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SETTING THE SCENE
•    SMU heads to Annapolis to take on Navy at 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS Sports Network.
•     The Mustangs are coming off a 41-17 victory over USF in their American Athletic Conference opener. Tanner Mordecai threw for 301 yards and four TDs, while Tre Siggers ran for 86 yards and a TD and Danny Gray registered 74 yards and two TDs. Jimmy Phillips Jr. had a team-high seven tackles, including a TFL, and Gary Wiley had a pair of sacks and a forced fumble.
•     Tanner Mordecai was added to the Maxwell Award Watch List this week and was also named to the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll and, for the third time this season, the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Honor Honorable Mention list. Hayden Howerton was also announced as one of 30 candidates for the Senior CLASS Award.
•     SMU is 5-0 to open the year for the third consecutive season, the first time the Mustangs have accomplished the feat since 1981-83. With a win, SMU would have its best start since the 8-0 record to open the 2019 season.
•     The Mustangs moved into both polls at No. 24 this week. Dating back to week four of the 2019 season, the Mustangs have been ranked or receiving votes every week in at least one poll. 
•     SMU reached No. 16 in both the AP and Coaches Polls during the 2020 season.
•     SMU is coming off a seven-win season in 2020 (7-3) and has won seven games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 2011-12 seasons (10-3 in 2019).
•     The Mustangs returned 2020 Freshman All-American and AAC Rookie of the Year Ulysses Bentley IV, along with all-conference selections Hayden Howerton and Jaylon Thomas.
•     Sonny Dykes led SMU to 22 wins since the start of the 2019 season, making him the winningest FBS coach in Texas in that span. 

THE SERIES
This is the 23rd meeting between SMU and Navy, with Navy holding the 13-9 all-time advantage. SMU has won two of the last three, including a 51-37 victory last season. The Midshipmen won the last meeting in Annapolis (2019), 35-28.

ABOUT THE MIDSHIPMEN
Navy enters Saturday's match-up 1-3 overall, and 1-1 in AAC play after a 34-30 win over UCF last week. The Midshipmen fell at Houston, 28-20 on Sept. 25.

THE COACHES
•    Sonny Dykes is in his fourth season and is 27-14 as head coach of the Mustangs. He is just the fourth Mustang head coach to win 20 games in his first three seasons. Dykes has been a finalist for Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year and the Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards. The seven wins in 2020 were the first in back-to-back seasons since the 2011-12 seasons, and the bowl bid was the second in three seasons under Dykes. In 2019, Dykes led SMU to an historic season that saw the Mustangs go 10-3, winning the most games since 1984 and earning their highest national ranking (15/14) since 1985.

•    Ken Niumatalolo is in his 14th season as head coach of Navy, and 24th season overall in Annapolis. Niumataolo has led the Midshipmen to 10 winning seasons and 10 bowl appearances, and is 102-70 as head coach.

LAST TIME VS. NAVY
DALLAS (AP) — Shane Buechele threw three touchdown passes, Ulysses Bentley IV ran for two scores and No. 22 SMU rebounded from its first loss with a 51-37 victory over Navy on Oct. 31, 2020.

The Mustangs (6-1, 3-1 American Athletic) scored 30 consecutive points from late in the second quarter to early in the fourth, a run that started with 10 points in the final seven seconds of the first half.

After the first of Buechele's two scoring tosses to Rashee Rice, Nelson Smith fumbled and SMU's Gary Wiley won the scramble for the loose ball at the Navy 18 with a second remaining. Chris Naggar's 34-yard field goal made it 31-17.

The Mustangs should have been pinned inside their 5 for their first possession of the second half, but Navy's Devin Mathews stepped on the goal line while batting a bouncing punt back toward the field. SMU took over at the 20, and Buechele later connected with Austin Upshaw for a 42-yard TD.

Buechele was at 207.5 after completed 23 of 28 passes for 300 yards with no interceptions.

Smith had 55 yards rushing and a touchdown by early in the second quarter but finished with 54 for the Midshipmen (3-4, 3-2) as SMU controlled the triple-option attack in the second half a week after giving up 313 yards rushing in a 42-13 loss to No. 7 Cincinnati.

Bentley finished with 149 yards on 25 carries and set up Rice's second TD with a 61-yard catch when he came out of the backfield as Buechele was faking a run up the middle and the quarterback hit his lead back in stride over the middle.

Tyler Lavine put SMU in front for the first time at 21-14 on a 10-yard run midway through the second quarter. He had another TD on a 48-yard run when his knee never touched the ground as he rolled over a pile. Lavine popped up and ran the final 40 yards untouched and finished with 74 yards. Rice had 46 yards receiving.

SMU finished with 255 yards rushing to 191 for Navy, the first time the Mustangs have had more yards on the ground than the Midshipmen since 1998.

The Mustangs slowed Navy's vaunted running game with several big plays in the backfield against the option. SMU finished with 12 tackles for loss.

Perhaps the biggest came from Trevor Denbow on the first drive of the second half. Navy had a first down at the SMU 36 when the linebacker dropped Carlinos Acie for a 6-yard loss. Navy ended up punting, and SMU soon had a three-touchdown lead. Denbow was one of four SMU players with two tackles for loss.

QUICK HITS
•     SMU is 22-6 since the start of 2019 and 12-1 at home in that span.
•     The Mustangs are 5-0 for the third straight season, marking only the second time in history the program has started 5-0 in three consecutive seasons (1981-83).
•     The Mustangs are tied for the national lead with zero sacks allowed.
•     SMU has had at least one takeaway in each game this season (nine total). The streak dates back seven games, 16 of the last 17 and 36 of the last 39.
•     Shaine Hailey was selected to wear the No. 23 jersey in honor of Jerry LeVias in 2021.
•     Delano Robinson, Shaine Hailey, Reggie Roberson, Jr., Hayden Howerton, Trevor Denbow, Tanner Mordecai and Grant Calcaterra were selected as 2021 captains.

THE GANSZ TROPHY
When SMU and Navy meet on the gridiron, they battle for the Gansz Trophy, a traveling trophy created to honor late coaching legend Frank Gansz.

Considered perhaps the top special teams coach in the history of the NFL, Gansz spent time at both SMU and the Naval Academy. Gansz was starting his second season as special teams coach on the Hilltop when he passed away on April 27, 2009. As a collegian, Gansz played center and linebacker for the Naval Academy from 1957 to 1959 and graduated in 1960. He also spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Navy (1969-72). 

In all, Gansz was a veteran of 38 seasons of coaching - 24 in the NFL and 14 in the collegiate ranks. Prior to coming to SMU in 2008, Gansz was with the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he was special teams coordinator in 2000 and 2001. He served as the special teams coach of the St. Louis Rams for three seasons, helping the team to its victory in Super Bowl XXXIV. 

In 1986, Gansz's first year as Asst. HC/Special Teams for Kansas City, the Chiefs blocked or deflected an NFL-record 10 kicks and scored five TDs. Because of his success with the special teams, Gansz was promoted to head coach of the Chiefs, a role he served from 1987 to 1988. 

He left the Chiefs to become the special teams coach of the Detroit Lions from 1989 to 1993. In 1989, Gansz was named NFL Special Teams Coach of the Year by his peers. Gansz then spent three years as the assistant head coach/special teams for the Atlanta Falcons from 1994 to 1996. 

Gansz's NFL career began in 1978 as special teams coach for the San Francisco 49ers. He coached special teams and tight ends for Cincinnati (1979-80), Kansas City (1981-82) and Philadelphia (1983-85). 

After serving as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force for nearly seven years, Gansz began his coaching career at the Air Force Academy (1964-66). He also had coaching stints at Colgate (1968), Navy (1969-72), Oklahoma State (1973, 1975), Army (1974) and UCLA (1976-77). 

STOPPING STAUBUCH
On October 11, 1963, the fourth-ranked Navy Midshipmen came to the Cotton Bowl to play the Mustangs on the Friday night before the Texas-OU game. 

A crowd of 37,000 fans came to Fair Park with the intentions of getting a look at Navy's All-America quarterback, Roger Staubach. What the crowd did not expect was that the Mustangs and second-year head coach Hayden Fry were about to knock off Staubach and company in one of the most memorable games in SMU history.

After the Midshipmen jumped out to a 10-0 lead, SMU sophomore quarterback Mac White took a sweep 22 yards for a touchdown. However, Staubach brought Navy right back to extend the lead to 18-7. SMU QB Danny Thomas then came into the game in relief and hit Thomas Hillary for a touchdown with five seconds left in the first half, bringing the Mustangs to within five at 18-13 at the intermission.

Late in the third quarter, Staubach threw a touchdown pass for a 25-13 lead. But on the third play after the kickoff, John Roderick ignited the Cotton Bowl as he took a pitch from White and made one of the most exciting plays of the decade. Roderick cut all the way across the field at the 35, got a block from White and raced into the end zone to cut the Navy lead to six at 25-19. 

The Mustang defense then stepped up on Navy's next possession and made the first of several big plays that night. Dave Corder intercepted Staubach, allowing the offense to come back on the field to go for the lead. SMU drove inside the Navy 10 and gave the ball to Roderick for the final surge into the end zone. The Mustangs had stormed back to take the lead, 26-25. But Staubach, with his usual determination, moved his team down the field setting up a field goal to give Navy a two-point lead at 28-26 with 2:52 remaining in the game.

On the ensuing possession, it only took the Mustangs four plays and 47 seconds to take the lead back. Billy Gannon was able to fight his way into the end zone from the one, and SMU took a 32-28 lead. 

But back came Staubach, proving why he would come to be known as "Captain Comeback" during his days at the helm of the Dallas Cowboys. However, SMU's Donald Campbell and Tommy Caughran broke up two passes in the end zone in the last few seconds, and the Mustangs had their upset win. 

Coach Fry was named national Coach of the Week, and the win over Navy helped propel the Mustangs into the Sun Bowl despite the fact that they finished 4-6 and tied for fifth in the Southwest Conference.

HOME SWEET HOME
SMU is 12-1 at home since the start of the 2019 season.

SMU was 3-1 at home in 2020 and announced sellouts of 7,898 in all four games. The loss to No. 9/10 Cincinnati snapped a streak of eight consecutive home wins at Ford Stadium (4th longest streak home winning streak in program history - 18, 1925-28; 17, 1934-36; 10, 1946-48; 8, 2019-20).

The Mustangs finished the 2019 season 6-0 at home, posting a perfect record at home for the first time since going 4-0 in 1968 when games were played at the Cotton Bowl. The Mustangs last went perfect on campus in 1939 when they were 5-0. SMU last won six games at home in 2017, finishing 6-1 overall.

HOT START
SMU led or was tied after the first quarter in 21 of the past 27 games, and were also leading or tied at halftime in 21 of the past 27. The Mustangs opened the 2019 season 8-0 for the first time since 1982 and the 5-0 start this season gives the Mustangs three consecutive seasons of 5-0 starts for the first time since 1981-83.

MAKING OUR POINT
SMU scored 50+ points three times in 2020 (65 at UNT, 50 vs. SFA, 51 vs. Navy) and opened the 2021 season with 56 against ACU. The only other time SMU had three games of 50+ in a season was 1928. The Mustangs had 31 points in the second quarter against Navy in 2020, the most for SMU in a quarter since scoring 31 points in the third quarter of a 72-42 home win against Houston on Oct. 18, 2012.

The Mustangs allowed only 21 points over the first two games of 2021, the fewest to open the season since 1996 and the fewest in consecutive games since 2011. They currently lead The American with 213 points (42.6/game).

1996 
8/31 Tulsa W 17-10
9/7 at Arkansas W 23-10
2011 
9/17 Northwestern State W 40-7
9/24 at Memphis W 42-0

SMU SEASON SCORING AVERAGE
---    2021    42.6
1    2019    41.8
2    2020    38.6
3    2017    37.8
4    1981    33.2
5    2012    30.5
6    2018    30.4

STREAKING
The Mustangs' win over TCU on Sept. 25 brought the regular-season, non-conference win streak to 12 straight, the most since a streak of 17 from 1979-85. SMU has also won six straight regular-season, non-conference road games. The Mustangs' eight-game win streak to start the 2019 season was the longest since SMU won 10 straight in 1982. 

WATCH US
The 11 Mustangs on 16 National Awards Watch Lists give the program five straight seasons where SMU is represented on 10+ lists.
Ulysses Bentley IV | Maxwell Award, Doak Walker Award, CFPA, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award
Grant Calcaterra | Mackey Award, Reese's Senior Bowl
Danny Gray | Paul Hornung Award, Reese's Senior Bowl
Shaine Hailey | AFCA Good Works Team, Wuerffel Trophy
Brendan Hall | Ray Guy Award Watch List
Hayden Howerton | William V. Campbell Trophy, Senior CLASS Award
Blake Mazza | Lou Groza Award
Tanner Mordecai | Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award
Rashee Rice | Biletnikoff Award
Reggie Roberson, Jr. | Maxwell Award, Biletnikoff Award, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, Reese's Senior Bowl
Jaylon Thomas | Outland Trophy, Reese's Senior Bowl

WHAT A RUSH
SMU set the single-season rushing touchdown record in 2019 with 35 and finished with 24 (10 games) in 2020. 

The Mustangs posted 350 yards at TCU, the most since 366 yards at North Texas in 2020. The game was also the last time SMU had more rushing than passing yards as well. Ulysses Bentley IV (153) and Tre Siggers (110) gave the Mustangs two 100-yard rushers for the first time since the 2020 meeting with SFA.

SMU outrushed Navy (255-191) in 2020 for the first time since Nov. 21, 1998 (274-131 in a 24-11 win at Navy). It was the first time SMU has had multiple players rush for two or more TDs since Ke'Mon Freeman (3) & Xavier Jones (2) did so at Connecticut on Nov. 10, 2018 (W, 62-50) with Bentley and Tyler Lavine each posting a pair.

After a Freshman All-America season, Bentley IV again leads the Mustangs in rushing in 2021. Against UNT, Bentley IV posted the seventh longest run in program history with an 85-yard TD. It was the longest for a Mustangs since a 96-yard TD run by Kris Briggs vs. Tulsa in 2002. He currently has 53 carries for 403 yards and two TDs.

LET'S GET EXPLOSIVE
How SMU ranks among the nation in explosive plays:

Yards	No. of Plays	Yards	No. of Plays
20+	30 (T17)	60+	3 (T13)
30+	13 (T28)	70+	1 (T26)
40+	8 (T18)	80+	1 (T3)
50+	4 (T24)

500 CLUB
SMU registered 500 yards of total offense in six of 10 games in 2020 and 15 of the past 28. The Mustangs are averaging 532.4 yards of total offense in 2021.

2021
TCU - 595 (245 passing, 350 rushing)
La Tech - 578 yards (395 passing, 183 rushing)
UNT - 536 yards (311 passing, 225 rushing)

2020
Temple - 549 yards (355 passing, 194 rushing)
Navy - 555 yards (300 passing, 255 rushing)
Tulane - 581 yards (439 passing, 142 rushing)
No. 25/24 Memphis - 549 yards (474 passing, 75 rushing)
North Texas - 710 yards (344 passing, 366 rushing) Second most in a game at SMU
Texas State - 544 yards (367 passing, 177 rushing)

Seven of the top 10 totals on the single-game list have come under Sonny Dykes.

ON THE RECEIVING END
The Mustangs opened 2021 with 12 receivers catching a pass against ACU, the first time with 10+ receivers since the 2020 meeting with UNT, and four different players caught TD passes. Against Louisiana Tech, SMU had 11, the second game with 10+ on the season. 

SMU is the only school in The American to have had five players with 100-yard receiving performances in 2020, including three current Mustangs. 

Rashee Rice
139 at Tulane (Oct 16, 2020)
102 at North Texas (Sept. 19, 2020)
101 at Texas State (Sept. 05, 2020)

Reggie Roberson, Jr.
243 vs Memphis (Oct. 03, 2020)
103 at North Texas (Sept. 19, 2020)

Danny Gray
133 at Tulane (Oct. 16, 2020)

Kylen Granson
149 at Temple (Nov 07, 2020).

Tyler Page
131 at Temple (Nov. 07, 2020)
101 at Tulane (Oct. 16, 2020)

SMU had multiple 100-yard receivers three times in 2020.
at Temple (Tyler Page, Kylen Granson)
at North Texas (Rashee Rice, Reggie Roberson, Jr.)
at Tulane (Rashee Rice, Tyler Page, Danny Gray)

THE BOYS ARE BACK
The Mustangs returned all five offensive linemen who started at least nine games each in 2020. Jaylon Thomas, Hayden Howerton, Alan Ali, Justin Osborne and Beau Morris currently have a combined 155 career starts. Howerton alone has 46 starts, the most for an active Mustang. Nine Mustang offensive linemen have started at least one FBS game.

The offensive line tops the FBS allowing zero sacks through five games, and lead the conference in first down offense (137), total offense (532.4), scoring offense (42.6) and passing offense (314.2).

SMU finished the 2020 season ranked ninth in red zone offense (.920), 12th in total offense (494.5) 13th in passing offense (318.0) and 15th in scoring offense (38.6). They were also in the top 15 in three of the four categories in 2019, after not cracking the top 25 on any of the lists in 2018.

CLUB TAKEAWAY
The Mustangs had four (3 INT, 1 FR) takeaways in the season-opening win over ACU, and went on to post a pair against UNT (2 INT). With one in each of the last three games at La. Tech, at TCU and against USF, SMU has at least one in seven straight games, 16 of the past 17 and 36 of the past 39. In all, SMU has nine in 2021 (6 INT, 3 FR).

The four total against ACU were the most since Oct. 2, 2020 against Memphis and the three INTs were the most since Oct. 5, 2019 against Tulsa. SMU had six games in 2020 with multiple takeaways.

GETTING DEFENSIVE
•     Jimmy Phillips Jr. had a career-high seven tackles, including a TFL, against USF.

•     Gary Wiley registered three tackles, including two TFLs and a sack, and added a forced fumble (recovered by Elijah Chatman) against USF.

•     Turner Coxe had a career-high tying two sacks at TCU, including his fifth career forced fumble on the second.

•     The Mustangs rank 20th nationally with six INTs, including a pair from freshman Isaiah Nwokobia.

POW6RFUL MINDS
Throughout this week, the American Athletic Conference-wide initiative Pow6rful Minds, which was started by the American Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, will continue creating awareness of mental health issues and will highlight resources available to student-athletes. The Mustangs are wearing green helmet stickers to support the initiative. #Pow6rfulMinds

@T_MORDECAI
Tanner Mordecai leads the nation in passing TDs (24) and points responsible for (150), while his 180.1 passer rating is eighth. The 24 TDs are five more than any other player and tied for sixth in a season at SMU. He has at least four TDs in each game this season, and the seven against ACU broke the SMU single-game record.

He earned back-to-back AAC Offensive Player of the Week honors after wins at La. Tech and against UNT. 

Mordecai is throwing touchdown passes at the fastest rate in the Football Bowl Subdivision since 2012. His total of 24 is the most through five games since West Virginia's Geno Smith had the same number at this point nine years ago, and makes him just the fourth FBS quarterback since 2000 to have 24 TD passes at this point in a season.

@THEKINGREGGIE
Reggie Roberson, Jr., returned for the 2021 season after suffering a season-ending knee injury in the Oct. 3, 2020 game against Memphis. He opened 2021 on Watch Lists for the Maxwell Award, Biletnikoff Award, Reese's Senior Bowl and the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award. He was also ranked No. 79 on ESPN's list of top 100 players heading into 2021.

Roberson, Jr., caught the game-winning TD, his first of the season, at La. Tech, and had TD catches against TCU and USF to bring his TD streak to three consecutive games.

He is 22-265 in 2021 with three TDs and a reception in 27 consecutive games (T10th NCAA). Roberson, Jr., also has nine career 100+ yard games, which is second in The American.

Roberson, Jr., started all four games he played in last season before suffering a season-ending injury. He registered 22 catches for 474 yards and team-leading five receiving touchdowns. In the game against No. 25 Memphis, he had a season-high 243 receiving yards off five receptions with two TDs.

@RICERASHEE11
Rashee Rice tipped the ball to Reggie Roberson, Jr., for a TD on the final play in the win over La. Tech (9/18). He caught four passes for 73 yards with a pair of TDs. The two receiving TDs were a career high and gave him his second career multi-TD game. 

He is second on the team with 298 receiving yards off 22 catches, and his six TDs are second on the team, while also giving him a five-game active streak. In SMU's week five win over USF, Rice connected on all eight targets for a career high, 71 yards and a score.

@BENTLEYDOO
Ulysses Bentley IV registered his sixth career 100-yard game after going 20-153 and a TD against TCU. He had 186 all-purpose yards (13 receiving, 20 kickoff) to give him his third straight, and seventh career, game with 100+. It tied for the fifth best rushing performance fro a Mustang against TCU. Bentley IV did not play against USF.

Bentley IV was named an FWAA Freshman All-American, Co-Rookie of the Year in The American and to the conference first team in 2020. He opens 2021 on the Maxwell Award, Doak Walker Award, CFPA Award and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch Lists.

Bentley IV went 10-141 rushing against UNT, posting the seventh longest run play in program history with an 85-yard TD. His 14.1 yards per carry ranked third overall at SMU (minimum 10), and gave him two of the top-10 performances in program history. 

He registered 100+ all-purpose yards against La. Tech with 153 (61 rushing, 11 receiving, 81 KO returns). The return yardage featured a career-long 72-yard return.

@GCALCATERRA
Grant Calcaterra has three TDs off 15 receptions to open the 2021 season. In the week three win over La. Tech, Calcaterra had a career-high seven receptions for 103 yards.

In his return to football after a previous retirement, Calcaterra started the year on the Mackey Award, Reese's Senior Bowl and College Gridiron Showcase Watch Lists, and was mentioned on the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Big Board. 

@DGRAY_5
Danny Gray has a TD catch in each game this season after leading the Mustangs with a pair off a career-high seven receptions for 74 yards against USF.

At TCU, Gray posted his second career 100+ game with 130 yards off four receptions. His 68-yard TD catch was a career long.

Gray posted a pair of multi-TD games (rush, reception) in 2020 and had a receiving touchdown in four straight games from UNT (9/19) - Tulane (10/16). He added 43 yards off kick returns for 208 all-purpose yards. He opened the season on Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List.

@XRICHMANEX BACK FOR MOORE
Linebacker Richard Moore opened his seventh year of eligibility with five tackles, including two for loss and a sack against ACU. He currently has 17 tackles, including three for loss and a sack.

After starting his career at Texas A&M (2015-16), Moore served a year in residence on the Hilltop in 2017. He earned AAC honorable mention accolades in 2018 after starting all 12 games and leading the team with 92 tackles (56 solo).

In 2019, Moore started SMU's first three games before a season ending injury. He registered 15 tackles (8 solo), including a half sack. Moore saw action in the game at ECU in 2020.

He is one of 21 student-athletes who have been on an FBS roster for seven seasons.

@JAYLONTHOMAS10
For the second consecutive season, Jaylon Thomas is listed on the Outland Trophy Watch List, honoring the nation's top interior lineman. He started all nine games played at left tackle in 2020. Following the season, he was selected to the American Athletic Conference second team. He is the first Mustang to make two appearances on the Outland Trophy Watch List and is also on the Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List.

@BLAKEMAZZA
Blake Mazza is on the Lou Groza Watch List to open the 2021 season and is 24-26 on PATs and 4-5 on field goals.

One of 20 previous semifinalists for the award on the 2021 list, Mazza was a finalist in 2019 and was on the list in 2020. He was also an All-Pac-12 honorable mention selection and a Second-Team All-Pac-12 honoree by the Associated Press in 2020 and a conference first-team selection in 2019.

TRIBUTE 23
Since 2009, the SMU coaching staff has chosen a deserving student-athlete to wear the number 23 to honor Jerry LeVias. Shaine Hailey has been awarded the honor for the 2021 season.

LeVias was the first African-American to receive an athletic scholarship in the Southwest Conference. While at SMU, LeVias made athletic and academic All-America teams and, in 1966, contributed to the Mustangs' first SWC title in 18 years. He was an All-American in 1968 and was chosen All-SWC in 1966, 1967 and 1968.

Players To Wear #23
Shaine Hailey, LB, 2021
Brandon Stephens, DB, 2020
Rodney Clemons, S, 2019
Jordan Wyatt, CB, 2018
Nick Horton, DE, 2016-17
Jeremiah Gaines, TE, 2015
Stephon Sanders, LB, 2012-14
Chris Banjo, DB, 2009-11

@SHAINE_HAILEY
Shaine Hailey is the Mustangs' nominee for the AFCA Good Works Team and is on the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List for 2021. 

Hailey is second on the team with 22 tackles, including two TFLs. He also leads the team with a pair of forced fumbles.

Hailey serves as the Chair of Community Outreach and Donor Relations for The Detente Collective, an organization that seeks to foster the intellectual, educational, and personal growth of students through community outreach focusing on education, homelessness, domestic violence victim support and women's issues. He is also the co-leader of the Feeding Homeless Initiative for the organization.

Hailey graduated from SMU with a degree in economics with financial applications and is working toward his masters in management.

ON THE FIELD, IN THE CLASSROOM, IN THE COMMUNITY
Hayden Howerton was selected as the Mustangs' nominee for the William V. Campbell Trophy. The award recognizes candidates who must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of playing eligibility, have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player or significant contributor and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship.

Howerton started all 10 games at left guard in 2020 and helped the Mustangs to national rankings of ninth (1st AAC) in red zone offense (.920), 13th in passing offense (318.0) and 15th in scoring offense (38.6). The Mustang is the active leader for career games played on the Hilltop with 47, making 41 starts over four seasons, and was a second-team all-AAC selection in 2020.

Howerton has an undergraduate degree from SMU in Applied Physiology and Sport Management with a Concentration in Sport Performance Leadership. He is working on his Masters in Management. 

#PONYUPDALLAS
SMU has added blue Dallas-themed jerseys to its rotation in 2021, which highlight some of the same features as the white jerseys, which debuted in 2019.

The Mustangs defeated UNT, 35-12, in the Sept. 11 debut and wore them in the 42-34 win over TCU on Sept. 25.

• The helmet decal features the famous Triple D interlocked with the timeless SMU Pony, symbolizing the unity between the city of Dallas and SMU.

• The stripe on the helmet and jersey sleeves pay homage to the Dallas Cowboys.

• The number and pant stripe pay tribute to the 1966 Dallas Cowboys, led by quarterback and SMU alum Don Meredith.

• The script 'Dallas' featured on the chest pays homage to SMU alum and AFL founder Lamar Hunt and the Dallas Texans.

SEEING RED
The Mustangs finished the 2020 season 46-50 (92%; 32 TDs, 14 FGs) in the red zone. SMU was perfect seven times (8-8 at UNT, 6-6 vs. SFA, 5-5 at Tulane, 6-6 vs. Navy, 3-3 at Temple, 3-3 at Tulsa, 5-5 at ECU) after going perfect three times in 2019 (at USF, 5-5; at Memphis, 5-5; ECU 4-4). The 8-8 at North Texas was the most since going 7-7 at UConn in 2018. 

FOR THE RECORD
In 2019, SMU broke program records for scoring average (41.8), scoring (544), rushing TDs (35), total offense (489.8), yards (6,368), first downs (322), kick return average (26.2 and sacks (51.0). The Mustangs went on to top the total offense record (494.5) in 2020, and also set marks for completion percentage (65.4) and yards per play (6.57).

GRIDIRON GRADS
2021 opened with 25 student-athletes on the roster who have already earned an undergraduate degree - Alan Ali, Cobe Bryant, Grant Calcaterra, Turner Coxe, Trevor Denbow, Shaine Hailey, Charles Headen III, Hayden Howerton, Ar'mani Johnson, Will Jones, Harrison Loveless, Spencer Luce, Blake Mazza, Tommy McIntyre, Richard Moore, Beau Morris, Toby Ndukwe, Jacob Oehrlein, Ben Redding, Christopher Reese, Delano Robinson, Tre Siggers, Isaac Slade-Matautia, Kadarius Smith and Mike Williams.


MUSTANGS IN THE CLASSROOM
SMU had 47 student-athletes named to the AAC All-Academic team following the 2020-21 season. To be eligible for the honor, a nominee must have competed in an AAC-sponsored sport, attained a minimum grade-point average of 3.00 for the preceding academic year, and completed a minimum of two consecutive semesters or three consecutive quarters of academic work, with a total of 18 semester or 27 quarter credits, not including remedial courses.

A team captain and part of the leadership council, Howerton has volunteered with youth clinics, taken part in local hospital visits, participated in an initiative to help feed the homeless, elementary school reading programs, served as a homeless shelter volunteer, assisted in turning over cots and passing out blankets during winter months and served as an elementary school reading tutor.

WELCOME TO THE HILLTOP
The Mustangs welcomed a pair of coaches to the staff in 2021, including defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt and defensive line coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe.

With over 40 years of coaching experience at the NCAA and professional levels, Leavitt joins the Mustangs from FAU, where he most recently served in the same position since December 2019. He also had stops at Florida State, Oregon and Colorado, where he was named a finalist for the Broyles Award, honoring the nation's top assistant coach, and was the FootballScoop Defensive Coordinator of the Year. He was hired as USF's first head coach in 1996. He spent 2011-14 in the NFL as linebackers coach with the San Francisco 49ers.

Uzo-Diribe comes to the Hilltop after two seasons at Kansas, and previously spent three seasons at Colorado, including 2016 with Leavitt. He earned a spot on 247Sports' most recent 30-Under-30 list.

SAME NAMES, NEW LOOK
Three of the Mustangs' 10 assistant coaches have been elevated from their previous positions. Ra'Shaad Samples now serves as assistant head coach and running backs coach, while Stefan McClure was elevated to cornerbacks coach and Kenny Perry serves as Special Teams Coordinator. McClure was previously a defensive graduate assistant and Perry was a special teams quality control analyst.

@RASHAADSAMPLES
Assistant head coach and running backs coach Ra'Shaad Samples was named to Dave Campbell's 40 Under 40 from the state of Texas and the 247Sports 30Under30.

Samples helped Ulysses Bentley IV to FWAA Freshman All-America honors (the first Mustang in history) and AAC Rookie of the Year honors in 2020. The redshirt freshman was also a member of the Doak Walker and CFPA Award Watch Lists. Samples also developed Burlsworth Trophy nominee Tyler Lavine, a walk-on who had a career season as a redshirt-sophomore in 2020.

The Mustangs' 2021 recruiting class is the highest-ranked in program history and features the highest signee for SMU. It also boasts the highest average recruiting rating in the American Athletic Conference and is better than 16 Power 5 programs.

Samples finished as the No. 1 recruiter in the conference (247sports), after the December Signing Day period, landing him as a top-30 recruiter in the country among the Power 5 and Group of 5. Among Group of 5 schools, Samples was the nation's top recruiter.

@STEFANMCCLURE21
McClure was one of two SMU coaches named to the 247Sports 30Under30 list. In 2020, McClure helped mentor Brandon Crossley to a national ranking of eighth in interceptions with four, including one for a touchdown at Tulsa, one in overtime against Tulane and one in the end zone against Memphis. Brandon Stephens registered a team-high 11 passes defended, which led the American Athletic Conference. He went on to earn an invite to the 2021 NFL Combine and NFLPA Bowl and was selected in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens.

BOLD  - BIG OPPORTUNITIES LIVE IN DALLAS
As part of its goal of Shaping Champions and preparing students for life, SMU Athletics proudly announced the addition of its BOLD (Big Opportunities Live in Dallas) Program to its suite of student-athlete development tools, with the goal of helping student-athletes navigate and capitalize on new Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) legislation.

BOLD will, among other things, provide SMU student-athletes with the means to navigate the evolving NIL landscape. The BOLD program incorporates INFLCR, a comprehensive NIL education and compliance solution, and campus resources from the Cox School of Business, the Dedman School of Law, and the Meadows School of the Arts.

While the acronym BOLD emphasizes SMU's ties to the City of Dallas, the word is also important in its ties to SMU and the University's Brand Promise, which states, "For the bold, curious, and creative, SMU is the comprehensive research university whose enterprising spirit in a vibrant community empowers leaders to tackle grand challenges."

SMU IN TIMES SQUARE
The week of Aug. 9, the Mustangs made their presence known in Times Square with a series of billboards featuring SMU's Born & Raised campaign, the BOLD Program and 2021 Watch List selections. 


FAST LAYNE    
Paul Layne holds an unrivaled Mustang record, having attended every SMU game for the last 45-plus years, even going to Tokyo.

He had to pull a "fast one" more than once to keep his streak alive – like the time his ex-wife remarried. He persuaded her to schedule her wedding on a Friday within driving distance of SMU's game at Nevada the following day. So the night before the Mustangs tangled with the Wolf Pack in Reno, Layne attended the wedding in California's Sonoma Valley, then drove 200 miles to catch the opening kickoff.

Layne even attended a game dressed in a Halloween costume to disguise his case of adult-onset chicken pox. In 2020, Layne received a special invitation from Tulane to attend SMU's 37-34 overtime win, since Yulman Stadium was closed to spectators. 

Starting when Layne attended SMU and was a team cheerleader, he's attended 535 straight games. His 500th was SMU's 63-27 victory over HBU on Sept. 29, 2018. 

IT'S ALWAYS SONNY ON THE HILLTOP    
The fourth season of It's Always Sonny on the Hilltop with Head Coach Sonny Dykes begins Monday, Aug. 30 at Ozona Grill and Bar, and will run throughout the 2021 campaign.
 
There will be food and drink specials, trivia and prizes on site each week. Ozona Grill and Bar is located at 4615 Greenville Ave., just a short distance from the SMU campus.

Fans can also catch LIVE video on the SMU Mustangs Facebook page, or listen on SMUMustangs.com and on TuneIn. Tweet your questions for Coach Dykes using the hashtag #AlwaysSonny, or by clicking the "Ask The Coach" button on SMUMustangs.com.

THE RED CARPET
SMU may need to install a red carpet in the Mustang locker room as SMU has become "the place to be" in Dallas. Among the celebrities, legends, current and former pros that have attended practice or stopped by the stadium in recent years are: Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, Terrell Owens, Tim Brown, Michael Irvin and Deion Sanders, as well as former SMU standouts Reggie Dupard, Eric Dickerson, Craig James, Jerry Ball, Russell Carter and Don Meredith. 

Former President George W. Bush even visits SMU football practice. Bush has also performed the ceremonial coin toss at games against Navy (2011), Memphis (2012), Texas Tech (2013), Cincinnati (2014), UNT (2015), Memphis (2016), Navy (2018) and Texas State (2019). Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson performed the coin toss in SMU's 2021 season opener against ACU.