Rhett Lashlee, SMU set to promote D'Eriq King to quarterbacks coach
According to Billy Embody of On3’s On The Pony Express, the SMU Mustangs will hire D’Eriq King as the program’s next quarterbacks coach. King will be getting a promotion in the Park Cities, spending the 2023 season as an offensive analyst.
Mike Craven of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football was first to report the news.
“SMU is promoting analyst D’Eriq King to quarterbacks coach, head coach Rhett Lashlee announced on Wednesday,” Embody said. “King replaces Jonny Brewer, who left to be Duke’s offensive coordinator this month.”
The relationship between Lashlee and his new quarterback coach goes back to when King was still on the playing field. King transferred from Houston to Miami, where Lashlee was working as the offensive coordinator and QB coach under Manny Diaz. King played in Coral Gables for two seasons before making a move to the NFL.
King is still relatively new to the coaching world with the 2023 season being in first. He now earns a huge promotion and will have big shoes to replace with Brewer leaving. Luckily for him, there are great players in the quarterback room for him to work with.
SMU making move to ACC with two talented quarterbacks
SMU is making a big jump next season, moving from the AAC to the ACC. The Mustangs will be the latest Group of Five program to jump to a power conference but they are certainly looking to make a splash. If they are going to be able to, quarterbacks will play a huge role in their success.
Preston Stone spent all of the 2023 season as the starter, throwing for nearly 3,200 yards while tacking on 28 touchdowns. Stone had a YPA of 9.3, which was top in the conference and No. 9 across all of college football.
However, a scary moment occurred when Stone went down with an injury in the season finale. SMU was forced to move to its backup for the AAC title game against Tulane, rolling with Kevin Jennings. He wound up throwing for 203 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions but SMU was able to get the win.
With Stone now working his way back from injury, King will have two quality quarterbacks to work with going into the ACC. The job certainly will not be easy but having options will help. We will see how everything plays out beginning on Aug. 31 when SMU begins the 2024 season vs. HCU.