Amid realignment talk, Lashlee is focused on success in AAC

[PonyPride]

Amid realignment talk, Rhett Lashlee has Mustangs focused on success in the AAC
Second-year SMU head coach eyes 2022 Tulane season as a blueprint to national recognition

Posted on 08/04/2023 by PonyFans.com

As the 2023 football season gets closer, the dominant storyline in the sport is about conference realignment. Rumors began swirling over a year ago about which programs might move to which conferences, and which leagues might take on the role of aggressor and actively try to poach programs to join their ranks.

SMU has been featured prominently in many such discussions, and while a couple of moves appear to be falling into place, the appearance of the college sports landscape in a year or two is anyone’s guess. Reports of who is saying what to whom, and which deal appears imminent change daily.

There has been speculation that one or more conferences, most notably the Pac-12, have interest in welcoming the Mustangs to their stables of programs, and most seem to think the interest is mutual.

But SMU football head coach is not looking for greener pastures, or he says, even thinking about realignment. Instead, he is singing the praises of the Mustangs’ current home: the American Athletic Conference.

“Look, I get asked a lot of questions … about the changing of our league, and it was kind of interesting, thinking about it: this will be my fourth out of the last six years in this league — two as a coordinator, now going into my second as a head coach,” Lashlee said at the American’s 2023 Media Day. “I’ve seen ‘the before,’ and what we’re going in to … man, it’s a great league. I could make the argument that our league’s probably going to be deeper than it’s been before — not only this year, but in the future.”

Lashlee pointed to the performance by Tulane, which won the league a year ago and capped off its season with a 46-45 victory over USC in the Cotton Bowl Classic, as an indication of what can be done by a team that fares well in the AAC.

“We’ve got our champion back, in Tulane, and what (Tulane head coach) Willie (Fritz) and them did was fantastic — they deserve a lot of credit. We’ve got a lot of really good teams in this league, and we’ve got some really good schools coming in — three of them with a lot of championship pedigree … and you just look at the list of coaches in our league — it’s impressive, you know?

“I’m really excited about what it’s going to take to try and win this league this year, because it’s going to be as good a challenge, if not better, than it’s ever been.”

Fritz welcomes back much of the talent that guided the Green Wave to its 12-2 banner season a year ago, including quarterback Michael Pratt. Texas-San Antonio finished 11-3, and smoked North Texas, 48-27, in the Conference USA title game before both teams jumped from C-USA to the American. Tulane and UTSA are widely viewed as two of the teams favored compete for the AAC title … but so is SMU. The Mustangs play neither the Green Wave nor the Roadrunners in 2023, unless the Ponies face one of them in the AAC Championship Game.

“We know there’s 14 teams in this league. It’s going to be really hard just to be (No.) 1,” Lashlee said. “We’re excited that we have a team we feel like can compete for the championship, but we know it’s going to take an uncommon effort, uncommon focus. That’s what we’re excited about the opportunity that we’re going to get to do.”

Lashlee was effusive with his praise for the job Fritz and the Green Wave did in 2022, and acknowledged that Tulane’s 2022 season could offer a blueprint for gaining more national exposure and admiration.

“It’s exciting,” he said. “Again, the great thing about being in this league, being in The American. At SMU, we want to compete at the highest level, and you can do that in The American. We’re competing at the highest level, both in our conference and potentially at the end of the season — you saw what Tulane did against USC. We feel like if we’re ever fortunate enough to get out and represent this league as the champion, that gives us that opportunity, too. You definitely gain confidence when your peers go out and do that, and so we’re hoping we can add that value to the league, as well.”

The Mustangs’ second-year head coach was asked if he even addresses the topic of realignment with his current players or with high school standouts and players in the NCAA transfer portal who are considering signing with SMU.

“No, I don’t, because … first of all, I have no control over it. Neither do the kids,” he said. “But like I said earlier, from our president to our AD to our football department, our goal is to compete at the highest level. We think SMU has a history, when you go back to the Pony Express and Eric Dickerson and Craig James, and Doak Walker and national championships and championships we have won in leagues. We have a history that we think should put us in position to say we can compete at the highest level.

“Now we didn’t do that for a long time, and we feel like we’re getting traction to do that again. Being in this league, we can do that, and so that’s all that really matters. All we can control is to have a go out and try to have a good season, and put ourselves in position to do what we want to do, and fortunately for us, we’re in The American and that gives us the ability to do that.”

[BUS]

This is exactly what a coach should say. I like Coach Lashlee, I just hope he can bring these guys together and we win a ton of games, year after year.

That is the way we put Dallas back on the football map. WIN.

[Mustangs_Maroons]

We only have ourselves to blame. Most it’s the administration. 35+ year and we still haven’t consistently won.

[SMUguy]

Considering the roller-coaster of the last few days, Lashlee said exactly what he had to say here.

[PonyTime]

I have to wonder how many of the transfers (in) and recruits and parents were told "off the record" that the PAC was pretty much a done deal - that we would be P5 by time they graduate.

While we all know better, curious about what the players perspective was on this - particularly the recent additions.

[Charleston Pony]

I have to wonder how many of the transfers (in) and recruits and parents were told "off the record" that the PAC was pretty much a done deal - that we would be P5 by time they graduate.

While we all know better, curious about what the players perspective was on this - particularly the recent additions.

Probably more about NIL and BOLD than P5

[BUS]

Ditto nil and BOLD.

[Dukie]

Agree with CP and Bus. NIL and Dallas. Just win.

[SoCal_Pony]

Of course his focus is on winning big this year

That’s his ticket to P5 employment

[orguy]

Agree with CP and Bus. NIL and Dallas. Just win.

Ditto.

[Charleston Pony]

Of course his focus is on winning big this year

That’s his ticket to P5 employment

Win and win big now and then even if Lashlee was to move on there would be other quality coaches wanting the SMU job