SMU coach Rhett Lashlee, QB Preston Stone, QB Kevin Jennings, TE RJ Maryland, and EDGE Elijah Roberts will be in Charlotte to represent the Mustangs for ACC Media Days.
Following a fantastic final campaign in the AAC, the Mustangs have crawled their way back into the spotlight of college football as they embark on a P4 journey.
With SMU ready to reassert itself among the game’s elite, what questions will Lashlee face at ACC Media Days?
3 Most Significant Questions for Rhett Lashlee at ACC Media Days
1) Is the ACC’s Future Concerning?
There was a time when SMU was the ostracized problem child of college football, receiving the “death penalty” from the NCAA in 1987 after multiple recruiting violations for paying athletes. The Mustangs were barred from fielding a team in 1987 by the NCAA’s Infractions Committee, and the school chose not to field one in 1988 after the committee disallowed home games that season.
That two-year hiatus caused lingering damage to SMU’s football program that would take years to repair. The Mustangs had one winning season in the 1990s (6-5, 1997) but have had nine since 2008, including the last five consecutive campaigns.
After over 30 years of slowly fixing its image — not to mention, the NIL era somewhat rectifying the program’s previous wrongdoings — SMU is back to prominence, moving into a highly coveted P4 conference, the ACC.
It’s a move that immediately increases the Mustangs’ profile, but they’ll have to take a bit of a hit financially after agreeing to forgo a lucrative TV deal for 10 years until 2033 to join the ACC, along with Cal and Stanford.
Increased travel costs from playing conference teams on the East and West Coasts, as well as reports that SMU is paying an eight-figure exit fee to their previous conference, the AAC, are additional concerns. The AAC reportedly paid each program in its conference $8.3 million in 2022, while the ACC paid $40 million per team that year.
Donations and increased season-ticket sales have allowed the Mustangs to compensate for the loss of the TV deal and exit fee in the short term. However, more potential realignment is impending with two of the ACC’s biggest programs, Clemson and FSU, filing lawsuits and exploring their options.
If Clemson and FSU leave, it could create a mass exodus, and the ACC could fall to the wayside like the Pac-12. The Mustangs are somewhat gambling on a future that fits them into a Power Four in 10 years, but the opaque nature of college football leaves that undetermined for now.
2) How Much of a Regression Is Expected, If at All?
The Mustangs left the AAC behind with a conference title in hand, the program’s first conference championship of any kind since 1984. An 11-3 season led to a No. 22 ranking in the final AP ranking, priming SMU for its jump to the Power Four.
While it seems the Mustangs are game-ready for the ACC, the competition is much stiffer, facing the likes of Florida State and Louisville in the conference this season, plus TCU and BYU in non-conference. There’s a good chance of growing pains in Dallas this year, but the Mustangs at least have the luxury of solid options behind center.
3) Is a 2-QB Scheme on the Table With Preston Stone and Kevin Jennings?
Stone had a remarkable season last year, earning third-team All-AAC after starting 12 games with 3,197 yards passing, 28 touchdowns, and six interceptions. His role as the starter is likely secure, but Jennings may have proven to Lashlee he’s worth some reps.
In two starts as a redshirt freshman last year, Jennings tossed for 618 yards and five TDs to two picks, while rushing for another 142 yards and a score.
There’s an old football saying, “If you have two quarterbacks, you have none,” but that’s becoming less true as offenses progress, allowing for more situational plug-and-play scenarios. Both QBs being present at ACC Media Days indicates that Lashlee is part of that evolution.
ACC Media Days Schedule: Rhett Lashlee, SMU Head Coach
- Date: Monday, July 22
- Time: Noon-4 p.m. ET
- How to watch: ESPN 2/ACC Network
The Mustangs had to give up quite a bit to move to a P4 conference, but the juice might be worth the squeeze if things shake out in their favor.
Even if the ACC ends up like the Pac-12, a strong 2024 campaign could position SMU to be scooped up by another major conference. Thankfully, the Mustangs have a talented roster, starting with two decent options behind center.
College Football Network has you covered with the latest news and analysis, rankings, transfer portal information, top 10 returning players, the 2024 college football season schedule, and much more!