SMU football coach Rhett Lashlee earned FWAA Super 11 Coach of the Year honors after leading the Mustangs to a Holiday Bowl win and another big season.
DALLAS - SMU football head coach Rhett Lashlee added another major accolade to his growing resume this week, earning the FWAA Super 11 Coach of the Year award after guiding the Mustangs through another standout season.
For SMU, it’s more proof that Lashlee has quickly become one of the most important figures in the program’s modern rise.
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The honor caps a year that checked plenty of boxes for the Mustangs. SMU finished with a bowl victory in the Holiday Bowl, the program’s first postseason win since 2012, and continued the kind of upward climb that has reshaped expectations in Dallas.
Lashlee’s fast start has been especially impressive. Through four seasons, he has piled up 38 victories, the most by any head coach in his first four years in SMU history.
That win total matters, but this particular award says something a little different, too.
The FWAA’s Super 11 recognition isn’t just about results on the field. It also reflects how a program handles media access, communication and day-to-day professionalism.
Coaches who make themselves available and help create a workable environment for reporters tend to stand out, and Lashlee clearly did just that.
One ACC beat writer praised SMU’s openness and specifically pointed to Lashlee as someone who has been especially easy to work with during the season.
That combination of winning and accessibility helped separate him. Previous winners of the coach-specific honor include notable names such as Ryan Day, Mike Norvell, Sonny Dykes, Tom Allen, Chris Klieman, Jeff Hafley and Herm Edwards. Now Lashlee joins that list.
For SMU, the recognition is another sign the program’s national profile keeps growing.
The Mustangs had previously been honored by the FWAA on the communications side, but this award shines the spotlight directly on the head coach.
At a time when SMU football is pushing for bigger relevance on the national stage, Lashlee’s latest honor feels like more than a personal achievement.
It’s another signal that the Mustangs aren’t just improving. They’re being noticed.
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