Imago
Credits: Rhett Lashlee Instagram
Imago
Credits: Rhett Lashlee Instagram
Earlier this month, whispers of SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee’s departure grew loud enough to rattle the fanbase. Instead of entertaining outside attention, Lashlee doubled down on the school that first handed him the reins. In a recent appearance on Gramlich & Mac Lain, he made it clear that he’s all-in on the Hilltop for the long haul.
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“We believe in everything we are doing here and everything we can do here. We have incredible alignment and the resources to continue to grow and build our program,” Rhett Lashlee said.
One of the major reasons? SMU’s immense administrative support. The university is positioning itself as an emerging ACC force, coming off two consecutive conference championships and securing a playoff berth amid conference realignment. The administration has invested heavily in facilities, roster enhancement, and staff resources. And Lashlee intends to push the program even higher.
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When asked about the chaos of the current coaching carousel, Lashlee noted that even he didn’t expect it to reach this level of frenzy. With vacancies popping up across the country, Lashlee’s rising reputation made him a natural target. SMU responded by securing a new deal believed to run through 2032, according to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg, placing him among the highest-paid coaches in the country. At a time when SMU has a good shot to make it to the playoffs, the latest development speaks volumes regarding both SMU and Lashlee’s commitment to retaining the program as an ACC leader. Their coach is committed just as firmly to the program’s future.
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“We’re either in playoffs or in contention for the playoffs more than not because we believe what we can build here at SMU,” he added. “We believe in the vision. here that we have and that everyone around us internally has to what this job can become what this school what this program can become not just now but three, four, five, six years down the road.”
Imago
Credits: Rhett Lashlee Instagram
SMU has also demonstrated its long-term vision by expanding the salary pool for assistant coaches to keep the current staff together and maintain the continuity that has fueled the program’s rise. While Lashlee leads the program to an impressive record, the recruiting efforts are also gaining momentum. Over time, the program has aggressively recruited elite talent from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. In May, a four-star Class of 2026 WR Aljour Miles picked SMU over them. Once dominated by SEC programs such as Texas and Oklahoma, Lashlee is beating them to it.
Along with investing in onboarding talent. SMU is showing that promise in its actions. In Aug 2024, they unveiled a $100 million athletic facility, along with announcing a fundraising record of $159 million during the 2023-2024 fiscal year. All these factors sum up Rhett Lashlee’s commitment to the Mustangs.
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In 2018, he joined SMU as an offensive coordinator and helped the Mustangs achieve their first 10-win season since 1984. After a year, he left, but returned in 2021. This time, he arrived in Dallas County as the Mustangs’ head coach. Since then, he hasn’t looked back. Recently, his name surfaced regarding the Arkansas head coach seat. The Razorbacks fired Sam Pittman, who held a $5 million contract, after a 2-3 record.
But the Mustangs were quick to retain their head coach, quelling those rumors.
“SMU is a destination job,” Rhett Lashlee said after the extension. “You know, SMU chose us first. That matters to us. It’s where we want to be.”
According to reports, it’s a 10-year extension. Since SMU is a private school, his latest compensation hasn’t been revealed, but it is believed that it will take him to the top ten highest-paid head coach list.
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Edited by
Nourin Parvin