Nobody expected what happened to SMU last season, least of all coach June Jones.

Even now, he says his team is a year away from having the depth it needs to have sustained success. So was 2009 an aberration? Hardly.

With 15 starters returning, including sophomore Kyle Padron, SMU is poised to have another good season, even if depth on the lines is an issue.

“As a coach, the expectations are always the same,” Jones said in a phone interview. “They don’t change year to year. You always expect to do your best and win every year. Everybody’s excited at the school. I think everybody understands we’re a little ways away; we probably need another recruiting class to be highly thought of, but … It’s going to be a fun year.”

Expectations are higher after the Mustangs went 8-5 last season and made a bowl game for the first time in 25 years. Before the breakthrough, they had won two of their previous 24 games.

The seven-game turnaround from 2008 was the best in the country. But with Jones leading the way, it should not have come as a huge shock. He is known as a master rebuilder. His last effort at Hawaii ended in a BCS bowl appearance, a Sugar Bowl loss to Georgia.

Much of the reason behind his success is his run-and-shoot offense, which gives fits to opponents. It also turns his quarterbacks into stat machines. Colt Brennan and Timmy Chang put up mind-boggling passing numbers. Chang became the first quarterback to pass for over 17,000 career yards. Brennan holds the NCAA record for passing TDs in a season with 58. During Jones’ tenure in Hawaii, the Warriors broke more than 400 school records and 50 NCAA marks.

Padron is next in line. He took over as the starter in the eighth game of last season as a true freshman and went 5-1. That includes a huge game in the Hawaii Bowl against Nevada, when he threw for a school-record 460 yards and two touchdowns in SMU’s 45-10 win.

Most are expecting him to be even better this season. Jones has noticed big improvement through the spring and fall.

“His knowledge of the system, where to deliver the ball -- until the last game I wasn’t confident he knew what all the routes were,” Jones said. “He’s gotten better and better. He’s a leader. He stands in there and throws it and he’s very accurate.”

When asked how long it takes a quarterback to get comfortable in his offense, Jones says, “It’s different for different strokes. Kyle has probably come along faster than most of the kids. He’s paid attention, and put in a lot of hard work. He’s got a different personality, a different want-to, to learn. Kyle’s a gym rat, he’s here every day four, five, six, hours a day in the summer and he doesn’t have to be here.”

Even with Padron returning, the SMU offense lost two of its biggest playmakers -- leading receiver Emmanuel Sanders (98 receptions, 1,339 yards, 7 TDs) and leading rusher Shawnbrey McNeal (236 carries, 1,188 yards, 12 TDs).

Darryl Fields and Kevin Pope are expected to pick up the load at running back. Sophomore receiver Darius Johnson has had a good camp, and Aldrick Robinson is poised to be the go-to guy after finishing second on the team in receiving with 800 yards and five touchdowns.

Defensively, Jones said cornerback Sterling Moore has taken some of the biggest strides, confidence-wise, and looks like a totally different player. Defensive linemen Taylor Thompson and Margus Hunt have been standouts, along with linebackers Taylor Reed and Youri Yenga.

Depth is still a concern, and the schedule starts off with a tough game, at Texas Tech on Sept. 5. The nonconference schedule also features home games against Washington State, TCU and on the road at Navy.

When asked whether he has to caution his players about ignoring preseason expectations, Jones said, “It’s not something that is of a concern. If we start to sustain where we win three, four, five years in a row, then we have to worry about those things.”