The Reclamation Initiative | The Coaching Career of Nico Augustine

[redsox907]

Bryce bout to give ya'll the business

I didn't say you'd lose so thats a W in my book

definitely looks like you went conservative in the 2nd half and almost gave it away

[Captain Canada]

I know you were sweating buckshots the entire fourth quarter

I thought we were going to choke. We had that in a vice grip in the first half and then poof, Bryce went Super Saiyan.

that was too close for comfort.

Def let up in the second half. Really relied on Avant, but wat happened to Kasay?

My boy been banged up the last few games. W&T getting on that man.

Bryce bout to give ya'll the business

I didn't say you'd lose so thats a W in my book

definitely looks like you went conservative in the 2nd half and almost gave it away

Gameplan didn't change too much in the second half. Pitt just started connecting and converting on third & long. Glad we survived to see another day of being undefeated.

[Captain Canada]

Week 5 Top Stories
Pittsburgh and SMU battle to an instant classic with the Mustangs coming out on top with a 37-34 victory
Penn State continues to fumble out of the gate, dropping their second loss of the season to Nebraska
Rutgers pushes #4 Oregon to the brink, but Ducks manage to escape with 36-33 victory
UCLA pulls off impressive comeback, upsetting #15 Ohio State 30-23 to hand them first loss of season

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Week 5 ACC Results
Virginia Tech [14 | 41] #6 Louisville
#22 Pittsburgh [37 | 34] #22 SMU
#1 Clemson [49 | 28] Virginia
Georgia Tech [37 | 34] Florida State
Tulane [14 | 36] Duke
Wake Forest [35 | 10] Memphis
North Carolina [14 | 22] Syracuse

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Week 6 ACC Matchups
#25 NC State (4-1, 0-1) at #22 Pittsburgh (3-3, 1-2)
Wake Forest (4-1, 1-0) at North Carolina (3-2, 0-2)
West Virginia (1-3, 0-2) at #21 Miami (3-2, 2-0)
Boston College (3-1, 0-1) at Georgia Tech (3-2, 2-0)
Memphis (1-4, 0-2) at Virginia (3-3, 0-2)
Florida State (2-2, 0-1) at #1 Clemson (4-0, 2-0)
Virginia Tech (2-2, 0-1) at Tulane (3-2, 1-2)

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ACC Standings
#1 Clemson (4-0, 2-0)
#6 Louisville (5-0, 3-0)
#11 SMU (5-0, 2-0)
#21 Miami (3-2, 2-0)
Georgia Tech (3-2, 2-0)
Wake Forest (4-1, 1-0)
Syracuse (3-2, 2-1)
Duke (4-2, 2-1)
#22 Pittsburgh (3-3, 1-2)
Tulane (3-2, 1-2)
North Carolina (3-2, 0-2)
#25 NC State (4-1, 0-1)
Florida State (2-2, 0-1)
Boston College (3-1, 0-1)
Virginia Tech (2-2, 0-1)
Virginia (3-3, 0-2)
West Virginia (1-3, 0-2)
Memphis (1-4, 0-2)

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Heisman Watchlist
QB Akeem Ogbah, Rs Sr » 25-38, 393 passing yards, 6 touchdowns (W 49-0 vs UMass)
QB Bryce Underwood, Sr » 26-35, 354 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, interception, 9 carries, 43 rushing yards, touchdown (L 37-34 at #11 SMU)
QB Mason Kelsay, Rs Jr » 27-30, 359 passing yards, 5 touchdowns, 11 carries, 32 rushing yards, touchdown (W 59-21 vs FCS Southeast)
QB Keelon Russell, Rs Jr » 16-30, 350 passing yards, 5 touchdowns, fumble (W 45-29 at Oklahoma)
QB Jeremy St.Hilaire, Rs Sr » 30-46, 411 passing yards, 5 touchdowns, 7 carries, 56 rushing yards, touchdown (W 52-13 vs Florida Atlantic)

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Players of the Week
WR Marquis Avant (SMU): 11 catches, 184 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns
CB Gavin Jenkins (USF): 6 tackles, 2 interceptions, forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries
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WR Marquis Avant (SMU): 11 catches, 184 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns
CB Randall Speed (Pittsburgh): 7 tackles, 4 pass breakups

[djp73]

Cheeseman outduels Underwood, Mustangs hang on and slip past Pitt in ranked ACC matchup

gouda thing you were able to hold on, you must have been going emmental near the end. underwood's touchdown was enough to string you along.

[Captain Canada]

Freshman wide receiver Eric DeLuca to get a bigger role within offense
By Veronica Downs | SMU Daily

Through the first five weeks of the season, SMU has done more than simply win games — they’ve uncovered a new dimension to their offense. Shifting from last year's North/South running style behind former Heisman hopeful Jeremy Payne, they have relied on their aerial attack behind star redshirt freshman quarterback. Alonzo Cheeseman. As the Mustangs head into their bye week undefeated at 5–0, one storyline has quietly been gaining momentum: freshman wide receiver Eric DeLuca is on the verge of becoming a major contributor.

DeLuca, the program’s highest-rated recruit in last year’s class, arrived on campus with expectations already attached. But through the early part of the season, his role was limited — not because of a lack of ability, but because the Mustangs’ receiver rotation was already packed with experience and established talent. That is beginning to change.

Over the past two weeks, DeLuca has taken increasingly meaningful reps with the starting unit. Coaches point to his polish, maturity, and ability to adjust the playbook at full speed as reasons for his rapid ascent.

“He processes like a veteran,” offensive coordinator Tony Sanchez said. “He doesn't just run the route. He understands the coverage, the leverage, the timing.”

The biggest factor, though, has been his early chemistry with redshirt freshman quarterback Alonzo Cheeseman, whose breakout season has headlined SMU’s undefeated run. Despite their limited shared reps in live games, the two have developed a timing and trust that’s noticeable.

Cheeseman hasn’t been shy about looking DeLuca’s way in key moments — a rare level of confidence between a first-year receiver and a first-year starter at quarterback.

Part of the opportunity emerging for DeLuca is due to an unexpected storyline: the quiet start to the season from junior receiver J.J. Harrell.

Expected to be the Mustangs’ WR1 entering the year, Harrell has yet to produce at the level fans anticipated. He’s been involved, but not explosive, and opposing defenses haven’t been forced to treat him as the top threat he was projected to be.

That void has been filled by Marquis Avant, who has dominated through five games. Avant’s efficiency, route running, and big-play ability have made him Cheeseman’s most reliable target. That's not to forget transfer tight end Dwayne Kasay and his impressive pass-catching abilities so far this season well.

But with defenses now shifting coverages toward Avant, SMU needs a third consistent option — and DeLuca’s emergence may be arriving at the perfect time.

SMU’s offense thrives on spacing, matchups, and creating conflicts for safeties. DeLuca’s physicality off the line and his ability to win intermediate routes give the Mustangs a new layer they haven’t consistently had this season.

He’s strong enough to work the middle, fast enough to stretch the boundary, and technically advanced enough to move around the formation — traits usually reserved for upper-class contributors.

As SMU prepares for the second half of the schedule, incorporating DeLuca more heavily could be the key to maintaining their offensive balance, especially as defenses begin devising gameplans around Avant’s hot start.

SMU enters its bye week with momentum, clarity, and a new offensive wrinkle to carve out. Coaches are expected to use the off-week to expand DeLuca’s role in the playbook, giving Cheeseman another trusted target as the games grow more challenging.

If his upward trajectory continues, DeLuca could shift from “intriguing freshman” to “featured weapon” sooner rather than later.

The Mustangs know what they have in Avant. They know where Harrell should be trending. But DeLuca gives them something rare for a contender midseason:

A rising star whose breakout might be coming at exactly the right time.

[Captain Canada]

Week 6 Top Stories
Nevada hands the red-hot UConn their first loss of the season with a 51-38 victory
Northwestern gets a big rivalry win over the Wolverines, sinking them down the Top 25
The Fighting Irish survive a scare, narrowly getting past Purdue with a 24-22 victory
Georgia takes over as the number one team in the country with a statement 49-28 victory over Auburn

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Week 6 ACC Results
NC State [27 | 51] #18 Pittsburgh
Wake Forest [16 | 24] North Carolina
West Virginia [31 | 29] Miami
Boston College [45 | 7] Georgia Tech
Memphis [21 | 17] Virginia
Florida State [27 | 49] #2 Clemson
Virginia [42 | 27] Tulane

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Week 7 ACC Matchups
Georgia Tech (3-3, 2-1) at #5 Louisville (6-0, 3-0)
Syracuse (4-2, 2-1) at West Virginia (2-3, 1-2)
#2 Clemson (5-0, 3-0) at Boston College (4-1, 1-1)
Miami (3-3, 2-1) at Virginia Tech (3-2, 1-1)
Memphis (2-4, 1-2) at Florida State (2-3, 0-2)
#10 SMU (5-0, 2-0) at Virginia (3-4, 0-3)
#18 Pittsburgh (4-3, 2-2) at Wake Forest (4-2, 1-1)

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ACC Standings
#2 Clemson (5-0, 3-0)
#5 Louisville (6-0, 3-0)
#10 SMU (5-0, 2-0)
Miami (3-3, 2-1)
Syracuse (4-2, 2-1)
Georgia Tech (3-3, 2-1)
Duke (5-2, 2-1)
#18 Pittsburgh (4-3, 2-2)
Boston College (4-1, 1-1)
Wake Forest (4-2, 1-1)
Virginia Tech (3-2, 1-1)
West Virginia (2-3, 1-2)
North Carolina (4-2, 1-2)
Memphis (2-4, 1-2)
Tulane (3-3, 1-3)
NC State (4-2, 0-2)
Florida State (2-3, 0-2)
Virginia (3-4, 0-3)

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Heisman Watchlist
QB Akeem Ogbah, Rs Sr » 26-40, 324 passing yards, 5 touchdowns, interception, 9 carries, 52 rushing yards (W 35-25 at Kansas)
QB Bryce Underwood, Sr » 25-35, 304 passing yards, 4 touchdowns, interception (W 51-27 vs NC State)
QB Keelon Russell, Rs Jr » 25-35, 370 passing yards, 4 touchdowns, interception, rushing touchdown (W 41-35 at UTSA)
QB Rashard Jennings, Rs So » 19-33, 235 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, 22 carries, 91 rushing yards, rushing touchdown (L 41-24 vs #24 Oklahoma State)
WR De'Zie Jones, Rs Jr » 8 catches, 90 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns (W 51-27 vs NC State)

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Players of the Week
WR Jimmy Loyd (BYU): 9 catches, 210 receiving yards, 3 touchdowns
FS Trey McNutt (Oregon): 2 tackles, interception, 4 pass breakups
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WR Morgan Pinkard (Clemson): 8 catches, 136 receiving yards, 3 touchdowns
MIKE Joseph Brink (North Carolina): 8 tackles, sack, tackle for loss, 2 pass breakups

[Captain Canada]

Saturday, October 14, 2028 | Scott Stadium (Charlottesville, VA)

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Week 7 Preview: at Virginia (3-4, 0-3)

SMU Team Stats
Points: 46.4
Points Allowed: 22.6
Total Sacks: 35
Red Zone Conv.: 55%
Turnover Diff.: 0

Virginia Team Stats
Points: 33.7
Points Allowed: 26.9
Total Sacks: 12
Red Zone Conv.: 52%
Turnover Diff.: +4

SMU Impact Players
QB Alonzo Cheeseman, Rs Fr -- 1,840 passing yards | 19 touchdowns, 6 interceptions | 73% completion percentage
WR Marquis Avant, Rs So -- 48 catches | 656 receiving yards | 13.7 AVG | 7 touchdowns
WILL Thomas McCareins, Jr -- 30 tackles | 19 tackles for loss | 9.5 sacks | fumble recovery

Virginia Impact Players
QB Kalen Alexander, Rs So -- 1,883 passing yards | 17 touchdowns, 4 interceptions | 58% completion percentage
HB Dudley Worthy, Rs So -- 117 carries | 666 rushing yards | 5.7 AVG | 8 touchdowns
WR Tremaine Haggan, Rs So -- 34 catches | 543 receiving yards | 16.0 AVG | 6 touchdowns

Injury Report
SMU: OT Dramodd Odoms (Broken Collarbone) - 3 weeks | OG Mitch Slater (Compound Foot Fracture) - 12 weeks
Virginia: None

Key Matchup
CB Marcellus Barnes Jr. vs WR Tremaine Haggan

[Captain Canada]

(5-0, 2-0 ACC) @(3-4, 0-3 ACC)

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Mustangs come alive in the second half, stomp out Cavaliers on the road


‣ Wide receiver Eric DeLuca had the opportunities awarded him and did not disappoint, ripping off a deep punt return to set the Mustangs up for success.

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Scoring Summary

FINAL	1	2	3	4	T
#10 SMU	0	7	7	14	28
Virginia	0	6	0	7	13

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1st Quarter
NO SCORING

2nd Quarter
(11:57) Ian Burks, 20-yard field goal [SMU 0 - 3 UVA]
(8:06) Eric DeLuca, 3-yard pass from Alonzo Cheeseman (Sam Keltner kick) [SMU 7 - 3 UVA]
(0:05) Ian Burks, 39-yard field goal [SMU 7 - 6 UVA]

3rd Quarter
(2:05) Marquis Avant, 1-yard pass from Alonzo Cheeseman (Sam Keltner kick) [SMU 14 - 6 UVA]

4th Quarter
(10:45) J.J. Harrell, 43-yard pass from Alonzo Cheeseman (Sam Keltner kick) [SMU 21 - 6 UVA]
(7:26) Alonzo Cheeseman, 6-yard run (Sam Keltner kick) [SMU 28 - 6 UVA]
(2:51) Kalen Alexander, 6-yard run (Ian Burks kick) [SMU 28 - 13 UVA]

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Team Statistics
QB Alonzo Cheeseman: 22-28, 239 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, interception, rushing touchdown
QB Kalen Alexander: 34-43, 355 passing yards, rushing touchdown

HB Kyan Berry-Johnson: 13 carries, 66 rushing yards
HB Justice Spielman: 12 carries, 35 rushing yards
HB Dudley Worthy: 6 carries, 30 rushing yards

WR J.J. Harrell: 3 catches, 70 receiving yards, touchdown
WR Marquis Avant: 4 catches, 13 receiving yards, touchdown
WR Eric DeLuca: 5 catches, 39 receiving yards, touchdown
TE Dwayne Kasay: 6 catches, 55 receiving yards
TE Justin Zames: 9 catches, 112 receiving yards
WR Antonio Liggins: 9 catches, 102 receiving yards
WR Tremaine Haggan: 5 catches, 61 receiving yards
WR Ricky Miranda: 4 catches, 42 receiving yards

MIKE Kevin Lockridge: 10 tackles, 7 tackles for loss
WILL Thomas McCariens: 6 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks
FS Armani Medlock: 9 tackles, tackle for loss, 2 pass breakups
CB Marcellus Barnes Jr: 9 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, pass breakup
MIKE Julius Volk: 11 tackles
CB Brandon Crutchfield: 6 tackles, tackle for loss
SS Frank Dear: 5 tackles, interception

[Caesar]

Much more straight-forward win there. Good to see J.J. getting back into things but championship or bust bro

[six7]

Pinkard in the headlines again, yet gets shafted in the race! Tho how did underwood not go pro yet?!