SMU Football: Can Sonny Dykes, Mustangs turn it around in Year 2?

Shane Buechele looks to turn offense around

The hiring of Dykes to SMU seemed to make sense — it looked seamless. You take one spread/tempo guy out, and you bring another in.

However, looks can be deceiving.

There is nuance to the spread offense. For example, Rich Rodriguez and Urban Meyer use spread tactics, but have more run-centric offenses. Dana Holgorsen and Lincoln Riley aren’t tempo guys. Dykes, like his mentor Mike Leach, is a more traditional air-raid tactician. He isn’t going to run a lot, both want to go fast throwing all over the place, and wants to play in space.

Some of these concepts are foreign in a Chad Morris spread offense. This being said, the offense needs to get better. One of the key principles of the air-raid is efficiency. The Mustangs have to improve on their 57.1 percent completion rate.

Dykes and offensive coordinator Rhett Mashpee have to figure out who is going to throw the ball.

Last year’s starter, Ben Hicks, has rejoined his former head coach at Arkansas. SMU brings in Texas transfer Shane Buechele who lost the starting job to Sam Ehlinger last season. He has the type of arm that fits an air-raid type offense, and he can add to the run game with his legs. If he has issues picking up the offense, sophomore William Brown might be ready to step in.

Whoever steps in will have a lot of talent around them. The Mustangs are absolutely loaded at wide receiver. They boast a core of pass catchers that include James Proche and his 93 receptions from last year, West Virginia transfer Reggie Roberson who had 52 catches last year, and speedy Notre Dame transfer CJ Sanders.

Not that the run game is an afterthought, but in a Dykes-led offense running is more of a change-of-pace. Running backs need to be able to block and run pass routes. Seniors Ke’Mon Freeman and Xavier Hicks need to be able to handle getting touches, not necessarily carries.

The offensive line needs to get better; there’s no other way to say that. They were very young, and inexperienced. Time together and in the system should improve that.

With the receivers and the development of Buechele at quarterback, the Mustangs should be dangerous on offense.