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From SMUMustangs.com:

Symons recognized as Graphite Award recipient

PARKER, Colo. (RII Sports Technology/SMU) – SMU defensive coordinator Scott Symons has been tabbed as a recipient of the 2024 Graphite Award, RII Sports Technology announced on Thursday.

The award recognizes the most efficient offensive and defensive play caller in each Division I football conference. Each year RII Sports Technology analyzes play-by-play data for all Division I FBS football programs and assesses the degree to which offensive and defensive play callers make decisions that best align their team's strengths with their opponent's weaknesses.

Symons' defense helped the Mustangs reach new heights in 2024, advancing to the program's first CFP berth along with an undefeated mark in the first season in the ACC.

SMU became the first team to go 8-0 in conference play after moving to a Power 4/5 conference from a Group of Five conference. The 2024 season also marked the first time the Mustangs went undefeated and untied in conference play in back-to-back seasons.

The Mustangs were elite defensively once again in 2024. For the second straight season they finished in the top five in defensive touchdowns with four. The mark was also the best in the ACC. SMU posted the second-best rushing defense in program history, allowing just 100.2 yards per game on the ground. The mark was good for seventh best in the FBS and tops in the conference.

Under Symons, the Mustang defense got to the quarterback at a high clip again in 2024, earning 43 sacks, the third most in program history.

Symons' defense was elite in all three facets during the historic season, ranking in the top 25 in the FBS in multiple different categories including: defensive touchdowns (5th, 4), rushing defense (7th, 100.2), team sacks (10th, 3.07), passes intercepted (14th, 16), fourth down conversion pct. Defense (17th, .415), tackles for loss (18th, 7.1), third down conversion pct. defense (19th, .332) and red zone defense (24th, .767).

Thanks to the success during the season, Symons was also named a semifinalist for the prestigious Broyles Award.

Jared Harrison-Hunte and Isaiah Nwokobia earned First Team All-ACC accolades, and Kobe Wilson picked up Second Team accolades. Six Mustangs on the defensive side of the ball picked up Honorable Mention All-ACC, with Elijah Roberts, Kori Roberson Jr., Ahmad Walker, Brandon Crossley, Ahmaad Moses and Jonathan McGill earning the nod.

Wilson and Nwokobia added to the list of accolades after picking up All-America Honorable Mention accolades by Phil Steele. Roberts, Harrison-Hunte and Nwokobia also earned First Team All-Texas honors by DCTF, while Wilson landed on the Second Team All-Texas.

FBS Graphite Award Winners Defensive Coordinator by Conference
ACC: Scott Symons, SMU
AAC: Blake Harrell, East Carolina
BIG10: Nick Moore, Minnesota
BIG12: Matt Powledge, Baylor
C-USA: Jeremiah Johnson, Louisiana Tech
Independents: Al Golden, Notre Dame
MAC: Nick Benedetto, Northern Illinois
MWC: Kevin Coyle, Fresno State
PAC12: Jeff Schmedding, Washington State
SEC: Kane Wommack, Alabama
Sun Belt: Blake Seiler, Old Dominion

Well deserved recognition

I know contracts rarely (if ever) get discussed by private schools, and huge kudos to Lashlee for extending Symons' deal, but I'm still a little surprised we were able to keep him. He got HC interest last year, and after what the defense has done in consecutive seasons, it seems likely schools would have been interested this year.

Who knows? Maybe he's one of those guys who is happiest and most effective as a well-paid coordinator, in which case ... lucky us. Lashlee keeps calling him "the best defensive coordinator in the country."

We need to keep him long-term, but it's no surprise that he got this award. Congratulations, Coach Symons.

Congrats to my cousin symons!!! Yes, he needs to stay and be happy right here.