When SMU officially joined the ACC, a lot of folks in the college football world did a double-take. It wasn't just about the money or the geography; it was about whether a program that spent decades in the "wilderness" after the death penalty could actually compete with the big boys. But if you've spent any time watching the SMU coaching staff football group over the last couple of years, you know this isn't some lucky fluke. Rhett Lashlee has built something in Dallas that feels different. It’s fast. It’s aggressive. And honestly, it’s exactly what the Hilltop needed to survive a Power 4 jump.
Lashlee is the face of it, sure. But look deeper. The magic isn’t just in the head coach. It’s in the way he’s surrounded himself with guys like Scott Symons on defense and Casey Woods on the offensive side. They aren’t just "coaches." They’re recruiters who understand that in the NIL era, you have to sell a vision that is as much about the "Big D" brand as it is about the X’s and O’s.
The Architect: Rhett Lashlee’s Vision
Rhett Lashlee didn't just stumble into the job. He knew the layout. Having served as the offensive coordinator under Sonny Dykes, he already had the blueprint for what works at SMU. When he took over, he didn't just try to copy Dykes. He refined it. He made it more "pro-style" while keeping that breakneck pace that keeps defensive coordinators up at night.
His philosophy is pretty simple: get the ball to athletes in space. Fast. If you watch an SMU practice, it’s a blur. There’s no standing around. That tempo is a reflection of the man himself—high energy, focused, and incredibly calculated. People often forget he’s a Gus Malzahn disciple, but he’s evolved far beyond just running the "Hurry-Up No-Huddle." He’s adapted to the modern game where the quarterback has to be a playmaker, not just a distributor.
Why Continuity Matters at SMU
You see programs lose their entire staff the second they have a winning season. SMU has been different. Keeping Casey Woods as Offensive Coordinator and Tight Ends coach was massive. Woods isn't just a clipboard holder; he’s the guy who ensures the rhythm of the offense stays consistent even when Lashlee is busy with "Head Coach things."
Then there's the Scott Symons factor. Honestly, for years, SMU was known as a "points-fest" team. You’d score 45, but you’d give up 48. Symons changed that. He brought a defensive grit that SMU fans hadn't seen in a long time. His 4-2-5 look is designed specifically to counter the high-flying offenses of the ACC. It’s about versatility. It’s about having safeties who can hit like linebackers.
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The Defensive Turnaround: Scott Symons and the "No Fly Zone"
If you want to understand the SMU coaching staff football dynamics, you have to look at the defensive room. Scott Symons came from Liberty and immediately went to work. He didn't have the "stars" early on, so he coached up the guys he had. Now? They’re pulling in high-level transfers because guys want to play in a system that values aggression over read-and-react.
Kyle Cooper (Safeties and Special Teams) and Rickey Hunley Jr. (Cornerbacks) deserve a ton of credit here too. They’ve turned the secondary into a unit that actually seeks out turnovers rather than just trying to prevent the big play. It’s a mentality shift. In the AAC, they were the hunters. In the ACC, people expected them to be the hunted. Symons has made sure that didn't happen.
Recruiting the "Triple D"
Dallas. Dollars. Development. That’s the internal mantra.
The staff knows they are sitting on a gold mine of local talent. But for years, the best kids in Dallas went to Austin, College Station, or Norman. The current coaching staff has shut that down—or at least made it a lot harder for the blue-bloods to poach. D’Eriq King joining the staff as Quarterbacks coach was a genius move. He’s a legend in Texas high school football and collegiate circles. When he talks, recruits listen. He has that "it" factor that you can't teach.
The Support System: Strength and Strategy
You can't talk about a coaching staff without mentioning the guys in the weight room. Shawn Griswold, the Assistant AD for Human Performance, is basically the heartbeat of the program. He’s the one who had to prep these kids’ bodies for the physical toll of a Power 4 schedule.
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Moving from the AAC to the ACC isn't just about playing faster teams; it’s about playing bigger teams. The trench warfare is different. Defensive Line coach Garret McGuire (yes, from that McGuire family) has been instrumental in beefing up the front four. He’s young, he’s got NFL experience with the Panthers, and he brings a professional technicality to the defensive ends that was previously lacking.
The Offensive Line Puzzle
Garin Justice has arguably the hardest job on the staff. The offensive line is usually the last thing to catch up when a program moves up in weight class. Justice has used the portal effectively, but more importantly, he’s developed the "Slab" mentality. They aren't just pass protectors for Kevin Jennings or whoever is taking snaps; they are the engine.
What Most People Get Wrong About the SMU Staff
A common misconception is that this is just a "Portal Team." People think Lashlee just buys a roster and lets them play. That’s lazy.
The reality? This staff spends an insane amount of time on individual development. You don’t see players like RJ Maryland or Brashard Smith explode onto the scene by accident. That’s hours of film work with Casey Woods and the position coaches. They find a player’s "superpower" and build the scheme around it. It’s a player-centric model, which is why the locker room hasn't fractured despite the influx of new faces every year.
The ACC Transition: A Trial by Fire
The 2024 and 2025 seasons were the ultimate litmus test. When you're facing Florida State, Clemson, or Miami, you can't just out-athlete people. You have to out-coach them.
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The SMU coaching staff football group proved they belong by being adaptable. In several key games, Lashlee and Woods showed a willingness to pivot away from the air raid and pound the rock when the weather or the defense dictated it. That maturity is the hallmark of a staff that isn't just happy to be there—they want to win the whole thing.
Key Staff Members to Watch
- Rhett Lashlee (Head Coach): The visionary.
- Scott Symons (DC): The architect of the "New Pony" defense.
- Casey Woods (OC): The man behind the curtain of the high-scoring offense.
- D’Eriq King (QB Coach): The rising star recruiter and developer.
- Shawn Griswold (Strength): The guy making sure they don't get bullied in the ACC.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're following the trajectory of this program, don't just look at the scoreboard. Watch the sidelines.
Watch the substitution patterns. One of the strengths of this staff is their "hockey sub" mentality on the defensive line. They stay fresh. If you see a drop-off in the fourth quarter, that's when you know the staff is struggling with depth.
Follow the recruiting trail in DFW. The success of the coaching staff is tied directly to their ability to keep "Pony Express" talent at home. Keep an eye on the 2026 and 2027 local rankings; if SMU is landing top-10 players in the state, the staff is doing their job.
Monitor the "Coaching Tree." Expect guys like Scott Symons or Casey Woods to get Head Coaching looks soon. How Lashlee manages staff turnover—either by promoting from within or finding "plug and play" replacements—will determine if SMU stays a powerhouse or flashes in the pan.
The jump to the ACC wasn't a destination; for this coaching staff, it was the starting line. They’ve built a foundation that combines the glitz of Dallas with a blue-collar work ethic that is frankly surprising to those who still view SMU through the lens of the 1980s. This isn't your grandfather’s SMU. It’s faster, smarter, and significantly better coached.
The next step is simple: stay consistent. In the modern landscape of college football, the biggest threat isn't the opponent on Saturday—it's the complacency of Tuesday. This staff doesn't seem to have that problem. They coach like they have something to prove every single day, probably because they do.