TheAmerican.org will be previewing all ten American teams in advance of the start of the 2013 season. The previews will be released in reverse order of the preseason media poll.
STORYLINES
SMU has turned in four consecutive winning seasons and has in four consecutive bowl games. The Mustangs had won a combined two games in the two seasons immediately preceding the current run and had gone 25 years without playing a bowl game.
SMU has gone 10-3 at home in the last two seasons. The Mustangs were 4-0 at home in conference games last season.
The Mustangs won three of their last four games in 2012, including a 43-10 win against Fresno State in the Hawaii Bowl.
OFFENSE
QB Garrett Gilbert leads an offense that has six starters returning from last year. Gilbert threw for 2,932 yards and 15 touchdowns with 15 interceptions last season. He also had eight rushing touchdowns.
Gilbert is also the Mustangs’ top returning rusher following the departure of 1,200-yard runner Zach Line. Line’s brother, Prescott, is a redshirt freshman who could step in to the starting spot.
WR Jeremy Johnson (67 rec., 679 yards, 3 TDs) returns a deep group of receivers who will see the football a lot in SMU’s pass-oriented offense.
DEFENSE
CB Kenneth Acker was named to the preseason watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award, which goes to the nation’s top defensive back. Acker had 13 interceptions and 12 pass breakups last season.
LB Randall Joyner had 93 tackles and three interceptions playing the Buck position last season. He joins LB Stephon Sanders as the returning starters in the second level.
The Mustangs will have to work in a new group of starting defensive linemen. SMU returns four starters in the secondary.
SPECIAL TEAMS
P Mike Loftus, who averaged 41.9 yards per punt last year, was named to the preseason watch list for the Ray Guy Award as the nation’s top punter.
K Chase Hover hit 18 of 29 field goal attempts last year, including 15-of-19 from inside 40 yards.
The Mustangs blocked six kicks last season.