While the SMU Mustangs finished 2010 with an overall record of just 7-7, it was a much better season than their record may indicate.

SMU won the Conference USA West Division with a 6-2 mark.

They would go on to lose to UCF 17-7 in the title game and later fall to Army 16-14 in the Armed Forces Bowl, but it really was a great season when you consider that this school won just two games total in 2007 and 2008.

Head coach June Jones deserves a ton of credit for what he has done in just three seasons. In 2011, Jones will likely have his best team yet at SMU, as he brings back 18 starters from last year’s team.

Here is a closer look at who the Mustangs will send to the field on both sides of the ball, plus my thoughts on where they will finish in the Conference USA standings.

Offense

The Mustangs have one of the top quarterbacks in the conference in junior Kyle Padron.

In 2010, Padron threw for 3,828 yards with 31 touchdowns and just 14 interceptions. He also has the ability to make plays with his feet, rushing for 244 yards and four scores.

Padron should only continue to get better as he gets older, and he should have the Mustangs scoring at a much higher clip than their 25.7 average last year.

SMU also brings back the 2010 Conference USA leading rusher, Zach Line. Line topped off at 1,494 yards and 10 touchdowns in his sophomore campaign. He will once again be the workhorse in the running game and should come close to matching last year’s totals.

Padron will be without wideout Aldrick Robinson this season, who led the team with 1,301 yards and 14 touchdowns on just 65 receptions, but he does bring back two very talented players in senior Cole Beasley and junior Darius Johnson.

Beasley led the team with 87 catches for 1,060 yards and six touchdowns, while Johnson caught 78 passes for 845 yards and six touchdowns.

The Mustangs will also feature one of the best offensive lines in the conference, with all five starters back.

Senior left tackle Kelvin Beachum is a beast. He and senior left guard Josh LeRibeus will make quite a duo on the left side.

Defense

SMU should also have one of the best defensive lines, as all three starters return to their 3-4 front.

On the outside, they bring back senior Taylor Thompson and junior Margus Hunt, while senior Marquis Frazier is back to hold down the nose tackle spot. All three players are one of the top players at their respective positions and should really make it tough for opposing teams to run this season.

At linebacker, the Mustangs return with junior middle linebacker Taylor Reed and junior weak-side linebacker Ja’Gared Davis.

Reed led the team with 145 tackles last year, while Davis finished with 90 tackles and a team-best nine sacks. This year they add in freshman middle linebacker Davon Moreland, who is one of the Mustang’s highest-rated recruits in a long time.

The Mustangs should also have a very talented group in the secondary this year.

They bring back the starting safety combo of Ryan Smith and Chris Banjo, and one of the top corners in the conference in senior Richard Crawford, who led the team with four interceptions in 2010.

2011 Prediction: Third CUSA West

I had a very difficult time picking the Mustangs this low in the standings, as they are without question just as talented as both Houston and Tulsa.

Unfortunately for SMU, they have a brutal schedule in 2011.

Not only do they have to play both Houston and Tulsa on the road, but they have to play both Southern Miss and UCF out of the East Division. 

For more on the Mustangs upcoming season, check out my SMU football predictions article.

If you want to see where I have all 12 teams finishing inside the conference, take a look at my 2011 Conference USA predictions.