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SETTING THE SCENE
•   SMU travels to Orlando Wednesday for its AAC opener against UCF. Kick is at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT on ESPN2
•   SMU has won at least eight games in two of the past three seasons. The 5-0 starts from 2019-21 were the first for the Mustangs since 1981-83. The 2021 season was the third consecutive season the Mustangs were bowl eligible.
•   The Mustangs opened the season receiving votes in the AFCA Coaches Poll. In 2021, SMU reached No. 19 in the AP Poll and was as high as No. 16 in the Coaches Poll. SMU reached No. 16 in both the AP and Coaches Polls during the 2020 season, and was ranked as high as No. 15/14 in 2019. 
•   The Mustangs are coming off a 42-34 loss to TCU. Tanner Mordecai threw for 372 yards and two TDs, while Jake Bailey  registered 163 receiving yards and a TD and Tre Siggers added three rushing TDs. Nelson Paul led the defense with eight tackles, including three sacks for 25 yards.

THE SERIES
This is the 11th meeting between SMU and UCF, with the Knights holding the 8-2 all-time advantage and 4-1 as members of the American Athletic Conference. The Mustangs won the most recent meeting in the series, a 55-28 victory in Dallas in 2021. Prior to that, UCF had a five-game streak dating back to 2012. SMU's other victory was also at home (38-17, 2011).

ABOUT THE KNIGHTS
UCF is 3-1 to open the season with wins over South Carolina State, FAU and Georgia Tech. The lone loss of the season came against Louisville. The Knights went 9-4 in 2021 capped off with a win over Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl.

THE COACHES
•    Rhett Lashlee is in his first season as the head coach at SMU and has a 2-2 record. Lashlee, who served as offensive coordinator for the Mustangs for two seasons (2018-19), 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).
•    Gus Malzahn is in his second season at the helm of UCF. He is 89-43 in 11 seasons as a head coach. Malzahn spent eight seasons at Auburn before arriving in Orlando.
•    Lashlee and Malzahn coached together at Arkansas, Arkansas State and Auburn, in addition to Lashlee playing for Malzahn at Shiloh Christian. 

QUICK HITS
•     Rashee Rice leads the nation in receiving yards (565) and receiving yards/game (141.2).
•     Tanner Mordecai is top four in the nation in passing yards (1,385, 3rd), passing yards/game (346.2, 3rd) and total offense (350.0, 4th).
•     SMU is 27-12 since the start of 2019 and 15-3 at home. The total and home wins are second most for a Texas FBS team 
•     The Mustangs won at least seven games from 2019-21, making it the longest stretch with at least seven wins since 2009-12, and 2021 marked the second eight-win season in three years. 

LAST TIME VS. UCF
DALLAS (AP) Tanner Mordecai threw for 377 yards and three touchdowns and Tre Siggers ran for three scores as SMU crushed UCF 55-28 on Nov. 13, 2021.

Ryan O'Keefe pulled in an 18-yard pass from Mikey Keene and Parker Navarro ran in from the 6 to put UCF up 14-7 with 5:33 left in the first quarter but the Mustangs answered with 31 straight points to take a 38-14 advantage at intermission.

Ulysses Bentley started the SMU run by stiff-arming his way 56 yards for a touchdown to make it 14-14 and Siggers put the Mustangs in front for good with a 10-yard run for his first score.

Bentley gained 97 yards on 14 carries for the Mustangs (8-2, 4-2 American) and Siggers added 93 on 11 carries as SMU gained 241 yards on the ground. Dylan Goffney caught 10 passes for 88 yards.

LASHLEE NAMED SMU HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
Rhett Lashlee returned to SMU, this time as Head Football Coach, on Nov. 29, 2021. Lashlee previously served as offensive coordinator for the Mustangs, including during the record-setting 2019 season.

Lashlee, a one-time finalist (2013) and two-time semifinalist (2019, 2020) for the Broyles Award, presented to the nation's top assistant coach, comes back to the Hilltop after two seasons as the Miami Hurricanes' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Lashlee also 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).

In his first season in Coral Gables, the Hurricanes jumped 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.

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.

MUSTANG CAPTAINS
Elijah Chatman, Tanner Mordecai, Jimmy Phillips Jr., Rashee Rice and Austin Upshaw have been voted captains for the 2022 season. Upshaw was also honored with the No. 23 jersey in honor of Jerry LeVias (page 8).

THE VOTES ARE IN
SMU opened the season receiving votes in the AFCA Coaches Poll, making it the fourth straight season ranked or receiving votes. SMU was ranked as high as No. 15/14 in 2019 (week 10) and reached No. 19/16 (week 9) in 2021. The Mustangs were ranked or receiving votes in at least one poll in 12 weeks last season, second only to Cincinnati (16) in The American.

WATCH US
Ten Mustangs are on 17 National Watch Lists in 2022.
Ryan Bujcevski | Ray Guy Award
Elijah Chatman | Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Outland Trophy, Rotary Lombardi Award, Senior Bowl    
Brendan Hall | Ray Guy Award
DeVere Levelston | Senior Bowl
Bryan Massey | Paul Hornung Award
Tanner Mordecai | Walter Camp Award, Maxwell Award, CFPA National Performer of the Year, William V. Campbell Trophy, Davey O'Brien Award, Manning Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award
Terrance Newman | Wuerffel Trophy
Rashee Rice | Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, Senior Bowl    
Isaac Slade-Matautia | Butkus Award, Polynesian College Football Player of the Year, Senior Bowl
Jaylon Thomas | Senior Bowl

HOME SWEET HOME
SMU is 15-3 at home since the start of the 2019 season, which included a 5-1 record in 2021 and a 6-0 record in 2019.

SMU set a record for the largest regular season attendance in Ford Stadium at the Sept. 24 game against TCU with 35,569 fans, including a record 4,590 students. The previous regular season record was 35,481 vs TCU (2010). The stadium record is 36,742 (Armed Forces Bowl, SMU vs Army, 2010).

SMU was 3-1 at home in 2020 and announced sellouts of 7,898 in all four games (COVID-19 restrictions). The loss to then-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 29 of the past 38 games (9 of 12 in 2021), and were also leading or tied at halftime in 29 of the past 38 (10 of 12, 2021). 

SMU opened the 2019 season 8-0 for the first time since 1982 and started 5-0 for three consecutive seasons from 2019-21 for the first time since 1981-83. The 7-0 start in 2021 was the second in three seasons. 

STREAKING
The Mustangs started 7-0 in 2021 for the second time in three seasons (8-0, 2019), while the 5-0 start reached against USF gave SMU its third consecutive season of starting 5-0 for only the second time in program history (1981-83). The Mustangs' eight-game win streak to start the 2019 season was the longest since SMU won 10 straight in 1982. SMU was also 3-0 to open AAC play for the second time in three seasons.

The loss at Maryland snapped a regular-season, non-conference win streak of 14 straight, the most since a streak of 17 from 1979-85. SMU also had a win streak of seven straight regular-season, non-conference road games before that game.
 
MAKING OUR POINT
The Mustangs scored 50+ points in three games (ACU 56, Tulane 55, UCF 55) in 2021. It was the third season the Mustangs have reached the threshold in at least three games. They finished the regular season atop The American in scoring offense at 38.4. 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. 

Fewest points allowed in consecutive games
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
1    2019    41.8
2    2020    38.6
-    2022    38.5
3    2021    38.4
4    2017    37.8
5    1981    33.2

ON THE RECEIVING END
Rice leads the nation in receiving yards at 565, and has had three 100-yard games this season. Overall, SMU has had at least one 100-yard receiver in each game this season. The Mustangs have had 8+ players catch a pass in each game this season, while eight players have caught a TD pass.

Jake Bailey registered eight catches for a career-high 163 yards and a TD to lead the Mustangs against TCU.

The Mustangs had three players on the 2021 Biletnikoff Award Watch List - Reggie Roberson, Jr., Rashee Rice and Danny Gray, with Rice returning for 2022. It was the 13th consecutive year a Mustang has made the list dating back to 2009. SMU was one of only 11 teams with multiple student-athletes listed in 2021, and one of only two (Nevada) with three players. It was the third straight season that the Mustangs have had at least two players mentioned.

SMU is one of only three schools in The American to have ended 2021 with at least three players with multiple 100-yard receiving games - Rice (4), Roberson, Jr. (10), Gray (3) - and was the only school in The American to have had five players with 100-yard receiving performances in 2020. The Mustangs also had multiple 100-yard receivers three times in 2020.

500 CLUB
SMU had 520 yards of total offense against Maryland and has registered 500 yards of total offense in 13 of the past 25 games. The Mustangs averaged 465.9 yards of total offense in 2021, first in the AAC and 13th nationally. Nine of the top 12 totals on the single-game list have come in the last five seasons.

2022
Maryland - 520 (369 passing, 151 rushing)
North Texas - 576 (426 passing, 150 rushing)

2021
UCF - 631 (390 passing, 241 rushing)
Tulane - 612 (438 passing, 174 rushing)
TCU - 595 (245 passing, 350 rushing)
La Tech - 578 yards (395 passing, 183 rushing)
UNT - 536 yards (311 passing, 225 rushing)

SMU SINGLE-GAME TOTAL YARDS               
1    Temple, 10-26-2013 (W, 59-49)         728
2    at North Texas, 9-19-2020 (W, 65-35)    710
3    Temple, 10-19-2019 (W, 45-21)         655
4    Houston Baptist, 9-29-2018 (W, 63-27)    653
5    Texas State, 9-14-2019 (W, 47-17)    639
6    at TCU, 9-28-1985 (W, 56-21)         636
     ECU 9-19-2019 (W, 59-51)         636
8    UCF, 11-13-2021 (W, 55-28)        631
9    at Rice, 11-11-1978 (W, 58-0)         618
10    Tulane, 10-21-2021 (W, 55-26)         612
11    at TCU, 9-25-2021 (W, 42-34)         595
12    at Connecticut 11-10-2018 (W, 62-50)    594

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

Yards	No. of Plays	Yards	No. of Plays
20+	30 (t3)	60+	1 (t35)
30+	13 (t10)	70+	1 (t14)
40+	7 (t12)	80+	- (-)
50+	5 (t2)	90+	- (-)

• Tanner Mordecai had two TD passes of 50+ yards (51 to J. Kerley, 75 to R. Daniels Jr.) against UNT. The 75-yard TD pass to Daniels Jr. was a career long.
• TJ McDaniel had a TD run of 57 yards vs. Lamar, a career long. 
• Mordecai's 51-yard TD pass to RJ Maryland at Maryland gives him eight TD passes of at least 50 yards at SMU.

WHAT A RUSH
SMU had three rushing TDs (McDaniel 2, Stone 1) in the win over Lamar, the first time the Mustangs have accomplished that since Nov. 27, 2021 against Tulsa. They went on again to post three against TCU, all by Tre Siggers, matching the total and tying a career high for Siggers (3 vs. UCF, 11-13-21). It was his fourth career multi-TD game

Siggers leads the Mustangs with 200 yards off 50 carries and four TDs in 2022.

The Mustangs posted 350 rushing yards at TCU in 2021, 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 (153) and Tre Siggers (110) gave the Mustangs two 100-yard rushers for the first time since the 2020 meeting with SFA.

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

THE BOYS ARE BACK
The Mustangs returned four offensive linemen who played starting roles in 2021 - Jaylon Thomas, Justin Osborne, Branson Hickman and Marcus Bryant. Seven Mustang offensive linemen have started at least one FBS game with the line making 100 career starts overall. The Mustangs welcomed Georgia-transfer Owen Condon and Virginia-transfer Joe Bissinger to the lineup.

The Mustangs finished with national rankings of ninth in scoring offense (38.4), 13th in total offense (465.9), 14th in passing offense (304.5) and 17th in sacks allowed (1.33).

SMU finished the 2020 season ranked ninth nationally 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.

SPECIAL SEASON
• Collin Rogers is 5-6 on field goals and 19-19 on PATs.
• Ryan Bujcevski went 4-197 punting with one inside the 20 and a career long 64-yard punt against TCU.
• SMU is sixth nationally (1st AAC) in kick returns (31.50). 
• Bryan Massey ranked second nationally in both kickoff returns (34.3) and kick return TDs (2). The TD total tied the SMU career and single-season record. He was also tied for 12th nationally in combined kick returns at 686 yards.
 
CLUB TAKEAWAY
• Club Takeaway is open for business in 2022. The Mustangs have at least one takeaway in 14 of the past 17 games, 23 of the past 27 games and 43 of past 49 games.  
• The Mustangs had two takeaways at Maryland - fumble recoveries (Cromartie, Hall), forced fumbles (Nwokobia, J. Burns).
• SMU had seven takeaways in the first three games of the season (multiple takeaways in each game).

GETTING DEFENSIVE
• Elijah Chatman opened 2022 on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Outland Trophy and Rotary Lombardi Award Watch Lists.
•  The Mustangs had nine TFLs and a season-high five sacks against TCU, including a career-high 3.0 sacks from Nelson Paul. In his first game this season after coming back from injury, Je'lin Samuels added 1.5 and Elijah Chatman had 0.5.
•  Paul's sacks were the most by an SMU players since 3.0 by DeVere Levelston vs UCF (11-13-21), and he team sacks were the most since 5.0 in the same game.
•  Paul and Chatman have a team-leading 4.0 sacks in 2022, which rank 30th nationally (0.75).
• DeVere Levelston led The American in 2021 with 6.5 (30 yards) sacks per game.

FOR THE RECORD
Under new SMU Head Coach Rhett Lashlee, who previously served as the Mustangs' OC (2018-19), SMU broke program records in 2019 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).

@T_MORDECAI
Tanner Mordecai threw for 372 yards and two TDs against TCU, giving him his 11th career 300-yard game and multiple TD passes in 14 of 16 games (3+ in 11 of 16) at SMU. The two TD passes give him 51 for his career at SMU, which ranks tied for third.

Mordecai threw for 3,628 yards and a school-record 39 touchdowns in 2021, while his 41 total TDs responsible for were also a program record. His seven passing TDs against ACU were an SMU record, his 308 completions ranked second at SMU and while his 454 attempts were ninth. 

He finished 2021 ranked in the top 20 nationally (AAC rank):
5 (1) | Passing TDs | 39
6 (1) | Points responsible for | 248
6 (1) | Points responsible/game | 20.7
8 (1) | Completions per game | 25.67
10 (1) | Total offense | 319.2
10 (1) | Passing yards/game | 302.3
12 (1) | Passing yards | 3,628
15 (2) | Completion % | 67.8
16 (2) | Passing efficiency | 158.0

Watch Lists: Walter Camp Award... CFPA National Performer of the Year Trophy... Maxwell Award... William V. Campbell Trophy... Davey O'Brien Award.... Manning Award... Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award... Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award.

@BROCHIA.ELI
Named a "freak" in college football, Elijah Chatman saw action in all 12 games, making 11 starts, and registered 40 tackles, including 10 TFLs for 39 yards and 2.5 sacks for 19. He added a team-high two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and three quarterback hurries. For his efforts, Chatman was named second-team All-AAC.

He opened the season on Bronko Nagurski and Outland Trophy Watch Lists and has 15 tackles, three TFLs and three sacks.

CHATMAN, GOREE AMONG TOP FREAKS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL - BRUCE FELDMAN
No. 65: Elijah Chatman, SMU, defensive tackle
The Mustangs have another future Freak on their defense in freshman linebacker Pierre Goree, a 6-1, 220-pounder who ran wind-aided 10.08 and 10.09 100-meter times this spring and blazed a 10.22 in May at an event in Austin, but Chatman is the SMU player for now we're spotlighting. Not only is he pound for pound one of the strongest people in college football, Chatman is one of the strongest period. On the field, Chatman made 25 tackles, 10 TFLs and 2.5 sacks. In the weight room, the 6-1, 295-pound Shreveport, La., product bench pressed 495 pounds this offseason and has done 42 reps at 225. He also back-squatted 615 and power-cleaned 335, and did a muscle-up weighing 290.

@DOUB11E_R
Rashee Rice is the NCAA leader in receiving yards (565) and receiving yards per game (141.3), while ranking second in receptions per game (9.3). He currently has a streak of 32 straight games with a reception (T5 NCAA).

Rice's 11 receptions for 193 yards at Maryland were both career highs, giving up at least 132 receiving yards in each game this season. The game was also his seventh career 100-yard game.

Rashee Rice was listed on All-American Athletic Conference preseason teams by Phil Steele, Dave Campbell's, College Football News and Athlon Sports. He was ranked No. 50 on DCTF's Lone Star List and No. 8 on CFN'S top AAC players list. Rice is also on the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List.

@BRYAN_MASSEY0
Second team all-conference selection Bryan Massey saw action in all 12 games last season and registered a team-leading 20 kick returns for 686 yards, which ranked 12th in the NCAA and 11th all-time at SMU. His two kick return TDs ranked second in the NCAA and tied both the SMU career and single-season records. The 36.1 yards/return led the conference. Overall, Massey posted three 100-yard return games (Tulane, Houston, Tulsa) and finished with 734 all-purpose yards.

2021 National Rankings (AAC)
2 (1) | Kickoff returns | 34.3
2 (2) | Kickoff return TDs | 2
12 (2) | Combined kick returns | 686
 
On defense, Massey registered 29 tackles (22 solo), including 1.5 TFLs. He added one interception for 48 yards and six pass breakups.

Massey is on the Paul Hornung Award Watch List and has earned preseason All-America honors from Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Network, Phil Steel and Athlon Sports. 

Massey did not play in the Mustangs' first two games due to injury and has six tackles in two games.

GRIDIRON GRADS
2022 opened with 18 Mustangs on the roster who have already earned undergraduate degrees - Joe Bissinger, Ryan Bujcevski, Owen Condon, Beau Corrales, Turner Coxe, Ar'mani Johnson, Will Kuehne, Tanner Mordecai, Terrance Newman, Jimmy Phillips Jr., Ben Redding, Shanon Reid, Nick Roberts, Tre Siggers, Isaac Slade-Matautia, Jaylon Thomas, Austin Upshaw & Gary Wiley.

MUSTANGS IN THE CLASSROOM
SMU had 45 student-athletes named to the AAC All-Academic team following the 2021-22 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.

GRAY, CALCATERRA SELECTED IN 2022 NFL DRAFT
Danny Gray and Grant Calcaterra were selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, joining 172 previous Mustangs selected in NFL Drafts. The pair match SMU's total from the 2021 draft, and are the most since the Mustangs had three in 2018. In total, SMU has had eight players selected since 2018.
 
Gray was selected in the third round as the 105th overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers. He is the fourth Mustang wide receiver to be selected in the Draft since 2018. Calcaterra was selected as the 198th overall pick in the sixth round by the Philadelphia Eagles.

TRIBUTE 23
Since 2009, the SMU coaching staff has chosen a deserving student-athlete to wear the number 23 to honor Jerry LeVias. Austin Upshaw has been awarded the honor for the 2022 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. He is in both the College Football and SMU Athletics Halls of Fame.

Players To Wear #23
Austin Upshaw, WR, 2022
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

SMU2WWE
Beau Morris, Mustang offensive lineman from 2018-21, was one of 14 individuals to earn a WWE contract as part of the Next In Line program, following Summer Slam tryouts. Morris is not the first Mustang to grace the ring. He joins WWE Hall of Famer "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan and 23-time world champion Fritz Von Erich, patriarch of the Von Erich family and owner of Dallas-based World Class Championship Wrestling.

NEW NAMES, NEW FACES (PREVIOUS SCHOOL)
The Mustangs welcomed 10 new assistant coaches to the Hilltop in 2022.
Scott Symons | Defensive Coordinator (Liberty)
Casey Woods | Offensive Coordinator (Missouri)
Rob Likens | Assistant Head Coach / Wide Receivers / Pass Game Coordinator
Craig Naivar | Special Teams Coordinator / Safeties (USC)
Jonathan Brewer | Quarterbacks (Miami)*
Kyle Cooper | Nickelbacks / Recruiting Coordinator (Miami)*
Khenon Hall | Running Backs (Texas Southern)
Rickey Hunley, Jr. | Cornerbacks / Pass Game Coordinator
Garin Justice | Offensive Line / Run Game Coordinator (Miami)
Calvin Thibodeaux | Defensive Line (Oklahoma)
*Served on SMU's staff 2018-19

THE PONY EXPRESS SHOW PRESENTED BY COX SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
The first season of The Pony Express Show presented by the Cox School of Business features SMU Head Football Coach Rhett Lashlee and begins Wednesday, Aug. 31, at 7 p.m. at Ozona Grill and Bar.
 
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 Lashlee using the hashtag #PonyExpress, or by clicking the "Ask The Coach" button on SMUMustangs.com. Fans will also hear from SMU Football assistant coaches each week.
 
"We are excited to host the first season of Coach Lashlee's Pony Express show. We have proudly served both SMU students and their great fans over the past 25 years. We have no doubt that this will be another great year together." – Cory Wauson, Area Director of Ozona Grill and Bar
 
"We are thrilled to be sponsoring The Pony Express Show with Coach Lashlee! We are already encouraging our alumni, students, faculty, staff and football fans to attend and hear about everything that's happening with the SMU Football program. Pony Up!" -Kevin Knox, Assistant Dean & Executive Director

MUSTANG STUDENT-ATHLETES & NIL
SMU Football student-athletes benefit from Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) opportunities through SMU Athletics' conference-leading BOLD NIL program. SMU topped the AAC for NIL Deals among INFLCR partners, ranking No. 1 in Total Transactions, Total Transaction Value and Average Transaction Value. To date, football student-athletes have amassed over 130 total transactions, totaling more than $400,000 with an average transaction value of roughly $3,000. SMU student-athletes overall have more than 200 total transactions totaling over $535,000 with an average transaction value of over $2,500.

#PONYUPDALLAS
SMU 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 are 8-3 when donning the Dallas threads.

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.

SMU ATHLETICS LAUNCHES NEW STUDENT-ATHLETE SUCCESS DEPARTMENT
As part of its goal of Shaping Champions and preparing students for life, SMU Athletics proudly announced the creation of a new Student-Athlete Success Department. This new department encompasses all student-development-centered efforts such as Life After Ball, SAAC and community service initiatives. Additionally, it will house NIL Education and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programming. Due to a generous donation from Suzanne and Glenn Youngkin, SMU Athletics will be able to grow staffing in these critical areas in our support of our student-athletes.

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 ATHLETICS CELEBRATES RECORD FUNDRAISING YEAR
The SMU Mustang Club broke the all-time fundraising record with $73 million in gift receipts and new commitments for the 2022 fiscal year, which ended May 31. The totals represent an increase of nearly $47 million from the previous fiscal year. It is the first fiscal year in which cash donations and commitments have eclipsed $70 million since the Mustang Club was founded in 1935. Through the generosity of Mustang donors, cash gifts rose 71% from fiscal year 2021 and totaled $36 million. The best-ever performance resulted from the contributions of 3,105 donors.

SYMONS NAMED TO DCTF 40 UNDER 40 LIST
Scott Symons was hired as SMU's Defensive Coordinator in December 2021 after spending three seasons as Defensive Coordinator at Liberty, while also working with safeties and linebackers.

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), total defense (15th, 320.2) and tackles for loss (16th, 7.1), while also ranking 26th in sacks (2.85) and 27th in scoring defense (21.5).

In 2020, Symons helped the Flames to a 10-1 season and a No. 17 final ranking in the AP Poll, their highest in program history. He was named to the Broyles Award Watch List and led the defense to a top-20 ranking in total defense (No. 11, 317.7). Liberty also ranked No. 12 in passing yards allowed (184.0) and No. 22 in scoring defense (20.5). The 2019 season saw Liberty finish 28th nationally in sacks (2.69/game) and 31st in interceptions (12).

During his time with the Flames, Symons mentored NFL free agent signees Solomon Ajayi, Elijah Benton, Jessie Lemonier and Bejour Wilson. Liberty also won back-to-back FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl titles in 2019 and 2020.

NEW FACES, SAME CONFERENCE
American Athletic Conference Commissioner Mike Aresco has announced that The American has finalized entrance agreements with its six incoming member institutions, who will officially join the conference July 1, 2023.
 
The establishment of the entry date comes after the conference reached agreement with its three exiting schools – UCF, Cincinnati and Houston – to terminate their conference membership as of June 30, 2023. The American had announced in October that the UAB, FAU, Charlotte, North Texas, Rice and UTSA had their applications for membership approved by the conference's nine continuing members. 
 
The six new members will join East Carolina, Memphis, Navy (football only), South Florida, SMU, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa and Wichita State (basketball and Olympic Sports only) – to bring The American's membership to 15 schools, beginning with the 2023-24 academic year. The American will compete as a 14-team league in football and in men's and women's basketball among other sports.

DICKERSON NAMED TO COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME
Eric Dickerson was inducted as part of the 2020 class of the College Football Hall of Fame.
 
As part of the famed Pony Express, Dickerson was a unanimous first-team All-American and helped lead the Mustangs to a National Championship (Helms Athletic Foundation) and an 11-0-1 record in 1982. Dickerson was the SWC career leader with 47 rushing touchdowns and was third on the career list with 4,450 rushing yards. He left SMU as the all-time rushing leader and was tied with Doak Walker for most career points (288). Dickerson also had 28 100-yard rushing games at SMU.
SMU won back-to-back Southwest Conference titles in 1981 and 1982, when Dickerson was twice named the SWC Player of the Year and led SMU to a win in the 1983 Cotton Bowl. He finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1982 and was a second-team All-American in 1981. Dickerson is also a member of the SMU Athletics Hall of Fame, Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame, SWC Hall of Fame and Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
 
A first-round draft choice of the Los Angeles Rams in 1983, Dickerson broke the NFL single-season rushing record with 2,105 yards in 1984. He finished his professional career in 1993 as the NFL's second all-time leading rusher and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999. 

Mustangs in the CFB Hall of Fame
1954 Ray Morrison, coach, 1915-16, 1922-34
1955 Matty Bell, coach, 1935-41, 1945-49
1959 Doak Walker, back, 1945, 1947-49
1964 Kyle Rote, back, 1948-50
1969 Gerald Mann, quarterback, 1926-27
1973 Bobby Wilson, halfback, 1933-35
1982 Don Meredith, quarterback, 1957-59
2003 Jerry LeVias, wide receiver, 1966-68
2003 Hayden Fry, coach, 1962-72
2020 Eric Dickerson, back, 1979-82

PONY UP-GRADES!
Opened in 2000, Gerald J. Ford Stadium has a horseshoe configuration with an open south end zone adjacent to Mockingbird Lane. The architecture is consistent with the Collegiate- Georgian style of the entire SMU campus and features traditional, yet state-of-the-art design concepts. The stadium has a seating capacity of 32,000 with the possibility for future expansion to 45,000. The configuration includes nearly 600 club level seats and 240 seats in 24 spacious luxury suites housed in a three-level tower and press box. In addition to housing the club and suites, the press box provides excellent sightlines and comfortably accommodates more than 125 working print, digital, radio and television media. The playing surface is 25 feet below ground level, with half of the stadium's seats sunk below
grade, ensuring a smooth transition into the surrounding neighborhood and the remainder of the SMU campus.

The stadium has undergone millions of dollars' worth of upgrades since its opening, and in January 2022, SMU announced the $100 million Garry Weber End Zone Complex project at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Sparked by a $50 million commitment from the Garry Weber Foundation – the largest gift in the history of SMU Athletics – the new three-level complex will increase the functionality, efficiency and overall experience of Mustang Football and its fans. It also continues SMU's century-long commitment to competing at the highest levels. On Sept. 23, 2022 SMU announced a $15 million gift from Bill and Liz Armstrong toward the end zone project. See pages 11-12 for additional facility information and updates.

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 SMU Hall of Famers Reggie Dupard, Eric Dickerson, Craig James, Jerry Ball, Russell Carter and Don Meredith. 

Former President George W. Bush 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, and Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top flipped the coin before the win over Tulane. 

Eric Dickerson, Craig James and Lance McIlhenny were part of the coin toss against Lamar (2022).