

The statistics back up Prothro's analysis — SMU's 1.0 sack per contest checks in at No. 95 in the nation. To put that in perspective, sixty-seven individual players in college football have more sacks this season than SMU has as a team.

This obviously bodes well for a Michigan offensive line that has struggled to protect its quarterbacks in 2018, yielding 2.5 sacks per contest (93rd in the FBS).

Not surprisingly, a lack of a pass rush has also led to the Mustang defense getting torched on the ground, allowing 151.5 rushing yards per game (77th nationally).

TCU had a field day against them, accumulating 239 yards on the ground with a 5.8-yard per rush average.

Going up against a weak SMU front should cause the Michigan offensive line to build confidence, and perhaps even allow second-string youngsters (such as freshman left tackle Jalen Mayfield and redshirt freshman right tackle James Hudson) to experience valuable game reps.

Prothro's Final Score Prediction

“Michigan rolls. I’ve got the Wolverines winning, 48-10, and the only reason I don't have U-M scoring more is because [head coach Jim] Harbaugh takes his foot off the gas toward the end.”

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