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From SMUMustangs.com:

Symons agrees to contract extension with Mustangs

DALLAS (SMU) – SMU Defensive Coordinator Scott Symons has signed a contract extension to remain on the Hilltop, Head Coach Rhett Lashlee announced Thursday.

A semifinalist for the prestigious Broyles Award which honors college football's top assistant coach, Symons was a highly sought-after candidate for other openings, but will remain at SMU.

In his third season on the Hilltop, Symons and his staff have done incredible work on the defensive side of the ball. SMU has built on a dominant championship defense and his efforts helped SMU claim a College Football Playoff berth.

In SMU's first season in the ACC, his defense helped SMU to an 8-0 regular-season record and ranked among the nation's best. SMU finished the regular season at 11-1, ranking in the top 25 in the FBS in rushing defense (fourth), defensive touchdowns (fifth), team sacks (11th), third down conversion percentage defense (11th), team tackles for loss (12th), passes intercepted (13th), red zone defense (16th), scoring defense (19th), turnovers gained (23rd) and fourth down conversion percentage defense (23rd).

Huge news! It's great to be in a power conference and be able to build on our success rather than be picked away so others can benefit.

Awesome! Now let's get some more linemen!

We’re apparently now a destination vs a stepping stone, the next few years should be fun.

Great news! But all it really means is his next step will be a HC gig rather than another DC gig. Still, great for him and great for us!

This is absolutely massive. Lashlee has said all year that Symons is the best DC in the country, to the point that I want to tell Lashlee to pipe down, lest the rest of the country finds out about Symons. I was absolutely convinced that Symons would be gone at the end of the season. To say the defense is hugely improved under Symons would be a massive understatement. Getting this done might be Lashlee's best move of the year.

Obviously a huge 1st step but now we have to backfill some huge holes on this year's defense with so many key players having exhausted their eligibility

From lonestarlive.com:

Extension with SMU allows DC Scott Symons to keep his word on recruiting trail
Updated: Dec. 13, 2024, 1:11 p.m.|Published: Dec. 13, 2024, 1:10 p.m.

By Jacob Richman | [email protected]
UNIVERSITY PARK, Texas — Scott Symons didn’t grow up going to SMU football games.

The Mustangs' defensive coordinator grew up in nearby Hurst, but he said that in the late 1990s and early 2000s, other programs like TCU and North Texas were a bigger deal.

Things have changed as SMU is headed to the College Football Playoff for the first time as members of the ACC.

Symons' defense will be critical to trying to make a deep run in the CFP and after an extension for the coordinator was announced on Thursday, critical to the future success of the program.


Since revolutionizing SMU’s defense to being among the best in the nation over the past two seasons, Symons has been a rising name in head coaching conversations.

But after agreeing to an extension, he’s in for the long haul to build up SMU for the future.

”When you’re happy somewhere and you love who you work with, who you work for, top-down organization, the grass isn’t always greener," Symons said Friday. “This is home for me.”

The details of Symons' contract are undisclosed due to SMU’s status as a private institution.

A big reason for Symons extending was having the chance to really live up to his promises to players on the recruiting trail and show he’s as engaged in growing SMU’s program for the years to come alongside them.

To read this story in its entirety, CLICK HERE.

Awesome news. It was nice reading that he wants to keep his word to players & recruits and that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Character counts.