As with most teams, the season will be only as good as the quarterback makes it. SMU has one of the more underappreciated quarterbacks in the country. Senior Shane Buechle<\/a> threw for 3,929 yards last season to go with 34 touchdowns against only 10 interceptions. Those numbers, along with his nearly 63% completion rate would have him being called a Heisman contender if he had stayed at Texas. His upside is very apparent. Look no further than the East Carolina game last season when he lit up the Pirates for a 72% completion rate to go with 414 passing yards and five touchdowns.<\/p>\n He has the outside weapons, even with the loss of James Proche<\/strong>. Reggie Roberson Jr.<\/a> returns after an injury shortened 2019. Even though he only appeared in eight games, his 803 receiving yards were a hair better than his 10-game performance the previous year. He also has Kylen Granson<\/a> at tight end. At 6-3, 235 pounds, Granson is more of the new age of college football tight ends, in that he can go in the slot or at the end of the line. He is coming off a 43-catch, 721-yard, nine-touchdown season, and with the loss of Proche, he is likely to be more of a target for Buechele.<\/p>\n The biggest news, besides Beuchele, is that four starters return on an offensive line that led the conference in fewest sacks given up. Left tackle Jaylon Thomas<\/strong> being back to protect Buechele\u2019s blind side is significant. The 6-3, 312-pound senior is on the Outland Trophy watch list for the second consecutive year.<\/p>\n The elephant in the room on offense is the lack of depth and experience at running back. With Xavier Jones<\/strong> and Ke\u2019Mon Freeman<\/strong> gone, there is 1,800 rushing yards gone with them. T.J. McDaniel<\/a> is the heir apparent. The sophomore had 41 carries for 236 yards and five touchdowns in 2019. Three of those touchdowns and 159 of the yards came in the blowout win over Texas State. He has the quick feet at the line and the outside cuts. He needs to be able to carry the brunt of the workload over a full season.<\/p>\n The offense is likely to pick up a step or two in terms of pace. New offensive coordinator Garrett Riley<\/strong> tends to run a quick hitch\/quick release offense. It relies on shorter slants and putting the ball in the receivers\u2019 hands quicker to allow for yards after catch. The offense averaged 41 points per game, good enough for seventh in the country. If Riley can get production from the running back position, the offensive totals are likely to go up.<\/p>\n The Mustangs are likely to have to put up a lot of points. The defense was a major liability in 2019 and is suffering from a lack of experienced depth in 2020. Sure, they got tons of sacks from the edges, (they were fourth in the country). But up the middle they got little pressure on opposing quarterbacks and gave up way too many yards on the ground. Over the last third of the season, they were routinely giving up 500 yards per game.<\/p>\n So really it is an either side of the coin conversation. The Mustangs\u2019 lack experience in the middle of the defensive line. But that was the same middle that lacked productivity last year. Most importantly, SMU returns defensive ends Turner Coxe<\/a> and Gary Wiley<\/a>. Coxe had 49 total tackles last year including seven-and-a-half for loss.<\/p>\n![\"SMU](\"https:\/\/lastwordoncollegefootball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2020\/08\/gettyimages-1184267718-594x594-1.jpg\")
![\"SMU](\"https:\/\/lastwordoncollegefootball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2020\/08\/gettyimages-1169917646-594x594-1.jpg\")