Southern Methodist University Men's Football

Steve Plourde joined SMU’s Sports Medicine Staff in February of 2023 and serves as the Head Football Athletic Trainer for the Mustangs.  In this role, he will lead all aspects of sports medicine efforts for the football team, including year-round preventative care, immediate care for injured student-athletes and reconditioning of injured student-athletes.  He is very familiar with SMU, having served as an Assistant Athletic Trainer from 2017-2021, assisting with football and overseeing the healthcare for men’s golf. Prior to returning to SMU, Plourde was the Head Football Athletic Trainer for The University of New Mexico.  While at UNM, Plourde was responsible for the healthcare of the Lobo football team, including prevention and treatment of injuries and working with the UNM sports medicine team on prevention, diagnosis, and best practices. Prior to Plourde’s first stint at SMU, he spent two years as an intern athletic trainer for the Oakland Raiders from 2015-2017. He received his bachelor’s degree in athletic training from the University of Nebraska in 2013. He also earned his master’s degree in sports administration from the University of New Mexico in 2015, while serving as a graduate assistant athletic trainer for the football team.  He also assisted with UNM golf, skiing, baseball, men’s basketball and track and field. Plourde holds two certifications from the National Academy of Sports Medicine as a corrective exercise specialist and performance enhancement specialist.  He holds a certification in applied functional science from the Gray Institute.  He has an advanced certification for dry needling for orthopedic rehabilitation and sport performance.  He also holds certifications in CPR and AED from the American Red Cross.  He and his wife, Amanda, have four daughters and one dog.  

AWARDS & ACCOLADES 2024 Paul “Bear” Bryant National Coach of the Year Award Finalist  2024 George Munger National Coach of the Year Semi-Finalist 2024 AP ACC Coach of the Year 2024 Dave Campbell's Texas Football Coach of the Year 2024 ACC Coach of the Year 2024 2023 Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award Finalist 2023 Paul “Bear” Bryant National Coach of the Year Award Finalist  2023 Dave Campbell's Texas Football Co-Coach of the Year 2023 Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award Finalist 2023 George Munger National Coach of the Year Semi-Finalist 2020 Broyles Award Semi-Finalist 2019 Broyles Award Semi-Finalist 2019 Dave Campbell's Texas Football 40 Under 40 List 2013 Broyles Award Finalist BIO Head Coach Rhett Lashlee continued to build on the success of the program in his fourth season in charge in 2025. Lashlee has a career head coaching record of 38-16 (.703), the most wins for a head coach in his first four years in program history. The fourth-year coach has been the driving force behind the Mustangs’ return to prominence, as illustrated by the program's first appearance in the College Football Playoff (CFP) in 2024 as the No. 11 seed, capturing the first outright conference championship (2023) since 1982, the first bowl for the program since 2012 in 2025 while continuing a program-record run of being bowl-eligible for a seventh consecutive season. The 31 wins from 2023-25 are tied for the most over three years in program history. In 2025, Lashlee delivered high-level results again, with the Mustangs going 9-4, highlighted by the program recording its first top-10 victory since 1983 with an overtime win at home against No.10 Miami, the national runner-up. SMU also went undefeated at home in conference games for a third straight year with its 4-0 record at Ford. Lashlee checked off another box indicating the Mustangs are back on the national stage, knocking off No. 17 Arizona in the Trust & Will Holiday Bowl on Jan. 2, giving SMU its first bowl victory since 2012. The Mustangs posted a 6-2 mark in ACC play, upping their record to 14-2 in conference games since joining in 2024. Once again, Lashlee’s squad was impressive on both sides of the ball, ranking in the top 25 in numerous categories, including turnovers gained (fifth), red zone defense (fifth), passes intercepted (eighth), defensive touchdowns (10th), fumbles recovered (11th), passing offense (12th), turnover margin (14th), 4th down conversion percentage (18th), rushing defense (19th), red zone offense (19th) and sacks (23rd). The success resulted in 13 Mustangs earning All-ACC accolades. On offense, SMU was explosive, scoring at least 30 points eight times, with 19 scoring drives coming in two minutes or less. Kevin Jennings continued his development in his second year as the starter under Lashlee, posting career highs in completions (300), passing yards (3,641), passing touchdowns (26) and total touchdowns (30), despite battling an ankle injury throughout the season. Jennings finished the year ranked eighth nationally in passing yards and 16th in passing touchdowns.  Jennings was just one of 11 quarterbacks in all of FBS to have at least 25 passing touchdowns and four rushing touchdowns. The former South Oak Cliff standout finished in the top 10 in passing yards (seventh), completions per game (ninth) and passing yards per game (ninth), earning him All-ACC Honorable Mention honors. Senior receivers Jordan Hudson and Romello Brinson both had career years in receptions and receiving yards. Graduate tight end Matthew Hibner had his best collegiate season, emerging as one of the premier tight ends in the country. Defensively, the Mustangs made plays all over the field, led by seniors Ahmaad Moses and Isaiah Smith. Moses was named Fourth Team All-America by Phil Steele, while Smith was honorable mention. It marked the fourth straight year an SMU player has received All-America honors, all under Lashlee. Lashlee’s rise to national prominence continued in 2024, leading SMU to a mark of 11-3 and 8-0 record in conference play in its inaugural season in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), which resulted in an appearance in the ACC Championship. For his success, he was named the ACC Coach of the Year, while also seeing 19 Mustangs garner All-ACC accolades. The Arkansas native was also selected as a finalist for the second straight year for the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award and the Paul “Bear” Bryant National Coach of Year Award, while also being named a semi-finalist for the George Munger National Coach of the Year Award for a second straight season. He also took home Texas Football Coach of the Year honors from Dave Campbell’s Texas Football publication, an award he shared with Texas’ Steve Sarkisian in 2023, and ACC Coach of the Year by the Associated Press (AP).  The 11 wins in 2024 marked back-to-back 11-win seasons for the first time in program history, which led to the Mustangs climbing as high as seventh in the Coaches Poll and eighth in the AP Poll in the regular season. SMU finished the year ranked 12th, the highest they have been since the final poll of the 1984 season when they finished eighth.   SMU also became just the sixth program in ACC history to post an unblemished conference record at 8-0 since the conference went to an eight-game schedule format in 1992. The 8-0 record in conference play pushed the Mustangs’ program record to 17 straight wins in conference play for the regular season. SMU was the first team in history to record an undefeated conference record for a team jumping into a Power-4/5 conference from a Group of Five in its first season since 1978. Of those teams, only Louisville (2014) finished with a winning conference record, going 5-3 in ACC play. Again, Lashlee’s teams delivered on the road in 2024, going 5-0 during the regular season, part of a 10-game road winning streak that dated back to 2023, which ranked as second longest in school history.  The Mustangs continued to be dominant in year three under Lashlee on both sides of the ball, a key trend that has happened with the third-year coach at the helm. SMU 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). Despite the step up into a power conference, the Mustangs continued to produce on offense at an elite level, averaging 36.5 points a game on the year, the seventh highest average for a season in program history. The 511 points scored in 2024 were third most in program history.  The development of quarterback Kevin Jennings under Lashlee in 2024 played a major role in securing the first-ever CFP berth for the Mustangs. Under Lashlee, Jennings became one of the most electric and efficient quarterbacks in all of college football, throwing for 3,245 yards and 23 touchdowns and while rushing for 354 yards and five scores on the ground. After Jennings was made the starter in Week 3, he posted an offensive grade of 87.5 by PFF, the third highest for any ACC player during that stretch. With Jennings running the offense, the Mustangs were 9-2 and averaged 37.1 points per game. During his time as the starter, SMU posted a nine-game winning streak, matching 2023’s run as the second longest in program history.  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. Brashard Smith was another factor in the historical success in 2024, converting the Miami transfer, whom he recruited while the offensive coordinator there, into a full-time running back. The conversion led to a breakout season for the senior, who gave SMU an explosive option coming out of the backfield. Smith recorded 1,977 all-purpose yards, the most in a single season in SMU history. He also became the 12th Mustang to eclipse the 1,000-yard rushing mark and finished fourth in the single-season record books with 1,332. The senior earned many accolades during and following his breakout 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 led to All-America Honorable Mention honors for Isaiah Nwokobia and Kobe Wilson by the Phil Steele publication. Lashlee delivered a conference championship in his second year, going 11-3 and undefeated in AAC play (8-0). SMU’s 11 wins and nine-game winning streak in 2023 were the most since the 1982 National Championship team. The Mustangs also finished out the year ranked 22nd in the AP Top 25 Poll, the first time appearing in the final poll since 1984. SMU made a bowl game for a fifth straight season, making an appearance in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl against Boston College. Lashlee made history on Dec. 2, 2023 with a 26-14 victory over No. 22 Tulane in the AAC Championship game, giving the Mustangs their first conference championship since 1984 and 12th overall as a program. It was the first outright conference title won by the school since 1982. The success of the season has resulted in various accolades for the team and coach himself, including a record-tying 18 AAC All-Conference selections. Lashlee was also named a finalist for the prestigious Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award, handed out the nation’s top coach as voted on by the National Sports Media Association, the Bryant Awards' Executive Leadership Team, and the Bryant Family. The Arkansas native was also named Co-Coach of the Year by the Dave Campbell's Texas Football publication, a finalist of the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, and a semi-finalist for the George Munger National Coach of the Year Award. SMU was dominant all season long in 2023 on both sides of the ball, ranking in the top 25 in the FBS in numerous categories including: third down defense (4th), defensive touchdowns (1st), fewest penalties per game (18th), first down offense (6th), passing offense (22nd), passing yards allowed (13th), passing yards per completion (12th), red zone defense (25th), red zone offense (8th), sacks allowed (13th), scoring defense (11th), scoring offense (8th), tackles for loss allowed (9th), team passing efficiency defense (9th), team sacks (3rd), team tackles for loss (16th), total defense (12th) and total offense (16th). On offense, the 542 points ranked second highest in program history. The 29 rushing touchdowns were the third most in program history. The Mustangs scored at least 55 points four times in 2023, the most in program history for a single season. Lashlee’s offense also finished top five in program history in first downs (1st), passing touchdowns (5th), passing yards (5th) and total yards (tied for 1st). Quarterback Preston Stone led the attack for Lashlee’s offense, posting career highs in passing yards (3,197) and passing touchdowns (28). Stone’s 161.3 passing efficiency rating led all quarterbacks in the AAC. For his great play, Stone earned All-AAC Third Team honors in his first year starting under Lashlee.   Defensively, the Mustangs were one of the elite teams in the country. The 47 sacks rank second in program history for a single year. SMU took it to the conference opposition this past season, posting an average margin of victory of 28.9 points (45.9-17.0) in conference games on the year, the largest margin for any FBS team in conference play in 2023. SMU also finished first in all of FBS in defensive touchdowns with five. The Mustangs’ two shutouts during the regular season were the most by the team since 2012.   Lashlee completed his first season (2022) as head coach on the Hilltop with a 7-5 regular season record, and an appearance in the New Mexico Bowl against BYU. Under his leadership, the Mustangs ranked 14th in the nation in total offense, 12th in scoring offense, and seventh in both red zone offense and passing offense. Furthermore, the Mustangs were among the best-disciplined teams in the nation, committing the 11th fewest penalties across FBS teams.   The appearance in the New Mexico Bowl made the Mustangs bowl eligible for the fourth straight season. The streak is the longest since SMU went to four bowls from 2009-12 and made the Mustangs bowl eligible in five of the past six seasons. The program has won at least seven games each season dating back to 2019, making it the longest stretch with at least seven wins since the 2009-12 seasons. It was also the first season the Mustangs have won five conference games since going 6-2 in league play in 2019.   Rashee Rice was named a second-team All-American by multiple organizations, Collin Rogers and RJ Maryland were among freshman All-America mentions and four Mustangs earned All-American Athletic Conference honors led by first-team selection Rice.   Lashlee, who served as offensive coordinator for the Mustangs for two seasons (2018-19), also served as the offensive coordinator at Miami in 2020 and 2021. A one-time finalist (2013) and two-time semifinalist (2019, 2020) for the Broyles Award, Lashlee has the distinction of being the only coach ever nominated for the Broyles Award four different times at four different schools (Arkansas State, Auburn, SMU, Miami).   During his time at Miami, Lashlee’s first season saw the Hurricanes jump to No. 32 in the FBS in total offense (from No. 98), No. 29 in passing offense (from No. 52), No. 26 in scoring offense (from No. 90), No. 17 in red zone offense (from No. 122) and No. 20 in first downs gained (from No. 84). In 2021, Miami again ranked 26th in scoring average, improving to 34.1 PPG, and jumped up to 22nd in total offense at 448.8 yards per game.   Under his watch, QB D'Eriq King was a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and Davey O'Brien Award. Several offensive players enjoyed career years under his tutelage, including Michael Harley, who became the school’s all-time leading wide receiver, and TE Brevin Jordan, who was a Mackey Award semifinalist and an eventual 2021 NFL Draft pick of the Houston Texans. In 2021, freshman Tyler Van Dyke was named the ACC Rookie of the Year, and Charleston Rambo broke the Miami single-season receiving yards and receptions record.   Prior to heading to Coral Gables, Lashlee helped lead the Mustangs to a 10-3 finish in 2019, guiding an offense that ranked No. 7 in FBS in scoring (41.8 points per game), No. 13 in passing offense (309 yards per game), No. 9 in total offense (489.8 yards per game) and No. 12 in first downs gained (322). SMU's 10 wins were the school's most since the 1984 season, and its 35 rushing touchdowns set a school record.   The Mustangs were ranked No. 3 nationally in plays per game, averaging 80.9 – a testament to Lashlee's up-tempo offensive style. SMU was one of only 34 teams in FBS to average more than six yards per play in 2019. Quarterback Shane Buechele threw for 3,929 yards with 34 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions, completing 63 percent of his passes. Running back Xavier Jones rushed for 1,276 yards and 23 touchdowns, averaging 5.2 yards per carry. His 23 TDs led the nation. James Proche led the nation with 111 catches. All three were first-team All-AAC selections.   In his first season at SMU, the Mustang offense ranked 27th nationally in passing offense at 271.7 yards per game. Quarterback Ben Hicks registered 2,582 yards and 19 touchdowns to finish his SMU career as the all-time leader in passing yards (9,081), total offense (8,977), TD passes (71), TDs responsible for (74), completions (718) and 300-yard games (12). His season passing yards ranked 11th at SMU, while his 19 touchdowns tied him for eighth. Wide receiver Proche was named a first-team All-AAC selection, and finished the season ranked fifth nationally in receptions per game (7.8), seventh in receiving touchdowns (12) and ninth in receiving yards (1,199).   Prior to joining SMU's staff, Lashlee served as an offensive coordinator for seven seasons, spending 2017 at UConn, 2013-16 at Auburn, 2012 at Arkansas State and 2011 at Samford.   In his only season in Storrs, Lashlee improved the Huskies' offense significantly, as UConn jumped from 122nd to 49th in the nation in total offense and from 94th to 34th in passing offense.   Prior to UConn, Lashlee helped Auburn to the 2013 SEC Championship, a BCS Championship berth and the 2016 Sugar Bowl, managing one of the more prolific offenses in college football during his tenure. The 2013-14 seasons were the best back-to-back offensively in Auburn history, and the 2014 squad set an Auburn record for total offense. Lashlee also served as the quarterbacks coach and demonstrated impressive ability to develop talent. In 2013, Auburn had the second biggest turnaround in college football history. Starting QB Nick Marshall did not practice until August, but Lashlee tutored the junior college transfer to 3,044 yards of total offense (1,976 passing, 1,068 rushing), 14 TD passes and 12 rushing TDs.   Lashlee was the offensive coordinator at Arkansas State (2012), helping the Red Wolves to a Sun Belt Championship and quarterback Ryan Aplin to Conference Player of the Year honors, and at Samford (2011), after having served as a graduate assistant at Auburn (2009-10) and Arkansas (2006). While at Auburn as an offensive graduate assistant during the 2009-10 seasons, Lashlee assisted Gus Malzahn with all aspects of the offense and coached the quarterbacks and slot receivers in 2010. In 2009, the Tigers finished 8-5 winning the Outback Bowl. During the 2010 season, he helped the Tigers finish 14-0, winning the SEC title and the BCS National Championship behind Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Cam Newton. Lashlee coached at Springdale (Ark.) High School in 2004-05, working with the quarterbacks and 2005 National Player of the Year Mitch Mustain.   Lashlee graduated from Arkansas in 2006 with a degree in marketing and business administration. He received his master's degree in higher education from Auburn in 2009.   He is married to the former Lauren Lee. They have twin sons, Thomas and Hudson, and twin daughters, Rowyn and Scarlet.

Andy Enfield was named Head Men's Basketball Coach at SMU on April 1, 2024.   In his first season on the Hilltop, he led the Mustangs to a 24-11 overall record and earned a No. 1 seed in the NIT. The Mustangs went 13-7 in the program’s inaugural season in the ACC to tie for fourth, recording a 7-3 road record in league play. SMU also won the Acrisure Holiday Invitational. The Mustangs were one of just two teams in the nation with six players averaging at least 9.9 points and one of just eight teams in the NCAA top 50 for field goal percentage and field goal defense. SMU signed the nation’s fourth-ranked high school recruiting class, which is the best in program history.  In 14 seasons as a head coach, Enfield is 285-186 overall while leading teams to eight of a possible 13 postseasons, including seven of the past nine.   A proven winner, Enfield burst onto the coaching scene in 2013 when, in his second year as a head coach, he guided Florida Gulf Coast to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Following that success, he was hired by the University of Southern California (USC), where he led the Trojans to five of the last eight NCAA Tournaments, including a run to the Elite Eight in 2021. He came to SMU after 11 seasons at USC, where he compiled a 220-147 record. Enfield quickly brought success to the basketball program upon his arrival, as the Trojans set a school single-season win record and posted the most wins in program history over two-year, three-year, four-year, five-year, six-year, seven-year and eight-year periods. Enfield's 220 wins ranks third on USC's all-time wins list, trailing only Sam Barry (260) and Forrest Twogood (251). In 13 seasons as a head coach Enfield has a 261-175 mark. His teams also excelled in the classroom by setting the program's top team GPAs. Enfield brought in eight consecutive Top-30 recruiting classes, with the 2022 class ranking No. 7 and the 2023 class ranking No. 4. Over his final seven seasons at USC, the Trojans had eight players selected in the NBA Draft, tied for the fifth-most by any program in the country, with Evan Mobley going No. 3 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft and Onyeka Okongwu being selected No. 6 in the 2020 Draft. USC was one of three teams to have had at least one player selected in six of the last seven NBA Drafts. In total, 11 players during Enfield's time at USC have made the NBA.   Enfield captivated the nation in 2013 as the head coach at FGCU, as he guided the first-ever No. 15 seed into the NCAA Sweet Sixteen with impressive wins over second-seeded Georgetown and seventh-seeded San Diego State and introduced the world to "Dunk City," FGCU's high-flying and high-speed offense which often ended with thunderous dunks. Enfield led the Eagles to a school-record 26 wins that season, including a victory over a Miami team that finished ranked No. 5. The Eagles won the Atlantic Sun Tournament in resounding fashion in just the school's second season of NCAA Division I postseason eligibility and became the first team since Florida in 1987 to win the first two NCAA Tournament games it ever played. In his first year at FGCU (2011-12), he led the team to the Atlantic Sun Tournament Championship game.   Prior to FGCU, Enfield spent five years (2006-07 through 2010-11) as an assistant coach at Florida State, helping the Seminoles to three consecutive NCAA Tournament berths (2009-11), including the Sweet 16 in 2011. He helped the Seminoles sign three straight Top-25 classes, with the 2008 class ranking in the Top 10, and build a 2011 FSU roster that featured 11 top-100 recruits and a pair of McDonald's All-Americans.   Enfield began his coaching career in the NBA, serving as the shooting coach for the Milwaukee Bucks for two seasons (1994-96). He then was an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics for two seasons (1998-2000).   Enfield played four seasons (1987-88 through 1990-91) at Johns Hopkins, scoring a program-record 2,025 career points. He set the NCAA all-divisions career free throw percentage record (92.5, hitting 431-of-466 shots). He was a Division III All-America third-team selection in 1991 and was inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001. He was a GTE Academic All-America first-team selection as a senior and second-teamer as a junior. He was the first basketball player at Johns Hopkins to earn an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship and was named the NABC Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 1991. Enfield prepped at Shippensburg (PA) High, earned his economics degree from Johns Hopkins University and has an MBA from the University of Maryland.   Enfield and his wife Amanda are parents to Aila, Lily, and Marcum.     Updated: April 25, 2025

Megan Ferraguti arrived on the Hilltop at the beginning of the Rhett Lashlee era in January 2022 and currently serves as Executive Director of Head Coach Operations / Football Administration. In this position, she manages Coach Lashlee’s schedule and day-to-day engagements, coordinates with staff families, serves as a liaison across administrative and external relations functions, and supports the seamless execution of office operations. Before SMU, Megan built her career in professional sports, working with the Las Vegas Raiders (2018–2022) and the Texas Rangers Baseball Club (2016–2018) in corporate partnership activation. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Public Relations with a minor in Business from Auburn University in 2015, followed by a master’s degree in Sport Management from SMU in 2016. Megan and her husband, Luke, have one son, Courtmon.  

Arriving with 30 years of coaching experience, Rob Likens was named assistant head coach, wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator in December 2021, and was elevated to associate head coach/co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers in February 2023. Likens came to the Hilltop after two seasons at Miami, where he served under Lashlee and worked with Mustang assistants Kyle Cooper and Garin Justice. For 2025, Likens’s receivers again showcased their abilities on the national stage. The trio of Jordan Hudson, Romello Brinson and newcomer Yamir Knight each finished with career highs in receiving yards. The unit helped power a passing offense that ranked 12th in the country at 283.1 yards per game and fourth in the ACC in scoring offense at 32.2 points per contest. Hudson was especially effective despite missing time early in the season due to injury, recording three games with at least 100 yards receiving, highlighted by a career day with 11 receptions and 134 yards in the victory against No. 10 Miami in Ford Stadium. His play was recognized throughout the league, resulting in an All-ACC Third Team selection. In conference games only, Hudson ranked fifth in the receiving yards per game (85.0) and receptions (52). Knight delivered in his first season with SMU under Likens, setting career highs in receptions (54) and receiving yards (634). Brinson turned in his best year on the Hilltop in 2025 with 43 receptions for 638 yards and three touchdowns. Highly touted freshman Jalen Cooper made an immediate impact early in the year while Hudson was down due to injury, recording at least 65 yards receiving in his first three games as a Mustang, including an 89-yard performance and a touchdown against Baylor.   Likens’ unit showcased its depth again in 2024 as the passing game was one of the best in the country. The Mustangs had four receivers record at least 350 yards receiving on the season along with 20 receptions. SMU’s offense was explosive once again, finishing the year ranked ninth in scoring at 36.5 points per game, the seventh highest average in program history. The passing game ranked 31st in the country and was efficient, ranking 20th in team passing efficiency in 2024. Roderick Daniels Jr. led the receiving core with a breakout year, finishing with a career high in receptions (42), yards (663) and touchdowns (4). Also joining Smith in a breakout campaign with Key’Shawn Smith, who posted career bests in receptions, yards and touchdowns. Both earned All-ACC Honorable Mention honors on the year. Likens' receiving core continued to show development in year two at SMU in 2023, helping power an offense that was one of the most elite in all of FBS on the season. The Mustangs were the only team in all of the FBS with eight players with at least 300 yards receiving on the year. The offense finished top five in program history in first downs (1st), passing touchdowns (5th), passing yards (5th) and total yards (tied for 1st). The dynamic offense also finished second in program history in points scored with 542 en route to capturing its first conference title since 1984.  In Likens’ first season at SMU, he successfully mentored one of the nation’s leading receivers in Rashee Rice. Rice finished the season first in the FBS in yards per game (112.9), while ranking third in receiving yards (1,355, 1st SMU) and fifth in receptions per game (8.0). Rice’s 10 receiving TDs were 13th. Rice was a Biletnikoff Award and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Semifinalist and named a second-team All-American by multiple organizations, and led four Mustangs as a first-team All-American Athletic Conference selection.   As pass game coordinator, Likens was also responsible for helping craft the seventh-best passing offense in the country, and helped the Mustangs rank 12th in the nation in scoring offense (37.2). Likens’ receiving room combined for over 3,300 receiving yards and 26 receiving touchdowns, and averaged more than 115 more receiving yards per game than their opponents. The Mustangs’ 4,117 passing yards and 331 first downs set program marks, while the 36 passing TDs and total plays (1,005) rank second. The 2022 squad also posted top-three program marks in scoring (3rd, 484), passing ypg (3rd, 316.7), completion % (3rd, 64.9), completions (2nd, 333), total offense (3rd, 6147) and first downs - passing (3rd, 174).   The 2020 season at Miami saw the Hurricanes jump to No. 32 in the FBS in total offense (from No. 98), No. 29 in passing offense (from No. 52), No. 26 in scoring offense (from No. 90), No. 17 in red zone offense (from No. 122) and No. 20 in first downs gained (from No. 84). In 2021, Miami again ranked 26th in scoring averaging, improving to 34.1 PPG, and jumped up to 22nd in total offense at 448.8 yards per game. While at Miami, Likens mentored Michael Hawley, Jr., and Charleston Rambo. Hawley, Jr., broke program records for career receptions and single-game receptions, while Rambo became the all-time leader in season receptions and single-season receiving yards. Prior to his time in Coral Gables, Likens spent three seasons (2017-19) at Arizona State where he served from 2018-19 as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach where he mentored true freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels. Daniels completed the 2019 season just south of 3,000 yards to go with 17 touchdowns and only two interceptions. Running back Eno Benjamin and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk also had 1,000-yard seasons, earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors. The Sun Devils were the only P5 program to have a 3,000-yard passer, 1,500-yard rusher and 1,000-yard receiver in 2018. Wide receiver N'Keal Harry was selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. In 2017, Likens served as co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, leading the Sun Devils to the 10th highest-graded passing attack in the nation according to Pro Football Focus after being graded 86th in 2016. Likens served as offensive coordinator at Kansas from 2015-16, and from 2013-14 was Cal's assistant head and outside receivers coach, adding passing game coordinator to his title as well (2014). His 2014 squad, led by future NFL top overall draft pick Jared Goff, ranked sixth nationally in passing yards per game (346.0) and broke the school's single-season passing yardage record with 4,152 yards. Additionally, three of Cal's top four receivers were Biletnikoff Award candidates in Chris Harper, Kenny Lawler and Bryce Treggs. During the 2013 season, Cal set single-season school record for passing yards (3,977), completions (368) and attempts (622), while also establishing new single-game marks for passing yards (521 vs. Washington State) and attempts (65 vs. Northwestern). Prior to his time at Cal, Likens served as assistant head coach and wide receivers coach at Louisiana Tech (2010-12). The Bulldogs posted a 9-3 record and led the nation in scoring offense (51.5) and total offense (577.9) in 2012, putting up 40 points in 11 of 12 games and 50+ eight times. Wide receiver Quinton Patton was named a second-team AP All-American as well as a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist. Likens' 2011 receiving corps registered 3,200+ yards and helped the Bulldogs to the WAC title. Likens served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Central Connecticut State from 2006-09, helping CCSU to the winningest four-year stretch in program history, including a 9-3 season and Northeast Conference title in 2009. The Blue Devils led the conference in scoring offense twice during his tenure, as he coached a pair of 1,000-yard rushers, Walter Payton Award finalists, All-American running backs and NEC Offensive Players of the Year in Justise Hairston and James Mallory. CCSU averaged 239.2 yards per game on the ground in 2008 to rank seventh in the FCS. In 2007, the Blue Devils led the NEC in both total offense (387.7) and rushing offense (257.6). The Blue Devil offense set numerous school records in 2006, including single-season total yards (4,271), rushing yards (3,150), rushing touchdowns (42) and total touchdowns (51). CCSU led the nation in rushing yards per game (284.9) and finished 10th in total offense. Likens spent two seasons as the Offensive Coordinator at Southeast Missouri State (2004-05), and served six seasons at Temple (1998-2003) and North Alabama (1992-97). His North Alabama team became the first program in NCAA  football to win three consecutive national championships. While at Temple, Likens mentored All-Big East receiver Sean Dillard, who set the Owl’s all-time career receptions record, and first-team All-Big East selection Zamir Cobb, who set program records for career receptions and single-season receptions. At North Alabama, he coached Michael Edwards to several program records, including career and season receptions, career and season reception yards and career TDs. Likens played wide receiver at Mississippi State where he earned his bachelor's degree, graduating cum laude, in math education in 1990 before going on to earn his master's degree in math education from North Alabama in 1995.  Likens and his wife, Soni, have one son, Cutter.

Jordyn O’Reilly enters her first season as a Graduate Assistant with the SMU women’s basketball program, working under head coach Adia Barnes following Barnes’ transition from Arizona to the Hilltop. O’Reilly spent the previous three years with the Arizona women’s basketball program, beginning as a Student Manager before transitioning into a Graduate Assistant. In these roles, she oversaw team operations, coordinated daily practice logistics, and assisted with video operations to support scouting and game preparation. Additionally, O’Reilly earned her bachelor’s degree in Care, Health & Society from the University of Arizona, along with certificates in Inclusive Leadership in Sports & Recreation and Sports & Recreation Management. She is currently pursuing her Master’s in Sport Management.

Parker Stone is entering his second season as SMU’s assistant tight ends coach and his first season as the program’s senior offensive analyst, having quickly established himself as a rising coach with a proven track record of developing high-level offensive skill players and NFL-caliber talent. Since joining the staff, Stone has worked with wide receivers, running backs, and tight ends as part of offensive units that have consistently ranked among the nation’s best. Leading into the 2025 season, Stone was promoted to assistant tight ends coach. The position group played a critical role in SMU’s 9–4 season and Holiday Bowl victory, the program’s first bowl win in over a decade. The Mustangs finished with a top-25 offense, averaging 32.2 points per game. Under Stone’s guidance, Matthew Hibner produced the best season of his collegiate career, earning All-ACC Honorable Mention, Campbell Trophy Semifinalist honors, and an invitation to the Panini Senior Bowl. RJ Maryland returned from injury and set a new program record for career receiving yards by an SMU tight end (1,495), while also moving into second all-time in career receptions by a tight end (113). Stone began working with the tight ends in 2024 following his promotion to graduate assistant and played a key role in the development of one of the top tight end units in FBS, led by RJ Maryland and Matthew Hibner. That season was historic as SMU advanced to the ACC Championship Game and earned a berth in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff.  Maryland, despite missing the second half of the season due to injury, earned All-ACC Honorable Mention and ACC Receiver of the Week, the first SMU player to receive the award. Following Maryland’s injury, Hibner assumed an expanded role and produced a career season. SMU’s offense finished the year ranked in the top 25 nationally in scoring offense, rushing offense, passing offense, total offense, explosive plays, third-down conversion percentage, and sacks allowed. In 2023, Stone worked with the running backs as SMU posted an 11–3 record and captured the American Athletic Conference Championship, the program’s first conference title in 40 years. The Mustangs finished eighth nationally in scoring offense (38.7 points per game) and 14th in total offense (472.8 yards per game), supported by a rushing attack that averaged 176.6 yards per game. Stone began his collegiate coaching career at SMU in 2022 as a student assistant. That season, Stone worked with the wide receivers and helped guide an elite SMU offense that finished in the top 15 nationally in scoring offense (37.2 points per game), total offense (472.8 yards per game), and passing offense (316.7 yards per game). He assisted in the development of Rashee Rice, who later became a second-round NFL Draft pick and Senior Bowl invitee after setting the program’s single-season receiving yards record (1,355), leading the nation in receiving yards per game (112.9), and ranking fifth nationally in receptions (96). A former SMU wide receiver, Stone medically retired from playing and joined the Mustangs’ coaching staff in the spring of 2022. During his time as a student at SMU, he earned his bachelor’s degree in Markets and Culture with a minor in Business and later completed a master’s degree in Liberal Studies while serving as a graduate assistant. Stone gained his first coaching experience in the fall of 2019 as the wide receivers coach at Parish Episcopal School, where he helped guide the program to its first state championship in Texas’ highest private school division.   

Reggie Bain enters his second season with SMU in 2026 in the role of assistant offensive line coach. In 2025, Bain helped coach an offensive line that allowed the Mustangs to average 283.1 passing yards per game, ranking 12th nationally and second in the conference. With the line performing at an elite level, SMU led the ACC in red zone offense (0.909), good for 19th in FBS. The Mustangs had multiple members of the offensive line nab All-ACC honors in the postseason with Logan Parr (first team), PJ Williams (second team) and Joshua Bates (honorable mention) all securing conference recognitions. Parr was also selected as the ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week on Nov. 24, earning the accolade after his dominant performance in SMU's dominant 38-6 win over Louisville. Bates garnered midseason honors as well, getting added to the Rimington Award Midseason Watch List. He previously spent three years as a graduate assistant at Miami, where he also worked with the offensive line.  Prior to Miami, Bain spent the 2021 season at Illinois as an offensive graduate assistant, where he helped the Fighting Illini to a pair of road-ranked wins in 2021. The Illini won at #7 Penn State in nine overtimes, the longest game in college football history, and won at #20 Minnesota, the program’s first-ever win over a College Football Playoff ranked opponent. Before coaching, Bain played in 50 games at FAU from 2014-18. He was a 247Sports Freshman All-American and Conference-USA All-Freshman Team pick as a true freshman in 2014, All-Conference USA second team honoree as a sophomore, and then had back-to-back All-Conference USA first team seasons as a junior and senior. After Bain’s sophomore season in 2015, he missed the following year due to a broken hip suffered in a motor scooter accident. Bain watched many of the Owls’ 2016 games from an outpatient rehabilitation center, before working all the way back to all-conference form in 2017 and 2018. Bain is a native of Miami, Florida, and a graduate of Miami Central High School. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a degree in management.  

Matthew McHugh enters his second season on the Hilltop in 2026, serving as assistant running backs coach. McHugh joined the Mustangs in the summer of 2025 as the director of offensive player personnel.  Before SMU, He spent time as an offensive coordinator at Crowley High School in Texas. He has also been at Corpus Christi Miller, Lubbock Estacado and Brownfield on the high school level.   He also spent time at North Texas on staff in the director of recruiting role. He has been considered one of the fastest-rising coaches coming up through the ranks by various publications.

Carson Morris enters his third season with the Mustangs in 2026 and his first as the program’s assistant quarterbacks coach. Morris spent the previous two seasons as an offensive assistant working closely with the quarterbacks and has emerged as a rising offensive coach with a strong background in quarterback development. During the 2024 and 2025 seasons, Morris assisted in the development of one of the nation’s most productive passing attacks, helping guide SMU’s quarterbacks as the program competed at the highest level of the ACC. Quarterback Kevin Jennings produced a standout 2025 season, finishing seventh nationally in passing yards and 16th in passing touchdowns while earning All-ACC Honorable Mention honors. Jennings led the Mustangs to a 9–4 record, highlighted by a historic top-10 victory over No. 10 Miami—SMU’s first such win since 1983—and a Trust & Will Holiday Bowl victory over No. 17 Arizona. Jennings’ rise followed a breakout 2024 campaign in which he finished 18th nationally in passing yards and earned Third Team All-ACC honors, helping guide SMU to the ACC Championship Game and a berth in the College Football Playoff, marking one of the most successful seasons in program history. Prior to joining SMU, Morris served as the quarterbacks coach at Butler Community College in Kansas, where he oversaw the development of future NJCAA Jayhawk Offensive Player of the Year Mac Armstrong. Morris began his collegiate coaching path at the University of Mississippi in 2020 as a video student before earning a promotion to graduate assistant in 2022. He later became one of the youngest position coaches in Division I football when he was hired as the tight ends coach at Morehead State at the age of 23. A former quarterback at Frisco Liberty High School (2017–18), Morris earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Marketing from Ole Miss in 2022 and completed his master’s degree in Sports and Business Administration in 2023.

AWARDS & ACCOLADES 2023 Dave Campbell's Texas Football 40 Under 40 List 2022 On3 Sports' Rising Stars  BIO Demerick Gary enters his second season on the Hilltop in 2026, serving as the assistant edges coach. During his first campaign with the Mustangs in 2025, Gary held the role of assistant defensive ends coach. Powered by the defensive end unit, the SMU defense was a force, leading the ACC in key categories: red zone defense (fifth in FBS, 0.702) and turnovers gained (fifth in FBS, 28). The defensive ends core was led by seniors Isaiah Smith and Cameron Robertson, both logging over 50 tackles in the 2025 campaign. Smith recorded 18 tackles-for-loss on the season, a conference-leading mark. Notching 8.5 sacks, Smith moved into second in program history for career sacks with 23. For his standout performance, Smith garnered All-America Honorable Mention accolades from Phil Steele along with being named second team All-ACC. Robertson put up an efficient season as well, posting career-highs in total tackles (52), tackles-for-loss (10.0) and sacks (5.0). Gary was previously a defensive lines coach at North Texas since 2023. Prior to the 2023 season, Gary was selected to Dave Campbell's Texas Football 40 Under 40 list, honoring 40 rising coaches in the state of Texas under the age of 40.   Gary spent the 2022 season as a graduate assistant and assistant defensive line coach at Houston. The Cougars defense had 30 sacks and led The American with 94 tackles for loss.    Senior defensive lineman D’Anthony Jones was named first team All-American Athletic Conference. The senior was graded as the nation's third-best edge defender (90.8) by PFF.    Gary was a graduate assistant at Arkansas in 2021 and served on the coaching staff at North Crowley High School in 2020.  He was named one of On3 Sports’ Rising Stars in college football in 2022.   A native of South Dallas, Gary prepped at Kimball High School before going on to a standout career for the Mustangs from 2016-19. He played in 49 games in his career before earning his degree in 2019.  

Sam Gregg enters his first season on the Hilltop in 2026 as the senior assistant to the defensive coordinator. Before joining the Mustangs, Gregg spent the 2025 season at Southeastern Louisiana as an offensive line coach. Gregg came to Southeastern Louisiana after spending three seasons as offensive line coach at Southern Miss, helping the Golden Eagles win the Lending Tree Bowl in his first season. His unit cleared the way for back-to-back 1,000-plus yard seasons for running back Frank Gore Jr. Prior to joining the staff at USM, Gregg worked with Scott Symons at Liberty, leading the Flames to three winning seasons (2019-2021). The Flames advanced to and won bowl games each of Gregg’s years with the program. Gregg also spent several seasons coaching alongside Symons at West Georgia as well, helping bring the Wolves to three NCAA Division II playoff appearances (2014, 2015 and 2017), back-to-back 12-win seasons, two NCAA Division II Super Region 2 titles (2014 and 2015) and a Gulf South Conference crown in 2015. Gregg had stints at West Alabama (2008-13), Arkansas-Monticello (2007) and Southwest Baptist (2005-06), starting his coaching career as a graduate assistant offensive line coach at Memphis in 2004. A 2002 graduate of Murray State, Gregg and his wife, Mandy, have one son, Britt.  

Jalen Ivy enters his first season on the Hilltop in 2026, serving as assistant defensive line coach. Before joining the Mustangs, Ivy spent the 2025 season coaching the defensive line at Grambling State. While under Ivy’s leadership, the Tigers led the Southwestern Athletic Conference in fourth-down conversion percentage defense (0.364) and in team sacks with 33. The marks are good for seventh and 14th in FCS, respectively. Prior to his coaching career, the Louisiana native spent six seasons with the Southern University Jaguars as a defensive end. Throughout his collegiate career, Ivy totaled 68 tackles (32 solo), including 16 TFLs and 9.5 sacks.  

Ryan Ragone enters his first season on the Hilltop in 2026, serving as an assistant linebackers coach. Ragone helped with the Mustangs in 2025, assisting with the linebackers unit. Prior to joining the Mustangs, Ragone spent a year coaching at Griffin Middle School and The Colony High School (The Colony,TX). Ragone was a five-year letterwinner at The University of Miami (2019-23), Ragone appeared in 35 games. He registered 37 tackles, including 7.5 TFLs and 3.5 sacks. He spent his freshman season playing at Arkansas State. Ragone earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Miami (2022) & earned his Masters Degree in Liberal Studies (2023) A native of Houston, Texas, Ragone attended Pasadena Memorial High School.

Brandon Sukenik enters his first season on the Hilltop as special teams assistant. In the Mustangs’ historic 2024 campaign, Sukenik served as a football operations graduate assistant. Sukenik graduated from the University of Mississippi in 2023, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in finance. After Ole Miss, he pursued a master’s degree in sport management from SMU.  

Christy Schuld enters her second season with SMU in 2025, first with football.   She joined the Mustangs as Director of Sports Nutrition for Olympic sports prior to the start of the 2024 year before being promoted to Football in the spring of 2025. She previously work at USC from to 2021 to 2024 as the Sports Dietitian for the Baseball, Lacrosse, Soccer, and Tennis programs. Prior to USC, Schuld participated in the Gatorade Sports Nutrition Immersion Program (SNIP) as a Fellow at the Utah Jazz (2020-2021). She received a Master of Science in Nutrition, Healthspan and Longevity at USC in 2020. While a student in the Coordinated Program, Schuld held dietetic internships with USC Athletics, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Keck Hospital, and Verdugo Hills Hospital.

Josh Nash arrived on the Hilltop in 2022 as the assistant director of football operations at SMU after spending the previous three seasons as the director of football operations at UC Davis. He was elevated to Senior Director of Football Operations prior to the 2023 season.   Nash also made stops at Drake University serving as assistant offensive line coach and in operations, and at Washington as a director of basketball operations graduate assistant.   He has also worked operations for the Crossover Class (2020) and Baha Mar Showdown (2019) with Complete Sports Management, served as a football operations assistant at Kirby Smart Football Camps (2018) and was a director of football operations intern with ESPN for the Bahamas Bowl.   Nash graduated from Concordia University of Chicago in 2017, and majored in business communications with a sports management minor. He was a four-year letterwinner, special teams captain and a member of the Academic Honor Roll all four seasons. Named the Cougar Challenge team captain, Nash led a team of 10 with community service and academic achievement. He also created a scholarship fund with Northwestern Mutual to be given to a Student-Athlete at Concordia. Nash went on to earn a Masters of Education in intercollegiate athletic leadership from the University of Washington in 2018.  

Emilio Terrazas enters his second season with the Mustangs, joining SMU in May of 2024 in the role of Assistant Director of Creative Content. His responsibilities include producing, developing and posting recruiting and social content for the football program.  Terrazas' efforts helped lead to transformational growth for the SMU Football social media platforms in 2024. The Mustangs ranked 3rd in the country with a 245% engagement increase from 2023. Across all platforms, the SMU Football accounts totaled over 6 million engagements and 125 million impressions, leading to a total social media valuation of $3.49 million from July 2024 to December 2024. Terrazas previously worked with football at Arizona State from 2020-23, where he helped with recruiting content, internal content, uniform reveals, and gameday content. During his time there, he also worked with the women’s basketball team from 2021-24. He was exclusively with the team for the 2023-24 season, helping with all recruiting and social content. Terrazas graduated in May 2024 from Arizona State University with a degree in Sports Business and is originally from Los Angeles, Calif. 

Franco is a 2022 graduate of Murray State University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in Finance while actively developing his passion for sports media. His journey in athletics began behind the camera, blending creative storytelling with a deep understanding of the student-athlete experience. While at Murray State, Franco served as a videographer intern for both the football and basketball programs. In that role, he captured practice footage, game day content, and player features, while also assisting with post-production editing and social media content delivery — helping enhance the programs' digital presence and recruiting outreach. Following his time at Murray State, Franco joined the University of Kentucky as the Visual Media Coordinator for UK Football, a role he held for three years. At Kentucky, he led creative video initiatives across multiple platforms, producing high-impact content including hype videos, in-depth player profiles, and cinematic recap pieces. He played a key role in elevating the program’s brand through storytelling that resonated with fans, recruits, and the broader college football community. Now at SMU, Franco serves as the Assistant Director of Creative Video, where he continues to bring energy and innovation to digital content creation. With a foundation in finance and a creative eye for film, Franco blends strategy with style — capturing the essence of Mustang athletics through a lens that highlights culture, emotion, and excellence.

Zeke Armijo enters his first season with the Mustangs, joining SMU in May 2025 as a Creative Graduate Assistant.  In this role, he is responsible for designing and producing visual content including graphics and photography to support SMU football's recruiting efforts and social media presence. Before arriving at SMU, Armijo served as the Graphic Designer and Photographer for Clemson men’s basketball. During the 2024-25 season, he played a key role in shaping the team’s creative direction, contributing to a historic campaign that featured a school-record 27 wins and an NCAA Tournament appearance. He also contributed to creative efforts for various other teams, capturing and producing content during media days, practices, and gamedays. Before attending Clemson, he played defensive back in his hometown at Bakersfield College in California from 2020-2022, where he earned associate degrees in Communication Studies and Liberal Arts. He then transferred to Clemson University, graduating in May 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Communications. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Advertising from the Temerlin Advertising Institute at SMU.

Gary Chambers II is entering his second year with SMU as the Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning in 2025. He played a key role in the team's development in the weight room and in conditioning in 2024, which ultimately led to an appearance in the College Football Playoff.    Chambers came to the Hilltop after working as a performance specialist at Exos, a sports performance and training organization that offers its services to a variety of businesses and athletes in Frisco.   While earning his master's degree in sport and fitness administration at Eastern Michigan, he served as a strength and conditioning coach for the Eagles for two years.   The Glendale, Arizona, native played collegiately at Arizona State, seeing action in 34 games with seven starts. During his career with the Sun Devils, Chambers tallied 690 receiving yards with four touchdowns on 36 receptions. Following his four years at ASU, he was signed as an undrafted free agent with the Buffalo Bills.

Baylee Bennett enters her third season with SMU Football in 2025 and serves as the Assistant Director of On-Campus Recruiting after spending the previous two seasons as a Recruiting Graduate Assistant. In her current role, Bennett oversees the planning, coordination, and execution of all on-campus recruiting operations, including official and unofficial visits, gameday experiences, and special recruiting events. She works closely with coaching staff, campus partners, and recruiting personnel to ensure a seamless and impactful visit experience for prospective student-athletes and their families. As a Recruiting Graduate Assistant, Bennett played a key role in managing visit logistics, coordinating communication, organizing recruiting calendars, and assisting with major on-campus events, helping lay the foundation for SMU’s recruiting operations. Bennett came to the Hilltop from Oklahoma, where she spent four seasons as a recruiting specialist for the Sooners. During her time in Norman, Oklahoma secured four top-10 consensus recruiting classes as ranked by multiple national publications. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Sports Business & Marketing from Oklahoma in 2023 and later completed her Master of Science in Management from SMU’s Cox School of Business.  

Ian Chennell is an Assistant Athletic Trainer, joining SMU Sports Medicine in the summer of 2022. His primary responsibility is the healthcare of the football student-athletes. Prior to SMU, Ian spent time at West Virginia University working with the football team as an Assistant Athletic Trainer. Ian also spent 2 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys as a Seasonal Athletic Trainer. Ian earned his Master of Athletic Training degree at the University of Arkansas. While in Fayetteville, he gained experience working with NCAA division I SEC football, women’s track and field, and softball. He received his bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from the University of Dayton in 2018, he gained experience working with the football team at Dayton as well. Ian is certified in CPR and AED, Graston Trained, and Dry Needle certified. He is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio and currently resides in Dallas, Texas.  

Cole is an Assistant Athletic Trainer at SMU, he started with the sports medicine program in 2021. In his first season at SMU, Cole worked as an Intern Athletic Trainer with football and men’s tennis as they went on to win the AAC Championship that year. As of 2022, Cole’s primary responsibility is now with the football team. Prior to SMU, Cole spent two years working at West Virginia University alongside their Baseball and Football programs. He also spent a season working with the Oakland A’s in the Dominican Republic as a Seasonal Assistant Athletic Trainer and a year working with Christus Health. He is originally from Waxahachie, Texas, and lives there with his wife and two dogs. He holds certifications in Blood Flow Restriction, Dry Needling, Functional Range Conditioning, and Myofascial decompression.  

Kurt Karis is in his second season (2025-26) as an assistant coach at SMU and his eighth working with Head Coach Andy Enfield, including the previous six seasons at USC. In his first season on the Hilltop, he helped lead the Mustangs to a 24-11 overall record and earned a No. 1 seed in the NIT. The Mustangs went 13-7 in the program’s inaugural season in the ACC to tie for fourth and also won the Acrisure Holiday Invitational. The Mustangs were one of just two teams in the nation with six players averaging at least 9.9 points and one of just eight teams in the NCAA top 50 for field goal percentage and field goal defense. SMU signed the nation’s fourth-ranked high school recruiting class, which is the best in program history. Karis was an assistant coach on the USC staff in 2023-24 after the previous three seasons as director of scouting and two seasons as a graduate assistant. He earned his Master’s in Communication Management in 2020.  He also earned his undergraduate degree from USC in Communication. Karis spent three seasons as a student-athlete with USC basketball (2015-18), and was a back-up guard for the Trojans. That was following two years at Chicago State (2013-15).  Karis played his high school ball at Glenbrook North in Northbrook, Illinois, where he averaged 17 points and seven assists as a senior.  He was named all-conference his final three seasons at Glenbrook North and was named the team MVP his final two seasons.  He helped lead his team to conference titles each of his final three seasons. Karis is one of 10 children. Updated: May 9, 2025

Eric Mobley is in his second season (2025-26) as an assistant coach at SMU and his eighth working with Head Coach Andy Enfield, including six seasons at USC.  In his first season on the Hilltop, he helped lead the Mustangs to a 24-11 overall record and earned a No. 1 seed in the NIT. The Mustangs went 13-7 in the program’s inaugural season in the ACC to tie for fourth and also won the Acrisure Holiday Invitational. The Mustangs were one of just two teams in the nation with six players averaging at least 9.9 points and one of just eight teams in the NCAA top 50 for field goal percentage and field goal defense. SMU signed the nation’s fourth-ranked high school recruiting class, which is the best in program history. In his seven seasons with Enfield, the teams are 150-82 including 126-71 in six seasons at USC. The Trojans made three NCAA Tournament appearances, including a run to the 2021 Elite Eight. The Trojans had eight NBA Draft selections between 2018 and 2024. Mobley helped coach his sons Isaiah and Evan at USC, both of whom were NBA Draft picks. Evan was selected a 2024-25 NBA All-Star and named the 2024-25 NBA Defensive Player of the Year.   Mobley coached various AAU programs for 11 years before joining Enfield’s staff at USC, coaching the AAU Compton Magic 16-U team (2015-18) and owning the Triple Threat AAU youth basketball program (2007-18). He traveled with the Compton Magic to China put on coaching clinics and hosted player camps. Mobley also served as the head women’s basketball coach at Rancho Christian High in Temecula, California (2015-18).    Mobley played collegiately at the University of Portland from 1987-90, where he averaged 7.2 points and 5.6 rebounds as a starter in 1989-90. He then played a season at Cal Poly Pomona as the team captain.   He played professionally for teams in Portugal, Mexico, and Indonesia, as well as domestically in the World Basketball League and on the legendary Meadowlark Lemon’s Harlem All-Stars.   Mobley, originally from Georgia, moved to the San Diego area in the 1980s. He graduated from Helix High in La Mesa, California. In 1991 he graduated from Portland with a degree in Criminal Justice. He is also involved in various ministry works, feeding the homeless and the Salvation Army.   He is the proud father of sons Isaiah and Evan, both taken in the NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Isaiah was Drafted No. 49 in the 2022 NBA Draft and Evan was drafted No. 3 overall in 2021. Evan was an NBA All-Star in 2024-25 and named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year. He also served as foster parent for five years to teens who are now adults.   Updated: July 10, 2025

Michael Swets is in his second season (2025-26) as assistant athletic director for basketball operations at SMU and his 10th working with Head Coach Andy Enfield, including eight seasons at USC. In his first season on the Hilltop, the Mustangs went 24-11 and earned a No. 1 seed in the NIT. The Mustangs went 13-7 in the program’s inaugural season in the ACC to tie for fourth and also won the Acrisure Holiday Invitational. SMU signed the nation’s fourth-ranked high school recruiting class, which is the best in program history. Swets joined Enfield’s USC staff as the director of operations in 2016 and was promoted to assistant athletic director for basketball operations in 2022. The Trojans made four NCAA Tournaments in those eight seasons, including a run to the 2021 Elite Eight. He oversaw team travel, budget, daily schedule and the team of student managers. Swets served as the liaison to other departments within athletics as well as the rest of the campus community. Swets is a two-time featured panelist at the NABC Convention during the Final Four in San Antonio (2018) and Houston (2023). Swets spent five seasons at Towson (2011-16), including the final four years as the director of basketball operations. His four seasons in operations marked the winningest four-year period in the history of the program (75 wins). The Tigers set a program record for D-I wins (25) in 2013-14 and earned postseason bids in 2014 and 2016. He previously spent two years (2009-11) as a graduate assistant at Providence. Swets was a student manager under Head Coach Al Skinner at Boston College for three seasons (2006-09) and was named head manager as a senior. He helped the program earn two NCAA Tournament bids. He received the Mary Kaye Waldron Award in 2009 as the support staff member who best exemplified inspiration, loyalty and unwavering dedication to the Boston College basketball program. Swets graduated magna cum laude from Boston College in 2009 with his bachelor’s degree in marketing, information systems and management leadership. He also received the Athletic Director’s Award for Academic Achievement. He earned his MBA from Providence in 2011. Updated: May 23, 2025

Sean MacNeill enters his fifth season on the Hilltop - now serving as a Graduate Assistant for the SMU women's basketball program. MacNeill spent the past four seasons as the Head Student Manager for the Mustangs providing support and managing logistics for coaches, players, and staff that spanned practices, game operations, and special projects at home and on the road. The Austin native previously served as an Operations Intern for Austin FC (2022-2024), supporting the Academy and MLS NEXT Pro teams, and a Student Assistant for the Austin Spurs (NBA G League affiliate of the San Antonio Spurs). MacNeill earned dual degrees from SMU in Business and Sport Management in May 2025.  He's currently pursuing his Master's in Sport Management. 

Bett Shelby joined the SMU Women’s Basketball program in early April of 2025 and enters her first season as an assistant coach on the Hilltop. Shelby has been a part of Head Coach Adia Barnes' coaching staff since the 2022-23 season. She has been coaching at the collegiate level for over 15 years and spent three seasons as an Associate Head Coach at West Virginia before her time at Arizona. She began her time in Tucson as a special Assistant to the head coach before being named an assistant coach in April of 2023. Shelby helped Arizona reach the NCAA Tournament and tally 18 win during the 2023-24 season as the Wildcats earned a pair of top-25 wins over No. 15 Utah and No. 3 Stanford. Shelby coached a pair of WNBA Draft picks at Arizona, helping Helena Pueyo and Esmery Martinez to selections. She was on the staff of Martinez's teams throughout the forward's five-year career, coaching her first at West Virginia and then Arizona. During her time in Morgantown, Shelby helped guide WVU to success on the court that included a banner 2020-21 season of 22 wins, a second-place finish in the Big 12 and an NCAA Tournament appearance. She also developed and coached a pair of marquee stars in WNBA Draft picks Tynice Martin and Kysre Gondrezick. Gondrezick was the highest draft pick in WVU history, being drafted No.4 overall in the 2021 WNBA draft and Martin was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2020 WNBA Draft.  Before her time at West Virginia Shelby was as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator North Carolina. With her assistance, the Tar Heels made their first NCAA Tournament in four years with a spot in the 2019 tournament and helped guide Paris Kea to be selected No.25 overall in the 2019 WNBA Draft.  Shelby also spent time at Maryland as the Terpins' recruiting coordinator. She signed a pair of top-five recruiting classes and won Big Ten regular season and conference championships during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons. Shelby also coached Shatori Walker-Kimbrough who was drafted No. 6 overall in the 2017 WNBA Draft and Brionna Jones who was drafted No. 8 overall in the 2017 WNBA Draft. Her prior stops also include Virginia Tech and Seton Hall where she had achieved success on the court and on the recruiting trail with a top 20 recruiting class with the Hokies and record-breaking BIG EAST wins with the Pirates. Shelby also signed top recruiting classes in her first coaching stops with the top mid-major class and best in the Missouri Valley at Southern Illinois as well as the top recruiting class in the Ohio Valley Conference during her tenure at Tennessee Tech. Shelby broke into the college basketball coaching ranks as the Director of Operations at East Carolina following her playing career. The Charlotte, North Carolina native played two seasons at UNC Wilmington before transferring to Greensboro College where she led the Pride to regular season and conference tournament titles and a NCAA Tournament appearance. She graduated from Greensboro with a bachelor’s degree in sports and exercise studies with a concentration in coaching in 2006. Shelby is the daughter of Brad and Texie and has a sister named Mary.  

Anthony Turner joined the SMU Women’s Basketball program in early April of 2025 and enters his first season as an assistant coach on the Hilltop. Turner has been a part of Head Coach Adia Barnes’s staff since May of 2023 and joined after coaching four seasons at Weber State. In his first season with the Wildcats, Turner helped the team to 18 wins and its fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament berth. He helped guide five players to Pac-12 annual honors, including Helena Pueyo's All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 All-Defensive accolades. Pueyo and Esmery Martinez were both selected in the 2024 WNBA Draft. During his inaugural season in Tucson, the Wildcats defeated a pair of top-15 opponents in No. 15 Utah and No. 3 Stanford. During his time in Ogden, Turner helped coach Daryn Hickok to All-Big Sky honors in three consecutive seasons. He arrived at Weber State after spending three seasons at Utah Valley. His responsibilities at Utah Valley included serving as the associate head coach with his duties including, program's recruiting coordinator, defensive coordinator and post player development coach. In his first season, he helped guide the Wolverines to a WAC Tournament semifinal run for the second-straight year, marking only the second time in program history to advance beyond the opening round of the conference tournament. Prior to his time at Utah Valley, Turner spent five years as an assistant coach at New Mexico. While with the Lobos, Turner served as the primary recruiting coordinator, mastering every aspect of recruiting. Players that Turner recruited to New Mexico accounted for six first team All-MWC awards, two All-Defense awards, two All-Freshman awards, one sixth player award and the 2019 MWC Player of the Year. Turner also worked with the post players, and under his tutelage, Lobo players finished second in the Mountain West Conference in blocked shots in 2011-12. The Lobos were invited to postseason play three times, advanced to two MWC Tournament Championship games and set a New Mexico program record for longest winning streak in the 2014-2015 season.  Turner was selected to participate in the NCAA BCA/ACE program in 2011. This highly selective and prestigious program selects 24 minority assistant coaches in basketball, 12 women's basketball assistants and 12 men's basketball assistants and trains them at the NCAA headquarters, with the purpose of preparing them to become successful head coaches.  Before serving at New Mexico, Turner spent a season with Boise State, two seasons with Oregon State, six years with UNLV and two years with San Diego State. In his first year at Oregon State, he helped the program to a 20-win season for the first time in 20 years. He additionally recruited two Pac-12 All-Freshman Team players, one First Team All-Pac-12 player, one Pac-12 All-Defensive Team member and earned a bid to the WNIT while in Corvallis.  In his six years at UNLV, the Rebels earned four trips to postseason play, including an appearance in the championship game of the WNIT. Also at UNLV, as the post position coach, he helped two players earn All-American honors.    Turner has amassed more than 20 years of experience coaching and assisting with women's basketball programs in the West. He is a 2008 graduate of the University of Colorado. He and his wife, Jaime, have twin daughters, Alexis and Justice.  

Kamiko Williams joined the SMU Women’s Basketball program in early April of 2025 and enters her first season as an assistant coach on the Hilltop. Williams joined Head Coach Adia Barnes’ coaching staff at Arizona in August of 2024 as a special assistant to the head coach after serving as an academic coach at Tennessee during the 2023-24 season. Prior to her time with Tennessee, she was an admissions counselor at Lincoln Memorial University. While at Lincoln Memorial, she helped with managing applications and enrollment and traveled to events and college fairs to help recruit students. Williams brings a wealth of coaching experience to the Hilltop. Most recently, she was an assistant coach at Weber State from 2022-23, a role that saw her assist with operations and tasks to help the head coach. Prior to Weber State, she was an assistant coach at Nicholls State for one season (2021-22) where she assisted with overseeing academic advising. Williams spent three years at Monmouth as an assistant coach with the Hawks from 2018-2021. She was the program's recruiting director during that time. Williams helped the Hawks to the nation's 35th-ranked scoring defense in the 2019-20 season. She additionally spent two of her three seasons at Monmouth as director of operations, serving in the role for the 2018-19 and 2020-21 seasons. She managed the team's travel and equipment during that time and oversaw the team's student managers. Williams got her start in coaching as an assistant coach at New Haven, where she worked from 2015-18. She coached three athletes to Northeast-10 honors and one to Northeast-10 All-Rookie accolades during her time there. She assisted with scouting and was the program's recruiting coordinator, and she co-created the UNITY RUN community engagement initiative that is an effort between the women's basketball, cross country and track & field programs at New Haven. Williams was drafted in 2013 by the New York Liberty and played in the league for one season. Before her professional career, she played collegiately for Tennessee under legendary head coach Pat Summit. During her time in Knoxville, she went to four NCAA Tournaments and advanced to the Elite Eight in three. She played in 128 games for Tennessee, and the Lady Vols went 120-23 during Williams' four years in school. Williams graduated from Tennessee with a B.A. in Sociology in 2012 and is currently pursuing an M.S. in Information Technology at Southern New Hampshire.  

Ashtyn Frye enters her first season on the Hilltop as Assistant Director of Basketball Operations. In this role, Frye will help oversee travel, fan and community engagement, daily operations and the team of student managers. Frye spent the previous four seasons as a student manager at Arizona under head coach Adia Barnes. Her duties included monitoring statistics, completing office work, recruiting visits, tournament travel, equipment, creating itineraries and schedules, creating a memorable fan experience and ensuring a smooth flow for practices and games. Frye also served as team attendant for the Phoenix Mercury in 2024. She was responsible for assisting the Basketball Operations department pre-game, during the game, and post-game with a variety of duties. She also got valuable experience as a volunteer with the 2024 WNBA All-Star Weekend, led operations for Basketball Without Borders, and worked on the Team USA Bench at the WNBA All-Star Game. Frye graduated from Arizona in the Spring of 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Economics and Entrepreneurship.    

Tweets by Kelli Swing Kelli Swing is in her 22nd year (2025-26) as member of the SMU Sports Medicine staff, her first as Assistant Athletic Director of Sports Medicine. Swing is responsible for the healthcare of the women's basketball team and assists Associate A.D./Student Health and Well-Being Mike Morton in the overall operation of the athletic training room, coordinating the physical and mental health care provided to SMU’s 484 student-athletes. While intercollegiate athletics has a large focus on the physical demands for the student-athlete, SMU Athletics also understands the importance of providing resources to address the emotional and mental demands associated with being a student-athlete and has invested as such. During her tenure at SMU, Swing has worked various additional sporting events, including Sports Medicine and Drug testing coordinator for the 2006 NCAA Women's Basketball Championships Regional Tournament, and Sports Medicine Coordinator for the two Nike Elite Academy camps and DFW AAU girls' basketball tournaments. Prior to coming to SMU, Swing earned her Masters of Education in 2004 at Wichita State University while serving as a graduate assistant athletic trainer for the Women's Volleyball team. In 2002, she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Iowa. A native of Burlington, Iowa, she and her husband Patrick have a daughter, Halliday Ivee, and two dogs, Bella Blu and Jax.

Marcelo Uribe Hernandez joined the SMU football staff in the summer of 2024 and serves as the Assistant Director of Video Services. Uribe arrived at the Hilltop after one season at Texas Tech, where he served as Assistant Video Coordinator. Prior to that, he served as a Video Graduate assistant at SMU (2022-2023). He started his career as a student video assistant at Texas Tech (2019-2022). Uribe earned a degree in Political Science from Texas Tech University in 2022 and a Master’s Degree in Sports Management from SMU in 2023.  

AWARDS & ACCOLADES 2014 Mountain East Conference Coach of the Year 2011 WVIAC Coach of the Year BIO Garin Justice was hired as the Mustangs' offensive line coach and run game coordinator in December 2021, and was elevated to assistant head coach in February 2023 and then co-offensive coordinator in the spring of 2024. Justice arrived on the Hilltop after spending the 2020 and 2021 seasons at Miami with Mustang Head Coach Rhett Lashlee. In 2025, the offensive line continued to power an explosive offensive unit that scored at least 30 points eight times, with 19 scoring drives coming in two minutes or less. In the passing game, the Mustangs were among the elite teams in the country, with Justice’s unit leading the way. SMU ranked 12th in passing yards per game at 283.2. Protecting quarterback Kevin Jennings was crucial on the season, and Justice’s line did that, ranking in the top 30 in sacks allowed on the year. Allowing time for Jennings to operate made him one of the most effective quarterbacks in the country, being just one of 11 quarterbacks in all of FBS to have at least 25 passing touchdowns and four rushing touchdowns that season. The former South Oak Cliff standout finished in the top 10 in passing yards (seventh), completions per game (ninth) and passing yards per game (ninth), earning him All-ACC Honorable Mention honors. Total offense continued to be one of the best in the conference, ranking fifth in the ACC at 416.9 yards per game. PJ Williams continued his development at the right tackle position, earning All-ACC Second Team honors while newcomer Joshua Bates was named honorable mention, including being added to the mid-season watch list for the Rimington Award. Justice’s offensive line anchored another powerful offensive attack in 2024, with the Mustangs at an elite level, averaging 36.5 points a game on the year, the seventh highest average for a season in program history despite moving up to a power conference. The 511 points scored in 2024 were third most in program history. The line also opened up the running game, finishing with eight games with at least 150 yards rushing on the year. SMU’s 29 rushing touchdowns tied for third most in program history for a single season. SMU again ranked in the top 25 in FBS in scoring offense (9th), first downs offense (10th), team passing efficiency (20th) and sacks allowed (24th). The Mustangs had several members along the line earn accolades for their play, with Jakai Clark (first team), Logan Parr (third team), PJ Williams (third team) and Justin Osborne (honorable mention) earning All-ACC honors from the conference. He was responsible for an SMU offensive line that was dominant in 2023, resulting in the Mustangs capturing their first conference championship since 1984 and 12th overall as a program. It was the first outright conference title won by the school since 1982. SMU rolled to a record of 11-3, highlighted by going undefeated in its final season in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) with an 8-0 mark. The Mustangs earned their fifth straight year of bowl eligibility, the longest stretch in program history and finished ranked 22nd in the AP Poll, the first time finishing in the final poll since 1984. Justice's unit played a crucial part in the offense being one of the most explosive in all of college football, finishing ranked in the top in the FBS in first down offense (6th), passing offense (22nd), passing yards, passing yards per completion (12th), red zone offense (8th), sacks allowed (13th), scoring offense (8th), tackles for loss allowed (9th) and total offense (16th). The West Virginia native's coaching style led to numerous accolades for his linemen, highlighted by the entire starting offensive line of Marcus Bryant (first team), Justin Osborne (first team), Logan Parr (first team), Branson Hickman (second team) and Hyrin White (honorable mention), all earning AAC All-Conference honors. Osborne was also selected to the first team with Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas Team, while Bryant, Hickman and Parr notched second-team honors.  SMU's 542 points were second most points scored in program history, with the 29 rushing touchdowns ranking third most ever for a single season and the 33 passing touchdowns place fifth all-time for a single season in program history.  Justice led an offensive line that helped the Mustangs rank among the top FBS teams in passing and red zone offense (7th), scoring offense (12th) and total offense (14th). Justice’s group enabled starting QB Tanner Mordecai to average over 293 passing yards per game, good enough for 11th in the nation. On the ground, the blocking up front allowed SMU to rush for more than 156 yards per game, and at a rate of over four yards per attempt. The Mustang rushing attack contributed 26 rushing touchdowns and over 2,000 yards on the ground.   SMU’s 4,117 passing yards and 331 first downs set program marks, while the 36 passing TDs and total plays (1,005) rank second. The 2022 squad also posted top-three program marks in scoring (3rd, 484), passing ypg (3rd, 316.7), completion % (3rd, 64.9), completions (2nd, 333), total offense (3rd, 6147) and first downs - passing (3rd, 174).   A pair of Mustangs earned All-American Athletic Conference as Justin Osborne was a second-team selection and Jaylon Thomas earned honorable mention accolades.   In 2020, the Hurricanes jumped to No. 32 in FBS in total offense (from No. 98), No. 29 in passing offense (from No. 52), No. 26 in scoring offense (from No. 90), No. 17 in red zone offense (from No. 122) and No. 20 in first downs gained offense (from No. 84). The 2021 season saw a pair of Justice's offensive linemen earn All-ACC honors.   Prior to his time with the Hurricanes, Justice spent two seasons at UNLV responsible for the offensive line and run game before being promoted to offensive coordinator/offensive line coach. The 2019 season saw two offensive linemen (Julio Garcia, Justin Polu) earn All-Mountain West Conference recognition while running back Charles Williams, Jr., was named first-team All-Mountain West.   Justice spent two seasons as offensive line coach at FAU (2016-17) where he helped lead the 2017 team to top-10 national rankings for scoring offense (40.6) and rushing offense (285.3), while ranking 12th for fewest sacks allowed (16). They finished the season with an 11-3 record, a Conference USA Championship and a win at the Boca Raton Bowl. Three of his linemen earned All-C-USA first-team honors in 2017, blocking for Devin Singletary, who became the program's first AP All-American and set the Owls' single-season rushing record with 1,920 yards. In 2016, the Owls had a record-setting rushing attack under Justice despite losing four projected starters in the first three weeks of the season. Justice served as head coach at Concord University (West Virginia) from 2011-15, going 40-17, including a 13-1 record in 2014. He led the program to a pair of conference championships and two NCAA Division II playoff appearances. During his five seasons, 84 student-athletes earned all-conference honors, eight picked up All-America accolades, two were named defensive WVIAC Players of the Year and 18 were named to all-region teams.   He began his coaching career as a student assistant and graduate assistant at West Virginia working with the offensive line. He also spent two seasons as an offensive graduate assistant at Florida State. Justice earned his Regents Bachelor of Arts degree at West Virginia in 2006, and went on to earn a Master's of Sports Administration from Florida State in 2008. He was a three-year starter on the Mountaineers' offensive line and served as team captain for the 11-1 2005 squad that won the Sugar Bowl and earned a No. 5 ranking to close the season. Justice earned All-Big East honors and was a Sporting News Second-Team All-American.  He and wife, Casie Coughlin Justice, have one daughter, Juliet.

AWARDS & ACCOLADES 2025 Dave Campbell's Texas Football 40 Under 40 List 2024 247Sports 30under30 List BIO D'Eriq King enters his third season with the Mustangs in 2025, his second as quarterbacks coach.  King was named one of the upcoming young coaches in the country by various publications, being selected to 247Sports 30under30 List in August of 2024 and Dave Campbell's Texas 40 Under 40 List in July of 2025.  In 2024, King played a pivotal role in the development of Kevin Jennings, resulting in the Mustangs earning their first berth in the College Football Playoff. His work with the redshirt sophomore helped unlock a potent Mustang offense that caused opposing teams issues all season. With Jennings running the offense, the Mustangs were 9-2 and averaged 37.1 points per game. During his time as the starter, SMU posted a nine-game winning streak, matching 2023's run as the second longest in program history.  For his play, Jennings was first-team All-Texas by Dave Campbell's Texas Football, All-ACC Third Team and a finalist for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, an award King was a two-time finalist for. SMU continued to produce on offense at an elite level in their first year competing as a member of the ACC, averaging 36.5 points a game on the year, the seventh highest average for a season in program history. The 511 points scored in 2024 were the third most in program history. Under King's guidance, Jennings found his groove after taking over as the starter in week 4, leading the ACC in passer efficiency rating at 171.53 in conference play. He also ranked fourth in conference games in total offense, averaging 309.25. King served as an offensive analyst for a majority of 2023 before being promoted to quarterbacks coach on Dec. 20. He played a role in the development of quarterbacks Preston Stone and Kevin Jennings during the season, which saw the Mustangs score at least 55 points four times in 2023, the most in program history for a single season. SMU's offense also finished top five in program history in first downs (first), passing touchdowns (fifth), passing yards (fifth) and total yards (tied for first). Stone went on to become an All-AAC Third-Team selection and Pro Football Focus All-AAC selection that year, posting career highs in passing yards and touchdowns. A native of Manvel, King has a wealth of experience already at the position, having starred collegiately at Houston (2016-19) and Miami (2020-21), with the final two years coming with Lashlee as the offensive coordinator for the Hurricanes. He passed for 8,378 yards and 76 touchdowns in five seasons between the two schools, recording at least 2,500 yards passing and 500 rushing yards twice in his collegiate career.

AWARDS & ACCOLADES 2023 Dave Campbell's Texas Football 40 Under 40 List 2021 247Sports 30under30 List  BIO Kyle Cooper enters his fifth season back at the Hilltop in 2026, serving as the special teams coordinator and running backs coach.  In 2025, Cooper’s running back unit was part of a high-scoring offense that finished 26th in FBS, averaging 32.2 points per contest. Leading the way for the running backs was senior transfer TJ Harden, who posted career highs in rushing yards and touchdowns. Harden recorded two games with at least 100 yards rushing, while being named ACC Running Back of the Week for his performance against Boston College on Nov. 8 for his career day.   Cooper was able to showcase the ability of another transfer, Chris Johnson Jr. The Miami transfer recorded his best season to date, with 479 yards rushing and four rushing touchdowns, averaging 7.1 yards per carry. Redshirt freshman Derrick McFall continued his development in year two with Cooper, having set career highs in rushing yards, receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. During his third season in Dallas, Cooper’s units played a big role during the Mustangs’ historic first year in the conference. SMU’s running backs and special teams played a major part in lifting the program to its first-ever College Football Playoff appearance. Under Cooper’s leadership, transfer Brashard Smith flourished in his new role in the backfield, the first time playing the position since Pop Warner. In 2024, Smith recorded 1,977 all-purpose yards, the most in a single season in SMU history. He also became the 12th Mustang to eclipse the 1,000-yard rushing mark and finished fourth in the single-season record books with 1,332. The senior earned many accolades during and following his breakout 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. Smith was all over the top 25 in major FBS statistics, finishing ranked eighth in the country in all-purpose yards with 141.2 per game, 12th in total touchdowns (18), 20th in total points scored (112) and 25th in rushing yards per game (95.1). The 112 points scored were the fifth most in program history. The Miami native notched six games with at least 100 yards on the ground and had over 100 all-purpose yards in eight contests in the season. As a team, the Mustangs rushed for 29 touchdowns on the year, which ranked tied for third most in school history. The special teams’ unit was a strong suit for the Mustangs during their historic campaign. SMU finished in the top-25 nationally in Punt Returns (13th), Kickoff Returns (15th) and Kickoff Return Defense (22nd). The Mustangs also finished ranked in the top 20 (19th) in the FEI Special Teams Ratings by BC Toys. Kicker Collin Rogers also shined in his junior season, earning a spot at the top of the Mustangs record book for points scored with 356. Rogers also nailed seven field goals of 50-or-more yards, one shy of the NCAA record for a single season. For his success, Rogers earned First Team All-America honors by the FWAA and Sports Illustrated as well as All-America Honorable Mention by Phil Steele. The junior was also named First Team All-Texas by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football publication as well. His 124 points scored ranked 12th in FBS on the year and were the third most in program history for a single season.    Before the 2023 season, Cooper was named to Dave Campbell's Texas Football 40 Under 40 List. He was also recognized by 247Sports in its 30under30 List back in 2021.  Cooper finished year two on the Hilltop in 2023, resulting in one of the better special teams units in the country. Under the second-year coach's guidance, the Mustangs special teams thrived in all three areas, resulting in a first-team all-conference selection in kicker Collin Rogers, a second-team selection in returner Roderick Daniels Jr. and a third-team selection in punter Ryan Bujcevski. SMU finished the year with Daniels ranking in the top 15 in the country in punt return touchdowns (2nd) and punt return average (14th).  Rogers set the set program record in a single season for field goals made (20) and PATs (66) in 2023, while Bujcevski was recognized with his punting, being named on the Ray Guy Watch List.  Cooper completed his first season serving as the Mustangs' linebackers coach in 2022, helping the Mustangs to a 7-5 regular season and an appearance in the New Mexico Bowl. The room was led by senior Jimmy Phillips Jr., who had 85 total tackles throughout the season and tied the SMU record for career games played at 59.  Cooper returned to the Hilltop as an assistant coach in December 2021, working with outside linebackers while serving as recruiting coordinator. In February 2023, Cooper took over the role of special teams coordinator and leads the safeties room. Cooper spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons at Miami under Lashlee, after spending two seasons with Lashlee at SMU (2018-19), serving an as senior offensive quality control analyst for the Hurricanes.   He was part of a record-setting offense in 2019 that helped the Mustangs to a historic season, going 10-3, winning the most games since 1984 and earning their highest national ranking since 1985 of No. 15/14. SMU set season records in scoring (544), scoring average (41.8), total yards (6,368), total yards per game (489.8), total plays (1,037), rushing TDS (35), total first downs (322) and total TDs (73), while tying the then-passing TDs record (35). The Mustangs finished in the top 15 of the national rankings in scoring offense (7th, 41.8), total offense (9th, 489.8) and passing offense (13th, 309.0). SMU hadn't cracked the top 25 in any of the three categories in 2018, finishing just outside the top 25 in passing offense at No. 27.   During his first season at Miami, the Hurricanes jumped to No. 32 in FBS in total offense (from No. 98), No. 29 in passing offense (from No. 52), No. 26 in scoring offense (from No. 90), No. 17 in red zone offense (from No. 122) and No. 20 in first downs gained (from No. 84).  Miami finished second in the AAC Coastal standings in 2021 after a 7-5 regular season, and were in the top 25 for fourth down conversion % (10th, .714), passing offense (10th, 321.2), first down offense (14th, 293) and total offense (23rd, 448.8).    Cooper joined the Mustangs for the first time in 2018 after serving as a graduate assistant at UConn, where he worked with the offense.   Before his time with the Huskies, he was a graduate assistant coach for two years at Westminster College (New Wilmington, Pa.) working with the defensive line.   Cooper was a two-time team captain at Robert Morris and a two-year starting linebacker. The team won the 2010 Northeast Conference championship and earned a spot in the FCS playoffs. He is a 2013 graduate of Robert Morris with a degree in sport management and has a Master of Business Administration from the school as well. Cooper was named a Capital One Academic All-District pick as a senior and named to the NEC Fall Academic Honor Roll.  

Riley Dodge joined SMU in January 2026 and coaches the tight ends, while also serving as the passing game coordinator.  Dodge spent the past eight seasons as the head coach at Southlake Carroll. At the helm of the Dragons since 2018, the McKinney native posted a 107-10 record, won seven district championships and five regional titles and made two state championship game appearances. In 2019, he was named the Tom Landry Coach of the Year. In the following year, Dodge was recognized as the 6A Coach of the Year.   Prior to Carroll, Dodge worked as a graduate assistant at Texas A&M and as an offensive quality control coach at the University of Texas. With a history of developing high-level players from the state of Texas, Dodge coached SMU tight end RJ Maryland at Carroll, building the foundation for Maryland to record the most career receiving yards by any tight end in SMU history. As a head coach, he also helped develop Quinn Ewers and wide receiver Brock Boyd.   Before his coaching career, Dodge was a member of three state championships at Southlake Carroll. As the starting quarterback, he was selected as the Texas High School Player of the Year in both 2006 and 2007.

AWARDS & ACCOLADES 2024 Dave Campbell's Texas Football 40 Under 40 List BIO Maurice Crum Jr. enters his fourth season on the Hilltop in 2026, serving as co-defensive coordinator and taking on defensive playcalling duties. Crum Jr. joined the SMU staff in January of 2023 and served as the Mustangs' linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator for the 2024 season. With Crum Jr. as co-defensive coordinator, SMU’s defense continued its opportunistic ways in 2025, ranking in the top 25 in several categories, including turnovers gained (fifth), red zone defense (fifth), passes intercepted (eighth), defensive touchdowns (10th), fumbles recovered (11th), turnover margin (14th), fourth down conversion percentage (18th), rushing defense (19th) and sacks (23rd). Crum’s linebackers unit played at a high level in the 2025 campaign. Brandon Booker and Alexander Kilgore led the room, both recording over 60 tackles on the season, good for third and fourth on the team, respectively. Brandon Miyazono posted a breakout season, leading the team with eight PBUs and tying for eighth in the conference. The Mustangs led the ACC in passes intercepted with 18. Miyazono notched an interception while Kilgore contributed two, including a critical takeaway in the Trust & Will Holiday Bowl win over No. 17 Arizona, SMU’s first bowl victory since 2012. Crum’s unit played a large role in helping 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 conference play in back-to-back seasons.   The Mustangs were elite defensively once again in 2024, due in large part to the linebackers room. For the second straight season, they finished in the top five in defensive touchdowns with four, including one by standout LB Kobe Wilson. 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.   SMU also got to the quarterback at a high clip in 2024, earning 43 sacks, the third most in program history. The defense was also elite in all three facets during the historic season, with the linebackers playing a large role in the unit 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).   Due to the success in the season, Kobe Wilson was added to the Second Team All-ACC. Wilson also picked up All-American Honorable Mention accolades by Phil Steele. In his first season with the Mustangs in 2023, Crum's linebackers made their mark immediately, as newcomers Ahmad Walker, Kobe Wilson and Alexander Kilgore all found success on the field, with Wilson and Walker earning all-conference accolades by various publications. The trio powered a Mustang defense that was among the nation's elite in 2023, helping the Mustangs roll to an 11-3 mark, resulting in the first conference championship since 1984, while posting an undefeated record in conference play (8-0).  The defense dominated its opposition on all three levels, ranking in the top 25 in the FBS in several categories including: defensive touchdowns (1st, 5), sacks (3rd, 47), third down defense (4th, .281), team passing efficiency defense (9th, 115.28), scoring defense (11th, 17.8), total defense (12th, 304.1), passing yards allowed (13th, 182.2), TFLs per game (16th, 7.1), blocked kicks (21st, 2) and red zone defense (25th, .778). Wilson (80) and Walker (65) finished the year as the top two tacklers on the team. Walker also had 6.5 TFLs and five pass breakups. Kilgore showed promise in his debut collegiate season under Crum Jr., finishing with 36 tackles and 6.5 TFLs. Crum was recognized for the job he did with his unit, being named to Dave Campbell's Texas Football's prestigious 40 Under 40 list in the summer of 2024.  Crum arrived on the Hilltop after one season at Ole Miss, where he served as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. He helped the Rebels to an 8-5 record and an appearance in the TaxAct Texas Bowl. Ole Miss ranked 13th in the FBS and second in the SEC in fumbles recovered (12) and was 27th nationally and third in the league in sacks (2.69). Prior to his time in Oxford, Crum spent five seasons at Western Kentucky, where he served as defensive coordinator in 2021. The Hilltopper defense held opponents to 21 points or less in seven of their last eight regular season games in 2021. In 2020, Crum served as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, helping the defense to national rankings of eighth in passing yards allowed (177.3), 28th in total yards allowed (348.7) and 41st in points allowed (25.3) per game. A top-25 defense in 2019, WKU allowed only 20.1 points per game, ranking No. 22 in the FBS and setting the best mark in program history, and held opponents to a 29.7% third down conversion percentage, sixth nationally. The Hilltoppers ranked third in FBS with only 82 missed tackles all season long. In 2018, Crum mentored linebacker Ben Holt who set WKU’s FBS-era record for tackles per game (9.67) with 116 tackles in 12 games. He also served as co-special teams coordinator. In 2017, Crum helped Joel Iyiegbuniwe to All-Conference USA First-Team honors. He led the Hilltoppers in tackles with 116, the third-most in a single season in the FBS era, and tackles for loss with 11.5. The junior declared for the NFL Draft was selected in the fourth round by the Chicago Bears. Crum spent the 2016 season at Indiana State, where he coached corners and nickelbacks, and during the 2015 season, he served as a defensive graduate assistant at Notre Dame, helping the Fighting Irish to an appearance in the Fiesta Bowl. In three seasons at Kansas, Crum started as a graduate assistant (2012), before being elevated to the assistant director of operations (2013) and eventually the director of high school relations (2014). A four-year letterwinner at Notre Dame (2005-08), Crum appeared in 50 games, making 42 consecutive starts. He registered 306 tackles, including 23 TFLs and eight sacks. His 306 career tackles ranked 11th in program history. Crum served as a two-time team captain (2007 & 2008), making him one of only 17 players in school history to have accomplished the feat. Following his collegiate career, Crum had a three-year stint in the UFL (2009-11). Crum graduated in 2009 with a degree in Sociology and is married to the former Crysta Swayzer. The couple has three sons, Maurice III, Allen and Noah. Crum’s father, Maurice Sr., was a consensus All-American at Miami in 1990.  

BIO Rickey Hunley, Jr. enters his fifth season at SMU in 2026, serving as co-defensive coordinator and overseeing the secondary.   Hunley, Jr. joined the Mustang coaching staff as pass game coordinator and cornerbacks coach in December 2021. Hunley came to the Hilltop after spending three seasons (2019-21) as cornerbacks coach at Liberty under the direction of former SMU Defensive Coordinator Scott Symons. In the 2025 campaign, Hunley, Jr. coached a secondary that swarmed the opposition, finishing in the top 10 in the FBS in red zone defense (fifth), passes intercepted (eighth) and defensive touchdowns (10th). In the Mustangs’ second season in the ACC, SMU led the conference in passes intercepted with 18. Hunley Jr. led a cornerback room with great depth, seeing four players record 30-or-more tackles on the season. Redshirt freshman William Nettles led the position group with 37 tackles (25), logging four games with at least four tackles. Redshirt senior Deuce Harmon posted 34 tackles (23 solo) and seven PBUs in the 2025 season, earning All-ACC Honorable Mention. Hunley Jr.'s ability to develop talent has translated to the next level, with former Mustang standout Charles Woods playing a key piece in the secondary for the New England Patriots during their run to Super Bowl LX in the 2025-26 season. Hunley’s unit played a large role in the Mustangs’ historic first season in the ACC in 2024, advancing to the program’s first CFP berth along with an undefeated mark in the first season in the conference. 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 secondary played a large role in the defense finishing in the top 25 in the FBS in multiple categories including: defensive touchdowns (5th, 4), passes intercepted (14th, 16), fourth down conversion pct. defense (17th, .415), third down conversion pct. defense (19th, .332) and red zone defense (24th, .767).   Thanks to their success during the season, Brandon Crossley and Jonathan McGill picked up All-ACC Honorable Mention accolades during the 2024 season. The Mustangs' secondary wreaked havoc on the opposition in 2023, helping lead to the program's first conference championship since 1984 with an 11-3 record and going undefeated in conference play (8-0).  Hunley's unit played a major role in the defense finishing in the top 25 in several key statistical areas including: defensive touchdowns (1st, 5), third down defense (4th, .281), team passing efficiency defense (9th, 115.28), scoring defense (11th, 17.8), total defense (12th, 304.1), passing yards allowed (13th, 182.2) and red zone defense (25th, .778). The secondary saw multiple players achieve high-level and accolades during and after the season, highlighted by Charles Woods and Isaiah Nwokobia.  Woods excelled under the second-year coach's guidance, earning the All-AAC Third Team while leading the team in pass breakups with 11 and blocking a kick in the Mustang victory in the conference championship. For his great play, Woods signed with Los Angeles Rams immediately following the 2024 NFL Draft.  Nwokobia flourished under Hunley during the season, being named MVP of the AAC Championship, first defensive player to win the award. He also was named Best Defensive Back by Dave Campbell's Texas Football for his play.  In his debut season, Hunley and the Mustangs went 7-5 in the regular season, and closed the year with an appearance in the New Mexico Bowl, against BYU. Hunley’s unit contributed to the Mustangs’ 42 pass breakups, as well as helping intercept 10 passes across the season including a pair from Jahari Rogers.   In year one with the Flames, Hunley helped the program to its first bowl game in school history before going on to win back-to-back FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl titles (2019, 2020).   Liberty closed out the 2021 season with a win in the Lending Tree Bowl and finished in the top 20 in passing yards allowed (9th, 180.3), red zone defense (10th, .725) and total defense (15th, 320.2).   Liberty went 10-1 in 2020 and ranked No. 17 in the final AP Poll. The defense ranked 11th nationally in total defense (317.7), 12th in passing yards allowed (184.0), 22nd in scoring defense (20.5) and 23rd in interceptions (11). Hunley mentored cornerback Bejour Wilson, who signed a free agent contract with the Arizona Cardinals. The 2019 season saw the Flames rank 28th in sacks (2.69) and 31st in interceptions (12).   Hunley arrived at Liberty after spending one season at UIW (2018) as safeties coach and recruiting coordinator. The Cardinals reached the NCAA FCS Playoffs during its second year of postseason eligibility, posting a 6-2 record in conference play and winning the Southland Conference title. UIW led the Southland and ranked fourth nationally in turnovers gained (30).    From 2015-17, Hunley served as special teams coordinator and linebackers coach at West Georgia, where he also worked alongside Symons. The Wolves made two NCAA Division II playoff appearances, posted a 12-win season and won the Gulf South Conference as well as the NCAA Division II Super Regional title (2015).   He also made coaching stops at Southwest Baptist (2013-14), Lindenwood (2012), Grandview HS (Mo., 2010-11), Drake (2007) and Theodore Roosevelt HS (Iowa, 2004-06), while also serving as an athletics academic coordinator at Iowa State in 2008.   Hunley earned his degree in social sciences from Drake in 2005. He and wife, Nakisha, have three children – Taylor, Raegan and Kamryn.    

AWARDS & ACCOLADES 2025 AFCA 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute Selection  BIO Sam Dunnam arrived on the Hilltop in 2022 and serves as the Edges coach for the Mustangs. Dunnam was previously promoted to defensive assistant and coached the edge players before the 2024 season. Dunnam had his edge unit deliver in its debut season in the ACC in 2024, resulting in the team posting an 11-3 record and going undefeated in conference play and making the College Football Playoff as an 11 seed. The development on Isaiah Smith was on full display in 2024, who finished with a career-high 6.5 sacks. Smith’s success was part of a defensive line unit that got to the quarterback at a high clip earning 43 sacks, the third most in program history. Also making an impact was Cameron Robertson, who finished with a career-best 4.0 sacks on the year. 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. The Mustangs 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. He helped play a key role in the Mustangs' dominance on the defensive end in 2023, resulting in the first conference championship for the program since 1984.  Defensively, the Mustangs were one of the elite teams in the country in 2023. The 47 sacks rank second in program history for a single season. SMU took it to the conference opposition, posting an average margin of victory of 28.9 points (45.9-17.0) in conference games on the year, the largest margin for any FBS team in conference play in 2023. SMU also finished first in all of FBS in defensive touchdowns with five. The Mustangs’ two shutouts during the regular season were the most by the team since 2012. Dunnam served as a graduate assistant at North Carolina in 2018 and in quality control in 2019, where he helped the Tar Heels to the 2019 Military Bowl Championship. He was also a graduate assistant (2013-14) and defensive line coach (2014-18) at his alma mater, Ouachita Baptist. While at Ouachita Baptist, Dunnam helped the Tigers to an undefeated regular season and GAC Championship in 2014 and the No. 1 seed in the regional rankings, as well as a second-round appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs. In 2014, three of the top-10 conference sack leaders came from OBU, and a pair of student-athletes earned all-conference honors. In 2016, Dunnam mentored a pair of all-conference selections, and in 2017 OBU won another GAC Championship, advanced to the DII playoffs and produced a pair of all-conference defensive line selections. Dunnam also previously served as defensive line coach at Trinity Christian Academy (2021), where he helped TCA to the TAPPS League State Championship, and at Bishop Lynch (2020). A four-year letterwinner at Ouachita Baptist, Dunnam was part of the 2011 GAC Championship team and was a two-time team captain.  

Calvin Thibodeaux was named defensive line coach in December 2021. Thibodeaux came to the Hilltop after six seasons at Oklahoma. The defensive line 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.   SMU got to the quarterback at a high clip again in 2024, earning 43 sacks, the third most in program history.   The unit helped the Mustangs defense be 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), 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).   Jared Harrison-Hunte earned first-team All-ACC accolades, and Elijah Roberts and Kori Roberson Jr. picked up Honorable Mention All-ACC honors.   Roberts and Harrison-Hunte also earned first-team All-Texas honors by DCTF.  Roberts, despite missing a game due to injury, ranked sixth in the country in quarterback hurries with 44, while Harrison-Hunte finished tied for 13th with 36. The Mustangs took their game up a notch in year two in 2023, posting an 11-3 mark, resulting in the first conference championship in program history since 1984, while posting an undefeated record in conference play (8-0).    SMU’s 11 wins and nine-game winning streak in 2023 were the most since the 1982 National Championship team. The Mustangs also finished out the year ranked 22nd in the AP Top 25 Poll, the first time appearing in the final poll since 1984.   Thibodeaux’s work on the defensive line was some of the best in the entire country, resulting in the team finishing with 47 sacks, second most in program and third highest in all of FBS for the year. The unit was led by Elijah Roberts, who earned All-America First Team honors by the Action Network after recording a career-best 10.0 sacks.   Roberts was one of five SMU players to record at least four sacks in 2023 under Thibodeaux’s watch.   The second-year coach saw both Elijah Chatman and Roberts earn All-Conference honors from the AAC with Chatman being a first-team selection.   The dominance up front from the Mustangs played a critical role in the whole defense’s elite-level play all year, with the team ranking in the top 25 in the FBS in several categories including: defensive touchdowns (1st, 5), sacks (3rd, 47), third down defense (4th, .281), team passing efficiency defense (9th, 115.28), scoring defense (11th, 17.8), total defense (12th, 304.1), passing yards allowed (13th, 182.2), TFLs per game (16th, 7.1), blocked kicks (21st, 2) and red zone defense (25th, .778).   The success up front saw three Thibodeaux’s players sign with NFL teams shortly after the 2024 NFL Draft in Elijah Chatman (New York Giants), DeVere Levelston (Seattle Seahawks) and Jordan Miller (Denver Broncos). In Thibodeaux’s first season at SMU, the Mustangs posted a 7-5 regular season record, and the season culminated with a trip to the New Mexico Bowl, to face BYU. Under Thibodeaux’s leadership, Elijah Chatman earned All-American Athletic Conference second-team honors and was a member of the Bronko Nagurski, Outland Trophy and Rotary Lombardi Award Watch Lists. Chatman finished the regular season with 37 tackles, including four for loss and three sacks. He added one fumble recovery for a touchdown and a blocked PAT. DeVere Levelston also ranked sixth nationally in blocked kicks with a pair.  Thibodeaux was named one of Rivals' top-25 recruiters of 2018 and 2019.   The 2021 Sooners finished the regular season 10-2, ranking in the top 25 nationally in tackles for loss (7th, 7.6), turnovers gained (18th, 22) and rushing defense (24th, 123.8), while a pair of Thibodeaux's linemen, Isaiah Thomas and Perrion Winfrey, earned second-team All-Big 12 honors.   Thibodeaux's 2020 line helped the Sooners to rankings of seventh nationally in sacks per game (3.4), ninth in rushing defense (105.1 ypg), 22nd in TFLs (7.4) and 29th in total defense (350.6 ypg).   The 2019 season saw OU improve to 38th in total defense (356.4), up from 114th in 2018, and to 32nd in rushing defense (134.1), up from 59th. The line was led by AP first-team All-Big 12 selection Neville Gallimore, second-team all-league pick Ronnie Perkins and Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year LaRon Stokes. Gallimore went on to be a third-round draft pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 2020.   Thibodeaux took over the full defensive line in 2018 after previously working with defensive ends. Amani Bledsoe, Gallimore and Kenneth Mann were named honorable mention All-Big 12 picks, and Perkins was named an ESPN Freshman All-American.   His 2017 group featured Walter Camp First-Team All-American and Co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, who ranked second in the Big 12 with 17.5 tackles for loss and third with 8.0 sacks, as well as D.J. Ward, who earned second-team all-league accolades.   He arrived in Norman after stints at Kansas (2015), Tulsa (2012-14) and Dartmouth (2011).   At Kansas, he led defensive end Ben Goodman to honorable mention All-Big 12 honors after totaling 51 tackles, 9.5 TFLs and 5.5 sacks.   He helped the Golden Hurricane to an 11-3 record in 2012 and a win over Iowa State in the Liberty Bowl. That same season, he coached Derrick Jackson to All-C-USA honors after Jackson combined with Daeshon Bufford 17.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. His 2012 squad registered 53 sacks on the season, compared to only 27 the season prior to his arrival.   At Dartmouth, the Big Green posted its first winning season in Ivy League play in seven years. The Bulldogs registered 41 sacks while ranking 11th nationally in rushing defense and 12th in total defense. He tutored NJCAA All-American and Championship Game Defensive MVP Toby Jackson and coached first-team All-Ivy League and first-team All-New England defensive tackle Eddie Smith. Thibodeaux spent the 2010 season at Navarro Junior College where he helped the Bulldogs to an 11-1 record and the 2010 NJCAA National Championship. As a graduate assistant at Houston (2008-09), he coached defensive end Phillip Hunt to Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year honors.   As a student-athlete, Thibodeaux was part of three Big 12 Championship teams and helped the Sooners to appearances in a pair of BCS National Championship Games (2003, 2004), as well as the 2003 Rose Bowl, 2005 Holiday Bowl and 2007 Fiesta Bowl. An All-Big 12 selection in 2005, he registered 44 tackles, 17.0 TFLs and a league-high 10.0 sacks, the sixth most in school history. He finished his career with 90 tackles, 28.5 TFLs and 13.0 sacks.   He went on to sign with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League in 2007.   A 2006 graduate of OU, he and wife, Terrika, have three kids – Kamiah, Camar and Camsen.

Kyle Ward enters his first season with the Mustangs in 2026 as the coach of the safties.  Ward comes to the Hilltop after serving as the defensive coordinator at South Oak Cliff High School since 2015, where claimed three 5A Division II state titles in the past five years including back-to-back championships in 2021 and 2022. In the 2025 campaign, South Oak Cliff earned a 15-1 record and a state title. With Ward at the helm, the defense allowed only 10.1 points per game. The Golden Bears consistently held opponents scoreless, posting seven shutouts in district play. Ward has shown the ability to develop players at the highest level, highlighted by Ja'Marcus Ingram, who played for the Houston Texans in 2025. Prior to South Oak Cliff, Ward gained coaching experience at the collegiate level. The Dallas native served as a graduate assistant and cornerbacks coach at Texas A&M as well as a graduate assistant at Boise State.   Before his coaching career, Ward spent two seasons as a cornerback at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, posting 63 total tackles.  

Casey Horny is in his third season with SMU in 2026 as the assistant special teams coordinator. The special teams unit posted a strong performance in the 2025 season, ranking 12th nationally in punt return defense after only allowing 3.75 yards per punt. Redshirt freshman kicker Sam Keltner recorded a breakout year in 2025, going 36-for-38 in PATs and making 14 field goals. The Texas native nabbed ACC Specialist of the Week honors after playing a critical role in the Mustangs’ 35-24 victory over Clemson on Oct. 18. Keltner went 3-for-3 in field goals against the Tigers, including a career-long 51-yarder. Punter Wade McSparron also garnered weekly honors, earning a spot on the Ray Guy Award’s “Ray’s 8” list after his collegiate debut in the 42-13 win over East Texas A&M. McSparron notched 55 punts for 2,337 yards on the season, tying for second in the ACC with five touchbacks. Junior Yamir Knight was also a key player on special teams, ranking 24th in FBS for return yards per punt (9.9). In 2024, the Mustangs reached historic heights, making the ACC Championship game and the College Football Playoff.   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 conference play in back-to-back seasons.   The special teams’ unit was a strong suit for the Mustangs during their historic campaign in 2024. SMU finished in the top-25 nationally in Punt Returns (13th), Kickoff Returns (15th) and Kickoff Return Defense (22nd). The Mustangs also finished ranked in the top 20 (19th) in the FEI Special Teams Ratings by BC Toys.   Kicker Collin Rogers also shined in his junior season, earning a spot at the top of the Mustangs record book for points scored with 356. Rogers also nailed seven field goals of 50-or-more yards, one shy of the NCAA record for a single season.   For his success, Rogers earned First Team All-America honors by the FWAA and Sports Illustrated as well as All-America Honorable Mention by Phil Steele. The junior was also named First Team All-Texas by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football publication as well. His 124 points scored ranked 12th in FBS on the year and was the third most in program history for a single season.   Horny spent the 2023 year as the defensive coordinator at Westwood High School.    He spent nine seasons on the Baylor staff as the assistant director of football operations in charge of defensive quality control.   Horny joined the Baylor staff from Texas State, where he served as the Bobcats’ co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach in 2007. Prior to that, he spent two seasons (2005 and 2006) as defensive backs coach at Trinity University in San Antonio and two as cornerbacks coach (2003 and 2004) at Sam Houston State.   A native of Goliad, Texas, Horny spent three seasons as a graduate assistant at Texas, where he worked with the Longhorns’ defensive backs. Texas posted a 31-7 record during his three seasons at school, twice finished among the nation’s top 10 and won two bowl games. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Texas in 2000 and 2002, respectively.  

Carter Caplan enters his first season on the Hilltop after joining the SMU women's basketball program as the Director of Basketball Operations in April of 2025.  "I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Coach Barnes for this incredible opportunity. I am excited to work alongside an administration that is so supportive and invested in the growth of women’s basketball. I look forward to meeting our fans and supporters, as well as deepening our relationship with the Dallas community. I'm thrilled tto be a part of this is a new era of SMU Women’s Basketball and can't wait to see us rise to new heights together, on and off the court. Pony Up!" Prior to becoming a Mustangs, Caplan spent the last three season as the Director of Basketball Operation for the Arizona State women's basketball team. At ASU he planned and oversaw team travel, gameday operations, and scheduled all daily program functions while also acting as the liaison between the program and other athletic programs and campus departments. Caplan assisted in guided the program though its transition from the Pac 12 to the Big 12.     Caplan was named to the 2025 Jewish Coaches Association Rising Professionals and in May of 2023, was one of 46 full-time professionals selected to participate in the NCAA Basketball Coaches Academy.   Before leaving for ASU in 2022 Caplan an Assistant Director of Basketball Operation at Delaware. He was responsible for assisting and coordinating game scheduling and team practices. He also organized community, on-campus recruiting, and team events. Carter used Synergy, a video platform used to capture, produce, and analyze video content, for all practice and game day video footage review. Caplan also managed a team of 11 team managers and 15 male practice squad players. Caplan arrived in Newark following a stint at mid-major DI Niagara University where he served as Director of Basketball Operations since October 2020. At Niagara, Caplan maintained an annual operating budget of $375,000+, coordinated all facets of team travel, and managed team managers and practice players. Carter is no stranger to the Colonial Athletic Association as he is a 2020 graduate of Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA, where he earned a B.S. in Sport Management with a minor in Business Administration & Sports Coaching Leadership. During undergrad at Drexel, Carter served as the Head Manager for the Dragons Women’s Basketball Team from January 2016 to March 2020 under famed Head Coach Denise Dillon. With the Dragons, Caplan logged recruiting questionnaires, created monthly newsletters, tracked analytical data during games, and facilitated team meals. While at Drexel, Caplan participated in numerous Co-Op experiences including stops at University of Pennsylvania, Villanova University, and Temple University where he served in different capacities such as digital media, athletic development, and athletic compliance. Caplan’s achievements include the 2017 The Society for Collegiate Leadership and Achievement recipient, 2018 Drexel University Rising Leader of the Year, and 2018 Dave O’Brien Leadership Award.  

Ryan Jenkins enters his third season at SMU in 2026 as the assistant wide receivers coach. In the 2025 campaign, Jenkins aided Rob Likins in coaching a wide receivers core that ranked 12th nationally in passing offense, averaging 283.1 yards per game. The receiving talent was widespread, having six receivers post at least 300 yards on the year and three record multiple 100-yard receiving games. The Mustangs had at least seven receivers catch a pass in every game in the 2025 season. Senior receiver Jordan Hudson was dynamic for the Mustangs, posting career highs in total receptions (61) and total receiving yards (766) along with three 100-yard receiving performances and six touchdowns. The Garland native secured All-ACC honors for his breakout year along with junior Yamir Knight, who also recorded career highs in both receptions (54) and yards (637). In 2024, the unit showcased its depth once again, as the passing game was among the best in the country. The Mustangs had four receivers record at least 350 yards receiving on the season along with 20 receptions. SMU’s offense was explosive once again, finishing the year ranked ninth in scoring at 36.5 points per game, the seventh-highest average in program history. The passing game ranked 31st in the country and was efficient, ranking 20th in team passing efficiency in 2024. Roderick Daniels Jr. led the receiving core with a breakout year, finishing with a career high in receptions (42), yards (663) and touchdowns (4). Also joining Smith in a breakout campaign with Key’Shawn Smith, who posted career bests in receptions, yards and touchdowns. Both earned All-ACC Honorable Mention honors on the year. Jenkins previously spent the 2023 year at Arizona State as a graduate assistant with the Sun Devils.  

David Kress is in his first season as the Chief Strategist (2025-26) after a season as a graduate assistant with SMU Men’s Basketball.   This is his second stint with the Mustang program. Prior to rejoining SMU in May 2024, Kress spent three seasons as a student manager at USC (2021-24) under Coach Enfield. He began his undergraduate career at SMU with the Mustangs as a student manager (2019-21) with the men’s basketball program prior to transferring to USC. Kress graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in Computer Engineering in May 2024. He is currently working towards a masters degree in Business Analytics at SMU in the Cox School of Business. Updated: June 30, 2025  

Tevin Shears enters his first season with the SMU Women’s basketball program as Director of Creative Video and Recruiting Experience in 2025. Prior to arriving on the Hilltop, Shears was the Kentucky women’s basketball director of creative content during the 2024-25 season. Shears oversaw multiple areas of content creation with the Wildcats creating content for recruiting and social media. Shears arrived in Lexington after spending one season as the manager of creative content at Ole Miss in 2023-24. With the Rebels, he played a critical role in building a nationally recognized brand. He created content for recruiting and social media, which ranged from graphics, documentaries and creative video. Before that, he was the lead content creator for the national champion UConn men’s basketball program in 2022-23. In Storrs, Shears produced content across the board from photo, video and graphic design. ­­ Shears also spent time at Dorman High School managing the men’s basketball program’s social media, as the Cavaliers went on to win four straight 5A State Championships. A Gaffney, South Carolina, native, Shears graduated from Limestone College in 2017.  

Warren Messer enters his fourth season on the Hilltop in 2026, serving as the nickels coach and a senior analyst. An assistant cornerbacks coach in the 2025 season, Messer worked with a key unit of an elite SMU defense. The Mustangs led the conference in both passes intercepted (18) and red zone defense (0.702), good for eighth and fifth in the nation, respectively. SMU had four cornerbacks log 30-or-more tackles this campaign. Deuce Harmon recorded a career-best season, posting career highs in total tackles (34) and solo tackles (23) as well as putting up seven pass breakups. Harmon garnered All-ACC Honorable Mention accolades for his dynamic play in 2025. William Nettles and Marcellus Barnes Jr. also logged breakout seasons. Nettles notched 37 tackles along with four pass breakups and an interception while Barnes Jr. posted 32 tackles, including two tackles-for-loss, six pass breakups and two takeaways. In 2024, Messer was a quality control analyst for linebackers at Indiana. He was a part of a Hoosier team that made the CFP for the first time in program history.  He previously spent two seasons as a defensive quality control assistant (2022-23) at SMU. Three defenders earned All-American Athletic Conference and a pair of Mustangs either signed as an undrafted free agent or received an invitation to rookie mini-camps. The 2023 defense ranked top-15 nationally in nine defensive categories.   Messer tutored Cole Coleman (first team) and Tre’Von Jones (third team) to All-Coastal Athletic Association honors in one season as cornerbacks coach at Elon (2021).   Messer served as a graduate assistant for defense at Liberty (2020) and helped Anthony Butler and Storey Jackson earn All-Independent honors. The Flames won the 2020 Cure Bowl and finished top-25 nationally in total defense (317.7 ypg; No. 11).   He began his coaching journey as the inside linebackers coach at Leesville Road High School (2019) in Raleigh, North Carolina. He helped LRHS to a 13-1 record and coached a pair of all-league selections.   A four-year linebacker at Elon (2015-18), he finished his career No. 10 in Phoenix history with 318 tackles and tied for No. 2 with 13.0 sacks. He was a STATS FCS All-American in 2017 and 2018 and first Elon football player to earn first-team All-Colonial Athletic Association twice in a career.   Messer finished 10th in the final voting for the 2017 Buck Buchanan Award, given to the top defensive player in the country, and spent time in camp with the Minnesota Vikings in 2018.   Messer earned his bachelor’s degree in sport management from Elon (2019).  

Scott Nady is in his seventh season (2023) on the Hilltop and serves as the senior assistant for player development and Dallas recruiting relations. He was born and raised in Dallas. Nady has played a major role in the rise of the program during his time on the Hilltop, having helped rebuild the pipeline to talented players in the Metroplex.    Coach Nady built the accomplished football program at Parish Episcopal in Dallas, Texas from scratch as the head coach for 13 years. After starting the program, he served as the architect of Parish's two state championships—in 2010 and 2014. The team took its first snap in 2007 and was State Champs in 2010, the fastest from first snap to champions in Texas state history. Prior to taking over the Parish Episcopal football team, Nady worked with Coach Dan Calcagno to resurrect the San Leandro High School football program in California. He spent a total of six years on the sidelines at San Leandro in which the last four seasons the team dominated the competition with an impressive 48-4 record.   Nady played football at Cal, helping the team to appearances in the Copper Bowl, Alamo Bowl and Citrus Bowl. Coach Nady is also a former Golden Glove Champion.

Danny Wesley joined the Hilltop in 2022 in and is currently Senior Director of Recruiting Strategy.

Paige Smith is entering her second season back on the Hilltop as the Director of On-Campus Recruiting in 2025. She previously was had the assistant director position before a promotion after the historic 2024 season which saw the Mustangs make their first CFP appearance.    She previously served two seasons at Houston, serving as an on-campus recruiting coordinator during her final season. Prior to Houston, she was on the staff at SMU for a season as a recruiting assistant.    Smith worked in multiple capacities at her alma mater Texas Tech after receiving her bachelor's degree in 2019. While a student, she worked in recruiting and compliance with the Red Raiders.  

Connor Mogan joined  the Hilltop in 2024 as Director of Player Personnel. At SMU, Morgan is responsible for overseeing high school and transfer prospect identification, prospect game film evaluations and coaches recruiting travel. He also manages staff and operations of the personnel department along with running offense and defense prospect recruiting meetings. Morgan also handles prospect analytical recruiting research reports. Morgan joined Baylor and coach Dave Aranda's staff in March of 2021, serving as a personnel assistant for the football team. He was promoted to Coordinator for Player Personnel in February of 2022. In April of 2023, he was promoted to Associate Director of Player Personnel. At Baylor he oversaw maintenance of all recruiting databases, maintain and update current and future roster big board; conduct recruiting research and prepare statistical reports; analyze national trends in recruiting; assist with management of the Transfer Portal; compile daily list of names that entered the Transfer Portal; conduct recruiting research and prepare statistical reports; assist with management of graduate assistant and student assistants; create weekly informational reports relative to the recruitment process for prospective student-athletes. Assist with all Official/Unofficial visits, Junior Days, Camps and all Game Day recruiting. Morgan previously served as a recruiting specialist for Alabama football from August 2017 to February 2021. He was tasked with acquiring film on high school prospects and assisting his assigned assistant coach with any and all recruiting tasks. The Monroeville, Alabama, native graduated from the University of Alabama in 2020 with his bachelor's in education with a concentration in kinesiology. He then graduated with his master's in environmental sciences with a concentration in sport management.

Jeremiah Wait is entering his fourth season at SMU and his first as Director of Defensive Personnel & NFL Liaison. He was elevated to his current role following the Mustangs’ historic 2024 season, which featured a Top-12 national finish, the program’s first-ever College Football Playoff appearance, and the signing of the No. 1 ranked high school recruiting class in the country for 2025. Wait has played a key role in building and sustaining SMU’s momentum—enhancing recruiting efforts on both the high school and transfer portal fronts, while forging a strong pipeline to elite talent across the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He previously served as Assistant Director of College Scouting and College Scouting Assistant during his first two years on the Hilltop. Before arriving at SMU, Wait worked as a football scouting assistant at West Virginia, where he earned his master’s degree and learned under Matt Jansen (now Director of Scouting at Notre Dame), a former NFL scout with the Texans and Ravens, and Alex Brown at SMU (now Director of Player Personnel at Ole Miss), one of the most respected evaluators in the industry. He also completed a ticket sales and member services internship with the Jacksonville Jaguars. A former running back and cornerback at Wisconsin-La Crosse, Wait transitioned into coaching as a student assistant following a career-ending injury. He has further sharpened his scouting acumen through coursework with The Scouting Academy under former NFL scout and director Daniel Hatman, and by completing Phil Savage’s 8th Annual Scouting School—led by the Jets’ Senior Football Advisor and former interim GM during the 2024 season.  

DJ Mann enters his first season on the Hilltop in 2026 in the role of Director of Offensive Player Personnel.  Mann jumped to the college game in 2024 when he arrived at at Ole Miss. He spent the past year at Texas A&M in a similar role, playing a part in the Aggies making the CFP for the first time during the 2025 season.  Previously, Mann was head coach at Lubbock Coronado from 2021-2023, his first head coaching job. From 2006-2021, he spent time as an offensive coordinator, recruiting coordinator and assistant coach across the state of Texas.

Jake Langi embarks on his first season at the Hilltop as Senior Personnel Analyst, where he plays a critical role in both player evaluation and recruitment. With 15 years of experience spanning the FCS, Group of Five, and Power Four levels, Langi brings significant knowledge to the Mustang program.   Before joining SMU, Langi spent three years in the private sector following a five-year tenure with the University of Texas. He initially worked as a Recruiting Assistant during the 2017 and 2018 seasons before his promotion to Player Personnel Analyst in 2019, the first in this role in program history. From 2021 to 2022, Langi also served as Junior College Liaison, managing Special Projects, while overseeing the recruitment and player assessments for the EDGE position.   His contributions were instrumental to Texas’ achievement of three Top 10 signing classes over five years. Notably, Langi played a substantial part in the evaluation and/or recruitment of prominent athletes such as Junior Angilau, a three-year starter, and several eventual NFL players including Moro Ojomo, Jaylan Ford, Christian Jones, Alfred Collins, Vernon Broughton, David Gbenda, and Jake Majors. Additionally, he aided in the recruitment of Liona Lefau, who became the first-ever football recruit from Hawaii to sign with the Longhorns in 2023.   During Langi’s time in Austin, the Longhorns captured four consecutive bowl victories including the 2018 Sugar Bowl win over fifth-ranked Georgia, culminating in a No. 8 national ranking and the institution’s first 10-win season in a decade. Other highlights include triumphs in the 2017 Texas Bowl vs. Missouri, 2019 Alamo Bowl vs. 11th-ranked Utah, and 2020 Alamo Bowl vs. Colorado.   Langi’s career began at Texas State University serving in diverse roles under three different head coaches. He was Offensive Line Assistant and the program's first Recruiting Assistant from 2008-2010, contributing to the Bobcats' 2008 Southland Conference Championship and NCAA Division I FCS quarterfinal appearance. In 2008, the Bobcat offense finished seventh nationally in scoring, eighth in total offense. In 2009, the offense ranked seventh nationally in Passing and 12th in scoring offense. Between 2011 and 2012, he supported student-athletes as a Football Academic Mentor and worked as an instant replay technician. After a brief hiatus, Langi returned as a recruiting assistant from 2014 through 2016.   Beyond his professional experience, Langi has unique insight into the recruiting process as the parent to a Division I volleyball athlete. His daughter, Lusia, was named an AVCA 2nd Team All-American while attending Hays High School, setting thirteen school records, and proving herself as one of the top Middle Blockers in Texas. She currently competes as a sophomore at Utah Tech University, majoring in Sports Management, and earned Freshman All-WAC honors in 2024. Lusia is thriving in the NIL space as a member of the 2025 Varsity Team for Dick’s Sporting Goods as well as taking part in the 2025 NCAA x Meta NIL Empowerment Program.   The Langi family boasts a rich athletic tradition. His brother, Taani, played collegiate volleyball for Columbia College, contributing to their 1999 NAIA National Championship. Sister Mia was Trinity High School’s first All-State volleyball honoree and later played for North Carolina A&T. Athletes in his extended family include uncles Sione Tavo Le’ota-Motu’apuaka, Kuluni Le’ota-Motu’apuaka, Sio Le’ota-Motu’apuaka, and Soakai Motu’apuaka who were members of Tonga’s national rugby team. Sione Tavo, known as ‘Tevolo Tonga’ (‘the Tongan Devil’), holds legendary status in the South Pacific.   Langi received his bachelor’s degree in Exercise & Sports Science from Texas State University and is a graduate of Trinity High School (Euless, TX). He is the son of Fakasi’ima’anga (“Miki”) and the late Sekope Langi. Together with his wife Stephanie, they have two children: Lusia Lou Fakasi’ima’anga ‘A Fatafehi Kia Tungi and Cannon Uho ‘O Loto Ha’angana. His late grandfather, Sione Alaipulotu Motu’apuaka, served as the Royal Talking Chief for the King of Tonga  

Entering his fourth year at the Hilltop in 2025, Bryan Filker assumes a new role as the Director of Recruiting Operations, marking his fourth consecutive position within the institution. His journey began as a College Scouting Assistant in 2022, followed by a role as a Player Personnel GA in 2023, and then Assistant Director of Recruiting Operations in 2024. Prior to his transition to collegiate athletics, Filker gained valuable experience as a scouting and analytics intern with The 33rd Team, a distinguished football think tank, comprising of current and former NFL coaches, players, and scouts. In this capacity, he assessed NFL Draft prospects through film study, play charting, statistical analysis, and live evaluations. Additionally, Filker contributed to professional football as a Texas area scout for the CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers and served as a NFL liaison for the East West Shrine Bowl. Filker served with distinction in the United States Air Force for four years, specializing in F-22 intelligence with the 525 Fighter Squadron in JBER Alaska. Filker's academic accomplishments reflect a continuous pursuit of excellence across multiple disciplines. In 2025, he earned a Master of Science in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Organizational Dynamics from Southern Methodist University, graduating with honors. This followed the completion of a Master of Science in Sports Administration from American Military University in 2024. In 2023, he also earned a Master of Science in Sport Management from SMU. His undergraduate studies culminated in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management from American Military University, where he graduated summa cum laude. Filker’s academic journey began with an Associate of Applied Science in Intelligence Studies and Technology from the Community College of the Air Force in 2020.  

Jen Jones enters her first season on the Hilltop as a Sports Performance Coach for Women’s Basketball in 2025.  Before arriving at SMU she spent the previous sive season as the Assistant AD Sports Performance at Aurburn. Jones oversees all aspects of strength & conditioning for Auburn’s Olympic sports and was the strength and conditioning coach for the Tigers women's basketball program.  Jones went to Auburn from Purdue University where she served as Director of Strength & Conditioning for Olympic sports from 2017-19. In 2011, Jones was named Master Strength & Conditioning Coach (MSCC) by the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association. The designation is the highest honor that can be achieved as a strength & conditioning coach, representing professionalism, knowledge, experience and expertise, as well as longevity in the field. Prior to Purdue, Jones served as an assistant strength coach at Texas A&M from 2004-17, working with women’s basketball. She was also the head strength coach for women's athletics at the University of Arkansas (2001-04) and an assistant strength & conditioning coach at the University of Houston (1997-2000). At Houston, Jones was responsible for the development and implementation of team and individualized conditioning programs for all Olympic sports. She designed separate programs for weight training, agility, speed and flexibility. She also supervised undergraduate and graduate staff while maintaining the facility. Jones graduated from Michigan State University in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science. She later completed a Master of Science in Sports Management from Texas A&M University in 2015.

Hannah Cesario arrived on the Hilltop in February 2023. Cesario serves as the Director of Internal Football Operations, managing the behind-the-scenes logistics and administrative support in the football office. In her role, she oversees all aspects of team travel, including hotels, charter flights, buses, and police escorts, and coordinates coaching conventions and major team events. She leads the football business department, handling purchases, invoicing, purchase orders, and financial reconciliations. She also organizes the daily schedules for coaches and players through Teamworks. In addition to her operational duties, she currently serves as the former player liaison, maintaining communication with football alumni. Cesario also assists with community engagement through clinics and special events. Before her current role, she spent four seasons as the Director of Football Operations and Video Coordinator at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California. There, she managed a wide range of responsibilities including team travel, videography, film exchange, budget oversight, recruiting operations, official visits, meals, scheduling, game day logistics, and more. Her football career began at Oregon State University, where she worked for four years in the Beavers’ football video department. During that time, she also collaborated with the Pac-12 Network as part of their video production crew, providing multi-sport broadcast support. She earned her degree in Digital Communications from Oregon State University in 2019. Hannah’s family resides in both the Pacific Northwest and California’s Central Coast.  

Shawn Griswold was hired as Head Football Strength Coach/Assistant A.D. for Human Performance in January 2022.   Griswold arrived on the Hilltop after four seasons at Virginia, where he served as the Director of Football Development and Performance. He helped the Cavaliers to three bowl appearances, including the 2018 Belk Bowl Championship, and the ACC Coastal Division title in 2019.   Prior to his time at Virginia, Griswold served as Head Coach for Sports Performance at Arizona State from 2012-17 and was the Director of Strength and Conditioning at Pittsburgh in 2011 and Tulsa from 2008-10. During that 10-year stretch, he helped teams to eight bowl games and four 10-win seasons. The Sun Devils made five bowl appearances, won the Pac-12 South Division in 2013 and finished No. 12 in the final AP Poll in 2014, while Pitt earned a berth in the BBVA Compass Bowl. The 2008-10 stint at Tulsa was the second for Griswold, who also led strength and conditioning efforts for the Golden Hurricane from 2004-06. TU earned four bowl berths in that time and won the 2005 Conference USA Championship. In 2007, Griswold was Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Louisville. Griswold spent five years as Head Strength and Conditioning Coordinator at his alma mater, Utah State, where he oversaw athletic development for 16 varsity sports and worked with football, basketball and volleyball.   Griswold was a four-year letterwinner at tight end for the Aggies from 1992-95. He earned his bachelor's in exercise science in 1996 and went on to earn a master of science degree in 1998. His coaching career began as a graduate assistant for the Aggies before he was promoted to Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach.

Dwayne Chandler was named SMU's assistant head strength & conditioning coach in January 2022. Chandler came to the Hilltop after four seasons at Virginia, where he helped the Cavaliers to three bowl appearances, including the 2018 Belk Bowl Championship, and the ACC Coastal Division title in 2019. Prior to his time in Charlottesville, Chandler spent a season as the head S&C coach at Georgia Southern, and before that he was the associate director of athletic performance at Memphis (2014-16). In year one with Memphis, he helped the Tigers to an American Athletic Conference Championship. In 2015, Memphis equaled a school record for victories, going 10-3, capped off by a win over BYU in the Miami Beach Bowl. Chandler arrived in Memphis after spending the 2012-13 seasons as the assistant athletic director for sports enhancement at UAB, where he oversaw strength and conditioning efforts with direct oversight of the Blazers' football performance programs. Prior to that, he was on staff at his alma mater, Oklahoma, from 2009-11, and was an assistant strength and conditioning coach with the Denver Broncos during the 2007 and 2008 seasons where he worked with Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall and Champ Bailey. Before moving to the NFL, Chandler was on staff at Minnesota (2001-06) starting as a strength and conditioning and speed coach before being elevated to co-head strength and conditioning coach in 2003. In 2004, he was named head strength and conditioning coach. While with the Gophers, he mentored 12 NFL Draft picks, including 2006 first rounder Laurence Maroney and 2005 fourth-round selection Marion Barber III. Chandler's efforts also helped Minnesota to bowl games in each of his last five seasons. Prior to his time in the Twin Cities, he spent a season with the Dallas Cowboys as a strength and conditioning intern. Chandler is Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified (SCCC) by the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association. He is also USA Weightlifting Certified. He was a four-year letterwinner (1992-96) at fullback and led the Oklahoma in touchdowns (12) in 1993. He earned his bachelor's degree in communication/sociology from Oklahoma in 2000. Chandler is married to wife, Susan. The couple resides in Allen with their daughter, Satin. He is also the father of Dwayne Harris, Jr. 

Devon Kleich joined the SMU football staff in spring of 2022 and serves as director of football video services.   Kleich arrived on the Hilltop after three seasons at UAB, where he served as video coordinator. Prior to that, he served collegiate stints at Miami as an assistant video producer (2017-19) and at Kansas as a video assistant (2017).   Kleich spent the 2016 season in the NFL as a video intern for the Minnesota Vikings.   A graduate of Nebraska, Kleich earned a degree in journalism and served as a student video coordinator for the football program.