Rhett Lashlee details changes in SMU's recruiting approach with move to ACC

SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee fully embraced the changes to the program when joining the ACC and it’s paying off in recruiting.

In his second season as head coach, Lashlee led SMU to an 11-2 record and won the AAC, the final time the Mustangs will play in the conference. Moving forward, it will be a challenge in a power conference.

But, it seems like the recruiting base is already rising for Lashlee and company.

“It’s changed a lot,” Lashlee said on Sirius XM’s ACC Radio. “Specifically at the high school level, you know, over the last several years, the way we’ve kind of been able to climb back to where we are now, so to speak, is there’s been some really good transfer kids who want to come back. When I say back, come back to Dallas, come back to Texas. You know, every year the Dallas metroplex has the most kids sign Division 1 scholarships. 

“They can’t all come to SMU and in the you know, until recently, a lot of them want to come but they also want to play at the highest level. Well, we weren’t in a power conference. So a lot of guys would leave but then if it didn’t go, well, they want to transfer and we were the best of transfer destination. There’s not another division one school within 30 miles of Dallas.”

SMU hit the transfer portal hard, but now it seems like it’s a balancing act with Lashlee. And that’s just the way he likes it.

“So we were the benefit of that and that’s how we were able to get some really high end players being the transfer portal,” Lashlee said. “When it comes to high school recruiting, you know, we’ve gone to five straight bowl games, now kids locally want to come to SMU. It’s cool to come to SMU again. 

“They understand the value of the degree living in Dallas, all the things but when it came down to decision time if it’s down to you know us and Baylor and Texas Tech and Arkansas or whatever you know, at the end of the day like man I want to play on the highest level on a big stage. And we just didn’t have that. Now we do.”

The cool thing about the ACC? SMU plays home and away against marquee programs from now on. Not that the Mustangs haven’t before, but it’ll be at a higher level.

“Florida State’s coming in to our stadium next year,” Lashlee said. “And the next year we’re going to Clemson and so on and so forth. And so it’s changed a lot. You know, I think right now, who knows who’s in charge of rankings and if they’re right, but I think our ‘25 class is top 10 in the country, second in the ACC behind Clemson, and we got five commitments and they’re all four-stars or better. 

“Because those guys who kind of wanted to stay home and play here now, every box can be checked for him. And they said Man, we can play in a Power Four conference, we can play on the highest level, on the biggest stages. So it’s changed by the caliber of young men we’re able to attract out of high school for sure.”

To reference Lashlee’s point, SMU currently boasts the No. 15 overall recruiting class in the 2025 cycle, per On3.