Lashlee a Finalist for “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

Lashlee named Finalist for Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award

HOUSTON (SMU) – SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee was named a finalist for the Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award on Wednesday.

This marks the second consecutive year Lashlee has been a finalist for the prestigious honor.

Now in its 39th year, the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year award winner will be announced live from Houston’s Post Oak Hotel on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, during an awards ceremony presented by Marathon Oil. The event will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.

The American Heart Association, the leading voluntary health organization devoted to a world of longer, healthier lives for all and the Bryant family jointly present the award annually. The award celebrates Coach Bear Bryant’s legacy and raises awareness and critical funds for scientific research to eliminate needless suffering and death from cardiovascular disease and stroke -- the leading causes of death globally. The football coaching legend died from a heart attack in 1983.

As previously announced, Grant Teaff, the legendary former Baylor University head coach and American Football Coaches Association executive director and Mark Richt, former University of Georgia and University of Miami head coach, will also be recognized with special awards at this year’s gala event. Coach Teaff will receive the 2025 Paul “Bear” Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston and Coach Richt will receive the 2025 Heart of a Champion Award presented by St. Luke’s Health in Houston.

The third-year coach has been the driving force in leading the Mustangs' return to prominence, illustrated by the program making its first appearance in the College Football Playoff in 2024 as the No. 11 seed. In SMU's inaugural season in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), the program advanced to the ACC Championship and Lashlee earned ACC Coach of the Year, while 19 Mustangs garnered All-ACC accolades.

In addition to the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award finalist selection, Lashlee was also named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award along with being named a semifinalist for the George Munger National Coach of the Year Award. The Arkansas native also took home Texas Football Coach of the Year honors from Dave Campbell's Texas Football publication.

The 11-win season for the Mustangs in 2024 marked the first back-to-back 11-win seasons in program history. The Mustangs climbed as high as seventh in the Coaches Poll and eighth in the AP Poll during the season, the highest ranking since 1985.

SMU continued to be dominant in year three under Lashlee on both sides of the ball. The Mustangs are ranked in the top 25 in FBS in 14 different categories, highlighted by top-10 rankings in defensive touchdowns (5th), rushing defense (7th), scoring offense (9th) and team sacks (10th).

The Mustangs offense continued to be elite in 2024, averaging 36.5 points a game on the year, the seventh highest season average in program history.

Lashlee oversaw breakout offensive stars Kevin Jennings and Brashard Smith during year three, seeing the quarterback and running back have historic seasons. For his play, Jennings was First Team All-Texas by Dave Campbell's Texas Football, All-ACC Third Team by the conference and a finalist for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award. Smith also earned many accolades during and following the season, including earning All-America status by four major publications (Associated Press, AFCA, Sporting News, Phil Steele) while also being named to the All-ACC First Team by the conference. The elusive back was also named First Team All-Texas by Dave Campbell's Texas Football publication.

Defensively, the Mustangs put together another stout year, ranking in the top 25 in FBS rankings in eight different categories. SMU allowed just 100.2 rushing yards per game, which was third lowest average for a single season in program history. The 43 sacks ranked as the third most in program history. The Mustangs held six teams to 20 points or less, the second straight season accomplishing the feat.

The success on defense also led to All-America Honorable Mention honors for Isaiah Nwokobia and Kobe Wilson by the Phil Steele publication.

[Silk]

The award will probably go to the guy at Arizona State or the guy at Indiana, but we all need to step back and appreciate what an incredible job Lashlee has done for us.

[MustangStealth]

Shane Beamer, University of South Carolina (Bear Bryant Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year)
Curt Cignetti, Indiana University (Bear Bryant Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year)
Spencer Danielson, Boise State University
Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State University (Bear Bryant Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year)
Marcus Freeman, University of Notre Dame
Rhett Lashlee, Southern Methodist University (Bear Bryant Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year)
Jeff Monken, United States Military Academy (Bear Bryant Group of Five Coach of the Year)
Steve Sarkisian, University of Texas

My ranking would be:
Cignetti
Lashlee
Dillingham
Monken
Freeman
Sarkisian
Danielson
Beamer