Spectators at Pettus Field have generally gravitated to the far side of the field since SMU began Fall Camp Monday.
That is where June Jones leads the offensive practice as he attempts to implement his high powered offense on the Hilltop.
Yet spectators expecting to see an aerial show indicative of what the Mustangs will run on Saturdays this fall, or even which quarterback is running with the first team, will be disappointed.
“We’re just rotating right now,” junior Justin Willis, the Mustangs’ leading returning passer said. “We’re just doing our reps.
“As time goes on, we’ll separate.”
The offense, for the most part, has been running passing drills where quarterbacks rotate while passing to receivers who run different routes depending on where they are on the field.
The unit has, however, added to the drill since the first day of practice and now adds defensive backs and offensive and defensive lineman to the drill as practice continues.
Willis said the drills help him focus on mechanics and that he does not miss the live action. “We’re still in shoulder pads right now, so it’s not really a big difference,” “Once we start going live, we’ll separate.”
Yet fans may wonder how a Jones is supposed to find a starting passer when he cannot see them in live action. Jones, however, does not expect to decide who will start against Rice until the week leading up to the game.
“I don’t really evaluate them right now because they don’t really know what they’re doing,” he said. “Against air they’re pretty good, but when they get to thinking, because they don’t really know who they’re throwing to yet, I kind of reserve judgment.”
The rotations, therefore, will continue.
Even rotations have an order, and Willis and Logan Turner, the number one quarterback when Willis was suspended in the spring, are the second and first in that order respectively. The two had the most attempts and completions of the five Mustang quarterbacks as well.
Yet Jones will continue to lead his practice on the far side of the field with nothing in mind except improving. ”We’re getting better,” he said. “We’ve just got to keep pushing on with the young kids.
“Their heads will be swelling for a couple more weeks, but hopefully we’ll get it all sorted out.”