Why Rhett Lashlee feels SMU is in position to compete for AAC success and more in 2023

ARLINGTON — SMU football coach Rhett Lashlee elected to use a topical golf reference on Tuesday in response to his team’s predicted third-place finish in the American Athletic Conference media poll.
“It’s kind of like that guy in the major [tournament],” Lashlee said. “You’re in contention a lot, but one day you have to break through and win on Sunday.”
This past weekend’s major, The Open Championship in Liverpool, is a good example. Before winning The Open, Brian Harman had held the distinction of having the most top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour without a win (29) since the beginning of the 2017-18 season. He ended up winning by six strokes.
SMU, coming off a 7-6 season, might have a little Harman in it. The Mustangs have been a top 25 team three of the past four seasons. The Mustangs have never played in an American Athletic Conference Championship game, which is something eight other schools have done since the conference’s first title game in 2015.
Here’s where the SMU to Harman comparison ends: Harman had 125-1 odds before the start of The Open; SMU was picked to finish third in the preseason media poll on Tuesday. The two teams ahead of SMU, reigning champion Tulane and newcomer UTSA, aren’t on the Mustangs’ schedule this season. Tulane and UTSA will also play each other in the regular season finale.
With a favorable schedule and a talented roster — highlighted by the 13th-ranked transfer portal class in the country, according to 247Sports — expectations are high for SMU this season.
“I don’t think they’re any different than they’ve been, at least for us,” Lashlee said. “We’re in contention to start the season. We’ve got to stay that way, and when we get our opportunity, see if we can find a way to win. It’s going to be hard. There’s 14 teams in this league. Trying to be No. 1 isn’t going to be easy, but we feel like we’re in a position to compete for it.”
Speaking of expectations: SMU’s new quarterback, Preston Stone, has some high ones, as well. Stone was an All-American out of Parish Episcopal. He had his choice of some of the best football programs in the country, including Texas, but he chose to stay home and go to SMU.
Now, the redshirt sophomore will have his chance to be SMU’s starting quarterback.
“He’s just got to go and be himself and trust his teammates around him,” Lashlee said of Stone, whom Lashee recruited to SMU when he was the offensive coordinator. “Our opening four weeks are really tough before we get into conference. The learning curve is going to be steep, but I think he’s just going to get better and better each week. So I just want him to be him, because I know if he’s him, then that’s good enough.”
Notable: Lashlee said he expects running back Tyler Lavine and starting offensive lineman Justin Osborne to be ready for the season. Lavine had offseason knee surgery for a partially torn patella tendon, while Osborne missed spring practice due to injury.