:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49341067/GettyImages-486581516.0.jpg)
It's just a scrimmage but Chad Morris' offense showed a little bit of what it lacked before — consistency.
On the opening play of SMU's spring game, wide receiver Courtland Sutton caught a 40-yard pass. Sutton carried the burden of being the top receiver last year. But with freshman wide outs James Proche and Alex Honey, the talented duo should open the offense for Sutton and Matt Davis.
Proche caught five passes for 48 yards while Honey had three catches for 55 yards and a touchdown.
The Red team defeated the blue team 45-35. Ben Hicks and Darrell Colbert filled in for the injured Davis (foot injury) and combined for 18-51 passing completions. Hicks led all quarterbacks with 240 yards and a touchdown.
Freshman running back Aphonso Thomas led all rushers with 122 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries.
Honey was named the offensive MVP for the spring scrimmage.
"Alex early on was trying to figure it all out," Morris said. "Around practice three or four, you saw a light click on for him and he just really kept coming on and growing and using his size and his speed and strength."
The defense will look different by the fall. Morris recruited 14 defensive freshman and not everyone played in the spring scrimmage. The Scott twins— defensive ends Michael and Delontae— should give this defense a boost. Michael had two tackles for a loss and Delontae also had a tackle for a loss.
Nick Horton will move from linebacker to defensive end. Jordan West will play cornerback with Jesse Montgomery. Montgomery finished the scrimmage with seven tackles, an interception and a deflected pass.
Defensive coordinator Van Malone he's taking some chances with a roster that's still green. The scrimmage did show him some promise.
"I really wanted to strain those guys; I want them to fight through it," he said. "We don't have another corner at this time, so I was proud they were able to do it. The signees are going to be big-time important. When you play with true freshmen, sometimes that's a little scary. But what we hope is that the level of athleticism on our defense will immediately rise."