Notes from presser via the College Sports Blog

Watkins has some notes from the PB press conference today. The bold comments are mine.

Had the great taco bar at the SMU luncheon courtesy of James Bailey, owner of First & Ten's bar and grill. I think it's a grill. I've just had drinks there. That's another story.

Here are the highlights of SMU's media conference on Tuesday.

• Phil Bennett is upset with the loss at North Texas, but said he still wants to play the Mean Green. He has no choice next year, since the Mean Green come to Ford Stadium.

• Bennett said Justin Willis is still the starting quarterback, but Bennett wants Willis to stop running out of the pocket. Willis, only a redshirt freshman, needs to step up in the pocket more and execute plays.

An example: Willis rolls out on the first play of the game and there's an open receiver in the middle of the field. Willis fails to see him because he doesn't move past the offensive tackle. If he moves past the tackle, he has better vision of the field. I previously made light of comments on short QB's, but there is some truth to it. You need to be able to see over the line.

• Bennett is backing off some statements made earlier in the year about reaching a bowl game. Bennett is a little touchy on the subject when it was brought up today. He said he doesn't want to talk about bowl games anymore. Ya think?

• The offense is in sad shape, averaging only 4.5 points a game. Bennett seem offended when asked was coordinator Rusty Burns going to move to the press box and call plays. Bennett said Burns will remain on the field to call plays.
Interesting.

• Bennett also said he's not in on offensive meetings. Last year, he sat in most of them and then toward the end of the year stayed out of the meetings. I asked him if he was going back in the offensive meetings and he said no.

Sunday, I was in the football office and I couldn't find Bennett. The defensive coaches were in their offices and said Bennett was meeting with the offensive coaches.

When I asked Bennett about this, he denied it and said I needed to get my facts straight.

Cool. No problem with that. This whole exchange is facinating. Watkins is outright suggesting Bennett is full of it.

I'm off to practice to see who becomes the starting running back.