We've been talking a lot about how unprepared the Dallas Cowboys appear to be after four preseason games, but at least they get those games.
SMU doesn't have any preseason games or scrimmages with other teams; no college teams do. And the Mustangs will go out Sunday and play at Texas Tech in a game that will count for their won-loss record. Here's what head coach June Jones (who has spent a lot of time coaching in the NFL) and quarterback Kyle Padron said about that.
Jones: "We certainly would like to have a different first game, when you got a young group of receivers and then Texas Tech. But that's the hand we're dealt so you better be ready. Nobody's going to feel sorry for you come Monday morning when the game's over."
"They (preseason games) certainly, to me, get you game-ready. You can say what you want, all the rookies in the National Football League aren't ready for the real season by the time the real games come, and they even had four chances, four preseason games. The vets probably would just as soon go right to it and not have any preseason but I think the rookies, the 15 or 20 guys that are in camp, definitely they're not ready for prime time."
Padron: "It's a little bit different for us. We kind of get thrown in the fire in college football, but it's tough for them (Texas Tech) too. They have to prepare for us all week. It's a tough game for us, us being SMU, them being Tech -- they have a lot of fans in the stands, and it will be a little different atmosphere for us. It's a little bit different, but like I said, we're really excited." "I'm sure it will be pretty tough, I'm not really sure what to expect with that whole aspect of it. Going into Tech is going to be tough on anybody, you see a lot of teams struggle in Lubbock, so just go in there and do the best we can."
