Q: Haven’t heard much from June Jones and SMU this season. What’s it going to take for him to turn around the Mustangs?
— James from Lake Oswego, Ore.
A: Well, James, there’s good reason why you haven’t heard much about SMU this season. The Mustangs are 1-6 and sort of, um, challenged defensively (allowing 40.7 points per game).

June Jones knew this wouldn’t be an easy task after leaving Hawaii’s Sugar Bowl team. It’s going to take patience (the Mustangs led unbeaten Tulsa heading into the fourth quarter, but lost 37-31). It’s also going to require some imagination (Jones is big on offensive ingenuity).

A good combination of both could transform SMU into an annual bowl team again.

There’s an entire generation of fans who probably have no idea that SMU was once a big-time force in college football. SMU is surrounded by a formidable recruiting base. If Jones builds an entertaining offense and the Mustangs begin to win games consistently in Conference USA, things will turn around. It’s going to take a season or two (or three).

And until then, on a national scale, you’re simply not going to hear much about SMU.

Q: What’s gone wrong with Arizona State?
— T. R. from Lexington, Ky.
A: Here’s what’s wrong. (And who thought this would EVER be said of Arizona State?)

The Sun Devils (2-4) — synonymous with moving the ball and putting pressure on opponents — are struggling offensively.

Arizona State lost 28-0 against USC (the first shutout for the Sun Devils since 2004). The Sun Devils are averaging 19.2 points per game, the program’s lowest total since 1988 (17.5).

More grisly numbers: Arizona State is ranked 116th nationally (out of 119 teams) in rushing, 96th in scoring and 82nd overall.

Sun Devils coach Dennis Erickson said he’s sticking with senior quarterback Rudy Carpenter, instead of going young and looking to next season. He also said Arizona State’s next game (Oct. 25, Oregon) will be viewed as a season opener. That’s how anxious Erickson is to forget about the season’s first half.

You could argue that Arizona State has played a killer schedule — with games against USC, Cal (24-14 loss) and Georgia (27-10 loss). But the Sun Devils were supposed to be a Top 25-caliber team, a factor in the Pac-10 race, not a 2-4 underachiever.

If Erickson can coax a bowl appearance out of this bunch, at this point, it might be an even bigger surprise (although a get-well swing against Washington and Washington State is ahead in November).

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