logo
SMU Football Makes Underrated Hire After Playoff Season

SMU Football Makes Underrated Hire After Playoff Season

Yahoo11-06-2025

SMU Football Makes Underrated Hire After Playoff Season originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Rhett Lashlee and SMU Football have added a former Texas high school offensive coordinator to his support staff. According to Mike Roach of 247Sports, former North Texas staffer Matthew McHugh has taken over as the Mustangs director of player personnel.
Advertisement
For SMU, this is an underrated hire in the Lone Star State. McHugh joins the Mustangs at the right time as well. SMU is coming off an 11-3 record in their ACC debut season, where they lost to Clemson in the conference title game. But ultimately took a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff and suffered a 38-10 loss to Penn State in the first round.
However, there is a lot to be excited about in Dallas. Lashlee's team has proven to be a contender as the upcoming season approaches. The Mustangs offense rolls through quarterback Kevin Jennings as he enters the season with some preseason Heisman buzz. While he is considered a dark horse, expect the junior passer to turn heads in SMU's 'run it back' year.
Related: From death penalty to power play: SMU rebirth in college football
The Mustangs also bring back their entire coaching staff with McHugh being the latest addition.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Florida Football Preview 2025: Billy Napier Has His Best Gator Team Yet - But Is It Enough?
Florida Football Preview 2025: Billy Napier Has His Best Gator Team Yet - But Is It Enough?

Miami Herald

time2 hours ago

  • Miami Herald

Florida Football Preview 2025: Billy Napier Has His Best Gator Team Yet - But Is It Enough?

Florida is supposed to be playing for national the program of Spurrier, and Urban, and Tebow, and fun, and 'n', and gun, and spread, and Wuerffel - and basketball national titles - and Billy Napier was and is supposed to be the guy who came in and got everything back to rough has it been? Starting with the final season under Dan Mullen, the 26 losses mark the worst four-year run of Gator football since 1978 to 1981, and there was a 0-10-1 campaign in that mix. X CFN, Fiu | CFN Facebook | Bluesky Fiu, CFN Florida Offense BreakdownFlorida Defense BreakdownSeason Prediction, Win Total, Keys to SeasonBefore last year, the three straight losing seasons were the first time that happened since a stretch from 1945 to 1947. And following a 49-17 loss to Texas in mid-November, Florida appeared to be destined for its first four-season losing run since the then the offense clicked, the defense didn't allow more than 17 points in any of the final four games, Napier came up with a strong recruiting class, and now there's hope again that the big production is about to first, Florida just has to get closer to the pin against the good teams. This is the best squad yet under Napier. It was rebuilt to this point with a strong combination of depth, youth, and talent. There weren't any major losses through the transfer portal that can't be fixed, and there weren't a ton of players coming in other than to patch a few lines are strong, there's a rising superstar at quarterback in DJ Lagway, and the kicking game might be the best in the SEC. But the team needs to be in more tight games to let the special teams be the of the 19 losses under Napier, 12 of them were by double-digits, including four of the five defeats last year. And that's where the bar should be set. Of course Florida needs to be good enough to be a regular in the College Football Playoff, and of course Napier needs to do more, but out of those 19 losses under Napier, 13 were against the elite of the elite that finished with ten wins or this year's schedule might be the toughest of the again, it's Florida. It's supposed to be one of those elites among elites that take down all of the other good programs. It might not happen this year, but 2025 has to be the final season before it does. Florida Offense BreakdownFlorida Defense BreakdownSeason Prediction, Win Total, Keys to Season © 2025 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.

Clemson defensive end Will Heldt named a transfer who 'could swing' the Tigers' CFP hopes
Clemson defensive end Will Heldt named a transfer who 'could swing' the Tigers' CFP hopes

USA Today

time3 hours ago

  • USA Today

Clemson defensive end Will Heldt named a transfer who 'could swing' the Tigers' CFP hopes

Clemson offensive line ranked Top 10 heading into 2025 by two ESPN analysts CBS Sports recently identified transfer portal additions who could have the biggest impact on the 2025 College Football Playoff race, and one of Clemson's newest faces made the cut. Junior defensive end Will Heldt, a transfer from Purdue, was named the Tigers' most important portal pickup in the outlet's post-spring Top 25 feature. CBS Sports' Chris Hummer singled out Heldt as a player who 'could swing College Football Playoff hopes,' pointing to both his production and timing. The 6-foot-6, 265-pound edge rusher arrives at Clemson after two strong seasons in the Big Ten, and more importantly, he represents a rare step into the transfer portal by Dabo Swinney. 'Clemson finished last season ranked 59th in pressure rate, well below where you expect the Tigers to sit after finishing fourth, 22nd, 11th and 15th in that category across the last four seasons,' Hummer wrote. 'Heldt helps address that shortcoming. He posted 10 TFLs and five sacks for Purdue last season and should form one of the best edge rusher duos in the country with T.J. Parker. Plus, Heldt's presence itself is a bit of a swing factor in the playoff race. He's the first significant transfer take of Dabo Swinney's career.' Heldt played in all 24 games for Purdue from 2023 to 2024, compiling 68 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, five sacks, and a fumble recovery. Last fall, he started all 12 games and was second on the team in both sacks and tackles for loss while ranking fourth in total tackles. Two of his best games came in back-to-back weeks against ranked opponents, where he tallied 2.5 sacks and returned a fumble 16 yards for a touchdown. Originally from Carmel, Indiana, Heldt was ranked No. 28 overall by ESPN among the top 100 transfer players this offseason. He was also recently featured in a CBS Sports breakdown of players 'most likely to make an immediate impact on the ACC' in 2025. With two years of eligibility remaining, Heldt not only fills a critical need for Clemson up front, but also marks a philosophical shift for Swinney — who had long resisted the transfer portal before adding Heldt. His arrival is expected to play a significant role in the Tigers' push back into the national spotlight. Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.

Texas A&M lands commitment from elite 2026 five-star Edge out of Georgia
Texas A&M lands commitment from elite 2026 five-star Edge out of Georgia

USA Today

time9 hours ago

  • USA Today

Texas A&M lands commitment from elite 2026 five-star Edge out of Georgia

Texas A&M's recruiting success continued on Saturday afternoon, as one of the program's 13 visitors announced his commitment to the Aggies as a five-star edge Tristian Givens, who is currently taking his first official visit to College Station, became the 19th commit in A&M's 2026 cycle, and the second five-star commit alongside cornerback Brandon Arrington. Texas A&M's long history of recruiting and developing elite defensive linemen, and after sending Nic Scourton, Shemar Stewart, and Shemar Turner to the NFL this offseason, Elko and defensive line coaches Tony Jerod-Eddie and Sean Spencer can continue using the program's previous success to gain ground with elite pass rushers with NFL potential. Tristian Givens is that player, and the Georgia native has a bright future in front of him. Choosing the Aggies over Tennessee and Washington, where he recently took official visits, Texas A&M's future edge rotation will allow Givens to see the field earlier than expected, with senior Cashius Howell off to the NFL after the 2025 season. On the field, Givens is still raw as a pass rusher, having started his football career as a wide receiver, but possesses elite traits, especially his ability to bend and keep his balance once he turns the corner. Under Mike Elko, who will call the defensive plays this coming season, recruiting and developing NFL talent is the key to competing for a College Football Playoff spot. According to 247Sports, Givens is currently positioned as the 23rd-ranked prospect in the 2026 cycle, the 3rd-ranked edge, and the 4th-ranked prospect in Georgia. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store