SMU will continue its spring football schedule with an open practice Saturday morning. The practice will take place at 11 a.m. at Gerald J. Ford Stadium, and all fans, recruits and everyone in between are welcomed to attend.
Here are five things to keep an eye on with Saturday's practice:
Quarterback battle
The battle to replace Shane Buechele at quarterback is extremely competitive. Derek Green is the incumbent, but Oklahoma transfer Tanner Mordecai and true freshman Preston Stone have made this a battle that will come down to the final practices.
How the three quarterbacks perform with a crowd could sway the votes, as head coach Sonny Dykes and offensive coordinator Garrett Riley continue to monitor the offense.
Offensive line movement
We've seen a lot of mix and match with the offensive line -- which is a luxury. Hayden Howerton, last year's starting guard, has seen plenty of time at center. Alan Ali, last year's starting center, is playing on the interior line.
Guard Justin Osborne and tackles Jaylon Thomas and Beau Morris were last year's starters, but there are several young linemen looking to bump the veterans from the starting spots -- or, at least, find their way into the two-deep rotation. Keep an eye on center Branson Hickman and tackle Marcus Bryant, just to name a couple.
WR vs. DB play
SMU hopes to thrive off its offense in 2021, which means quarterback-to-receiver chemistry must be at a high. So far, all three quarterbacks have been in sync with a talented receiver crew led by Danny Gray and Rashee Rice.
That said, the secondary is looking to make plays against arguably the AAC's most talented receiver group -- on paper, if nothing else. Ar'mani Johnson, Brandon Crossley and Chevin Calloway are three defensive backs hoping to put on a show with a crowd watching.
Talented transfers shining
Tight end Grant Calcaterra was expected to be a major catalyst the minute he announced he'd be transferring from Oklahoma. He's yet to disappoint so far. Calcaterra will be one of a couple transfers to watch Saturday.
Arizona State transfer wide receiver Jordan Kerley is among the most athletic players on the team, and Saturday could be an opportunity for him to have a breakout day. Kerley could be a player who not only sees time at receiver but also ultimately gets a shot to excel as a special teams returner.
DL: Who steps up?
New defensive line coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe is using every practice to see which member in his group wants to take full leadership role. He's looking for playmakers in the trenches, and he's got a lot of players to consider.
Mike Williams, Junior Aho, Will Jones, Elijah Chatman, Harrison Loveless, Terrence Newman and DeVere Levelston all are among the interior players who can be impact players in 2021. Be on the lookout for Toby Ndukwe, Gary Wiley and Nelson Paul at defensive end.
Turner Coxe is one of SMU's most experienced defenders, and on the digital roster, he's listed as a defensive end. But with SMU's new 3-4 look, don't be surprised if he's more of an outside linebacker in 2021.
Here are five things to keep an eye on with Saturday's practice:
Quarterback battle
The battle to replace Shane Buechele at quarterback is extremely competitive. Derek Green is the incumbent, but Oklahoma transfer Tanner Mordecai and true freshman Preston Stone have made this a battle that will come down to the final practices.
How the three quarterbacks perform with a crowd could sway the votes, as head coach Sonny Dykes and offensive coordinator Garrett Riley continue to monitor the offense.
Offensive line movement
We've seen a lot of mix and match with the offensive line -- which is a luxury. Hayden Howerton, last year's starting guard, has seen plenty of time at center. Alan Ali, last year's starting center, is playing on the interior line.
Guard Justin Osborne and tackles Jaylon Thomas and Beau Morris were last year's starters, but there are several young linemen looking to bump the veterans from the starting spots -- or, at least, find their way into the two-deep rotation. Keep an eye on center Branson Hickman and tackle Marcus Bryant, just to name a couple.
WR vs. DB play
SMU hopes to thrive off its offense in 2021, which means quarterback-to-receiver chemistry must be at a high. So far, all three quarterbacks have been in sync with a talented receiver crew led by Danny Gray and Rashee Rice.
That said, the secondary is looking to make plays against arguably the AAC's most talented receiver group -- on paper, if nothing else. Ar'mani Johnson, Brandon Crossley and Chevin Calloway are three defensive backs hoping to put on a show with a crowd watching.
Talented transfers shining
Tight end Grant Calcaterra was expected to be a major catalyst the minute he announced he'd be transferring from Oklahoma. He's yet to disappoint so far. Calcaterra will be one of a couple transfers to watch Saturday.
Arizona State transfer wide receiver Jordan Kerley is among the most athletic players on the team, and Saturday could be an opportunity for him to have a breakout day. Kerley could be a player who not only sees time at receiver but also ultimately gets a shot to excel as a special teams returner.
DL: Who steps up?
New defensive line coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe is using every practice to see which member in his group wants to take full leadership role. He's looking for playmakers in the trenches, and he's got a lot of players to consider.
Mike Williams, Junior Aho, Will Jones, Elijah Chatman, Harrison Loveless, Terrence Newman and DeVere Levelston all are among the interior players who can be impact players in 2021. Be on the lookout for Toby Ndukwe, Gary Wiley and Nelson Paul at defensive end.
Turner Coxe is one of SMU's most experienced defenders, and on the digital roster, he's listed as a defensive end. But with SMU's new 3-4 look, don't be surprised if he's more of an outside linebacker in 2021.
