Can Sonny Dykes finish what Chad Morris started?

As spring football begins across the state, we’re examining the big questions for each program as they begin their set of 15 offseason practices. Next up: SMU.1. Can the offense find new receivers? Ben Hicks made big jumps in every passing metric from his freshman year in 2016 to 2017, but next year, he'll have to do it without Trey Quinn and Courtland Sutton, a pair of NFL targets. Junior James Proche, a 5-11, 185-pound junior, thrived with Quinn and Sutton drawing attention. He does great work in the slot, but he can play outside and stretch the field, too. He caught 97 balls in the last two seasons, but no other receiver on the roster had double-digit receptions in 2017. Spring will be about who raises up around Proche. Is that Tyler Page, a 6-foot, 185-pound sophomore target from Friendswood? Or Judah Bell, a 6-3, 200-pound redshirt freshman who was a Parade All-American at Bishop T.K. Norman in Tyler? Do juniors Myron Gailliard and Alex Honey make the next step now? Hicks can help smooth the transition away from Sutton and Quinn, but we'll get a sense in the spring as to who, besides Proche, can be a go-to receiver in Sonny Dykes' offense. 2. Where does Dykes differentiate himself? The Mustangs don't start spring practice until March 21, but he issued an open invitation to high school coaches and players to come see a practice. When you have a coach like Chad Morris and he leaves, the program wants more of the same. Dykes can provide that, but he's a different coach with a very different career path, even if his offense is similar. He's already been unfairly shackled with the rough first impression of an embarrassing 51-10 Frisco Bowl loss to Louisiana Tech that wasn't his fault. Dykes still has a lot to prove and got a second chance many coaches don't get. SMU is hoping he's the coach Cal hired after going 17-8 in 2011 and 2012 and not the coach Cal fired after going 19-30 in four seasons. He has plenty to prove, but spring will tell us where Morris' influence on the program continues and where Dykes' influence begins. 3. Can the defense grow with a rebuilt defensive line? Justin Lawler and Mason Gentry are gone, and there are no obvious candidates to replace the two cornerstones of the Mustangs' defensive line in 2017. Lawler finished last season with 15.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks, but there should be a free-for-all to replace Gentry at defensive tackle and Lawler at defensive end. Demerick Gary and Delontae Scott will probably get the first opportunity at filling in for Lawler this spring, and junior Chris Biggurs should be at the front of the line at defensive tackle. Still, they've all only shown flashes and when you have a new staff starting from scratch, position battles get even more unpredictable. Brett Diersen and Randall Joyner will split duties coaching the defensive line. SMU's defense returns 18 of 22 players on its two-deep and eight starters, giving it a chance to be much better, but it has to find a reliable pass rusher and a big body up front to be effective. More big questions for spring football: