DALLAS (SMU) ? SMU Head Football Coach Phil Bennett has been awarded a two-year contract extension, Athletic Director Jim Copeland announced today. Bennett, who has two years remaining under his current agreement, is now under contract to the university through the 2008 season.

?Our goal is to win championships at SMU,? said Copeland. ?I am convinced that Phil Bennett is the man who will lead us to Conference USA titles and bowl games in the years to come and we are very happy to have him as our head football coach.?

SMU President Gerald Turner echoed Copeland?s sentiments, saying, ?We believe that the improvement in the performance of our young team at the end of the year will continue under Coach Bennett's leadership as we begin play in Conference USA.?

Bennett led SMU to wins in two of its last three contests in 2004 despite fielding the youngest team in the nation and losing 14 starters to injury for portions of the season. Additionally, Bennett has dramatically upgraded the Mustangs? talent since arriving on the Hilltop in December of 2001, landing some of the top recruiting classes in the conference each season. His work has earned him ?Top Recruiter? honors in the league from various publications since his arrival at SMU.

?I have said from the beginning that we will win championships at SMU and that I?m in this for the long haul,? said Bennett. ?I do want to thank the administration for their vote of confidence in what we?re doing as a football program. I also want to let them and our fans know that we will turn this program into a consistent winner.?