How Rhett Lashlee and SMU are building through DFW in first full cycle
It is a new era on The Hilltop.
Rhett Lashlee has taken over at SMU, replacing Sonny Dykes, who left for nearby TCU following the 2021 college football season. There will certainly be a ton of eyes on the two rivals in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex moving forward.
Lashlee took over the Mustangs late in the 2022 recruiting cycle. The offensive mind was at Miami prior to accepting the position to take over the Dallas program, and he was forced to scramble to hold together SMU's class while also adding key pieces in time for signing day.
State champion quarterback Kevin Henry-Jennings emerged as a key target for Lashlee and SMU quickly after taking over. Lashlee offered Henry-Jennings after watching the South Oak Cliff quarterback live in a Texas high school playoff game. Henry-Jennings would go on to lead his team to a state title and then sign with the Mustangs in the Early Signing Period.
Now, Lashlee is locking down the DFW in his first full cycle at the helm. The Mustangs have prioritized the Dallas area to build the 2023 class, and it has been paying off dividends to this point.
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SMU currently has 15 total commitments heading in to July. Nearly half of the prospects in the class come from the DFW:
-- Lucas (Texas) Lovejoy WR Jaxson Lavender
-- McKinney (Texas) QB Keldric Luster
-- Frisco (Texas) LB Brandon Miyazono
-- DeSoto (Texas) DB Jaden Milliner-Jones
-- Dallas (Texas) South Oak Cliff WR Randy Reece
-- Dallas (Texas) South Oak Cliff DB Abdul Muhammad
-- Keller (Texas) Timber Creek WR Lonnie Johnson
-- Frisco (Texas) Wakeland TE Tripp Riordan
The remainder of the class features six other recruits from the Lone Star State and two prospects from out of state (California and Florida). It is clear that the staff has put an emphasis on Texas, especially in the Metroplex.
"I feel like we're really putting SMU on the map," Luster said. "SMU was already on the map, but I feel like we're taking a big step from when I committed. Definitely bringing a lot of new faces, a lot of big faces, to the SMU program. I'm just hoping we get more '23 recruits so we can build that super team that we want up there."
Lashlee has done a great job of laying a foundation and creating a culture that is appealing to recruits. Luster explained some of what attracted him to the Mustangs' program.
"One thing about (Lashlee) that a lot of people don't really see is that he gets to know his players -- not just on the field and about football, but off the field, too. I feel like that's one thing that he and the whole SMU program does well," said Luster, who chose the Mustangs over Big Ten Indiana, among others.
Lavender, Luster, and Miyazono grew up playing football together. Muhammad and Reece are currently teammates at a top program in the Metroplex. The group knows each other well, which has helped Lashlee and company build a class that is currently ranked inside the top-50.
There's some excitement brewing around the program thanks to the incoming class.
"The people and the passion (has me excited)," said Lavender, who is a Texas Tech legacy. "The people in the program are always so excited to be a part of it, and that says a lot to me. It makes me feel that there is more to come in the future."