by Sean Murphy
Tuesday, Aug 13, 2024The SMU Mustangs will play their first game as a member of the ACC as they head to Nevada to square off against the rebuilding Wolf Pack on Saturday, August 24th.
Optimism is sky-high in Dallas as SMU looks to build off an 11-3 campaign that included an AAC Championship. Loaded on offense, the Mustangs will aim to hit the ground running with an air-show led by QB Preston Stone and an experienced group of receivers. Last year's team leader in receptions and yards, Jake Bailey is back to pace the receiving corps but keep an eye on Jordan Hudson who is a breakout candidate at the position. RB Jaylan Knighton returns to run behind an elite offensive line.
Defensively, the Mustangs ranked 11th in the country in points per game allowed last season. Of course, playing in the AAC helped their cause. They'll face a much tougher road in the ACC this year. That's for future weeks, however. For now, they'll be squaring off against a Nevada offense that is trying to find an identity. Note that SMU brought on seven transfers on the defensive side of the ball. Head coach Rhett Lashlee does feel they're ahead of where they were at defensively at this time last year.
Nevada is making nearly wholesale changes with a new head coach in Jeff Choate and only eight returning starters from last year's team that finished 2-10. In fact, the Wolf Pack are coming off back-to-back 2-10 campaigns so there's really nowhere to go but up in 2024.
The first order of business will be getting the offense going after averaging a pitiful 17.3 points per game (tied for 124th in the nation) last season. The quarterback position was up in the air coming out of the Spring with Brendon Lewis and Chubba Purdy battling for the starting job. The backfield is far more settled with a number of backs capable of mixing in. Nevada's offensive line was in desperate need of an overhaul and got it with three players transferring in from bigger conference schools.
It's a similar story on defense with only four starters returning from a group that struggled to the tune of 441.8 yards per game allowed last season (123rd in the country). Choate knows what he's doing guiding the defense after working as the co-defensive coordinator in Texas last season. The biggest issue out of the gate figures to be the secondary where there's not much experience to lean on. Like other areas, transfers will be key but it remains to be seen how they mesh here in Week 0. One thing is certain, they can count on a baptism-by-fire against SMU's explosive offense.
Optimism is sky-high in Dallas as SMU looks to build off an 11-3 campaign that included an AAC Championship. Loaded on offense, the Mustangs will aim to hit the ground running with an air-show led by QB Preston Stone and an experienced group of receivers. Last year's team leader in receptions and yards, Jake Bailey is back to pace the receiving corps but keep an eye on Jordan Hudson who is a breakout candidate at the position. RB Jaylan Knighton returns to run behind an elite offensive line.
Defensively, the Mustangs ranked 11th in the country in points per game allowed last season. Of course, playing in the AAC helped their cause. They'll face a much tougher road in the ACC this year. That's for future weeks, however. For now, they'll be squaring off against a Nevada offense that is trying to find an identity. Note that SMU brought on seven transfers on the defensive side of the ball. Head coach Rhett Lashlee does feel they're ahead of where they were at defensively at this time last year.
Nevada is making nearly wholesale changes with a new head coach in Jeff Choate and only eight returning starters from last year's team that finished 2-10. In fact, the Wolf Pack are coming off back-to-back 2-10 campaigns so there's really nowhere to go but up in 2024.
The first order of business will be getting the offense going after averaging a pitiful 17.3 points per game (tied for 124th in the nation) last season. The quarterback position was up in the air coming out of the Spring with Brendon Lewis and Chubba Purdy battling for the starting job. The backfield is far more settled with a number of backs capable of mixing in. Nevada's offensive line was in desperate need of an overhaul and got it with three players transferring in from bigger conference schools.
It's a similar story on defense with only four starters returning from a group that struggled to the tune of 441.8 yards per game allowed last season (123rd in the country). Choate knows what he's doing guiding the defense after working as the co-defensive coordinator in Texas last season. The biggest issue out of the gate figures to be the secondary where there's not much experience to lean on. Like other areas, transfers will be key but it remains to be seen how they mesh here in Week 0. One thing is certain, they can count on a baptism-by-fire against SMU's explosive offense.
