Sports
SMU has prolonged coach Rhett Lashlee’s contract amid a successful first season in the ACC, the faculty announced on Friday. The recent deal will abet Lashlee round via the 2030 season, sources informed CBS Sports activities’ Brandon Marcello.
The Mustangs are 9-1 with two video games left in the frequent season and are the finest ACC crew with an undefeated convention document (6-0). They landed at No. 13 in the most modern College Football Playoff Rankings release.
“Lauren, Hudson, Thomas, Rowyn, Scarlet and I are all so excited to be Mustangs,” Lashlee acknowledged in an announcement. “We interrogate forward to constructing upon our success and making our impress on faculty football’s nationwide stage. I wish to thank President Turner and Rick Hart, to boot to Invoice Armstong and David Miller and the whole trustees and SMU management for their perception in and dedication to me and my household. We’re extremely joyful to be here for the long haul. Pony Up!”
SMU can clinch a net page in the ACC Championship Game with a accept in both of its closing two video games. The Mustangs wander back and forth to Virginia in Week 13 for their first opportunity to lock up the berth.
Lashlee, who served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at SMU from 2018-19 forward of engrossing to Miami in the identical capability, returned to Dallas to lead the Mustangs in 2022. SMU prolonged Lashlee’s contract via the 2029 season in November 2023.
Investment paying off Lashlee isn’t any stranger to postseason success. He guided SMU to an AAC title in 2023, giving the Mustangs their first league championship since 1984. SMU has furthermore secured bowl eligibility in each and each of its three years with Lashlee on the helm.
Pointless to enlighten, the Mustangs were impressive under Lashlee. They’re 18-2 in their closing 20 video games and 17-1 in their closing 18 frequent season video games. They’ve furthermore started 6-0 in convention play in consecutive seasons for the first time in program history and cling a possibility to clinch reduction-to-reduction 10-accept seasons for the first time since 1981-84.
SMU took a gargantuan guess on itself by jumping from the AAC to the ACC. Now not simplest is it the Mustangs’ first time competing in a excessive-major convention in nearly 30 years — for the explanation that dissolution of the Southwest Convention — nonetheless SMU furthermore surrendered 9 years of ACC television earnings to perform the soar.
With Lashlee guiding the manner, the transfer has paid off regardless. Making the ACC Championship Game places SMU one game a long way from securing an automatic instruct in the 12-crew College Football Playoff and a major-round bye.
Constructing for the long term Talent acquisition has seen a first-rate uptick under Lashlee. The Mustangs are closing in on their first high-30 signing class in widespread recruiting history.
SMU’s 2025 crop of commits currently sits at No. 29 general, No. 4 in the ACC, in 247Sports’ Team Composite Recruiting Rankings. That involves four of the ten perfect-ranked possibilities to commit to SMU since 247Sports started rating avid gamers.
The headliner is four-big title offensive address Dramodd Odoms, the No. 83 prospect nationally and No. 19 participant in the direct of Texas. He’s the 2d-perfect ranked recruit to ever perform a pledge to the Mustangs, in the reduction of 2021 four-big title quarterback Preston Stone.
Lashlee has furthermore secured his signal caller of the long term in four-big title QB prospect Ty Hawkins. The IMG Academy product is the No. 18 quarterback in 2025 and the No. 215 participant in the nation.
Four of SMU’s six high commits play highschool football in the direct of Texas. SMU is furthermore off to a scorching open in the 2026 cycle after receiving a dedication from quarterback Cole Leinart , the son of feeble USC quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart.