DALLAS (SMU) – Head Coach Rhett Lashlee has announced a number of promotions and on-field coaching staff changes ahead of the 2023 season.

On offense, Casey Woods will continue to serve as Offensive Coordinator and lead the tight ends room, while quarterbacks coach Jonathan Brewer and wide receivers coach Rob Likens will serve as Co-Offensive Coordinators. Likens was also elevated to Associate Head Coach.

Offensive line coach Garin Justice has been elevated to Assistant Head Coach and Khenon Hall adds the title of run game coordinator to his position leading the running back room.

Former outside linebackers coach Kyle Cooper has been named the Mustangs' Special Teams Coordinator and will also coach safeties.

Defensively, Coordinator Scott Symons will lead a group that includes new linebackers coach and run game coordinator Maurice Crum Jr., cornerbacks coach and pass game coordinator Rickey Hunley, Jr. and defensive line coach Calvin Thibodeaux.

SMU has finalized its 2023 non-conference football slate, which opens Sept. 2 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium against Louisiana Tech. The Mustangs travel to Oklahoma for the front half of a home-and-home series with the Sooners on Sept. 9, with the return trip to Dallas in 2027, and the Battle for the Iron Skillet heads to Fort Worth on Sept. 23 when SMU faces Metroplex rival TCU. The final addition to the schedule is a Sept. 16 home meeting with Prairie View A&M.
 
Times for all games are TBD and will be announced when they become available. The Mustangs' conference opponents can be found here, with dates to follow in the coming weeks.
 
SMU finished the 2022 regular season, the first under Head Coach Rhett Lashlee, 7-5 to become 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.
 
The Mustangs finished the regular season in the top 15 among FBS rankings for passing offense (5th, 324.9), scoring offense (11th, 38.4), total offense (12th, 279.8), first down offense (12th, 302), red zone offense (13th, .914), blocked kicks (8th, 4) and fewest penalties per game (10th, 4.42).