Rhett Lashlee previews SMU-Louisville, addresses Jahari Rogers transfer

SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee spoke with the media on Tuesday to preview the matchup against Louisville as the Mustangs look to move to 5-1 overall.

Opening Statement: “Well, excited for another game week. We get a chance to go on our first true road game in the ACC, second road game of the year. It’s a great environment there, and it’s a Top 25 team, really well-coached. Offensively, they’re explosive. The quarterback’s playing at a high level, they’ve got three receivers that can really play, and they’ve got good balance on offense. Defensively and statistically, they’re impressive. I think 16 points a game, 23 percent conversion rate on third down, stopping the run at a good rate, not allowing a lot of explosives. It should be a great challenge for us, and we had a good Tuesday getting ready for it.”

Q: After being at home for a month, do you think the team can find motivation to fire themselves up as they go into a difficult environment?

Lashlee: “Yeah, I mean, they’re gonna have to, right? I mean, everything’s a series of tests. This is a great opportunity for us. Louisville does have one of the better road environments in our conference, and obviously, they’re a Top 25 team. So, rowdy crowd, everyone’s against you—it’s more like 100 of us versus 50, 60, 70,000. But if you’re a competitor, that’s what you love. It’s loud, all the momentum and emotions usually swing against you, and you’ve got to see what kind of focus you can have. When the play happens, none of that stuff matters. It’s about focusing in and blocking everything out. All football games go back and forth, and on the road, it can swing against you quickly. We need to handle that and not play emotional—just be intense, passionate, and focused. So, we’re excited for that challenge.”

Q: Is there anything you or your staff do differently now, going into this stretch of games where you’ll be going coast to coast, changing time zones?

Lashlee: “Not really. The move to the ACC hasn’t changed our travel for football much because the American was largely an East Coast conference. We’ll go out west once, which we already did earlier this year. When we go from Stanford to Duke in one week, there might be minor adjustments, but overall, it’s business as usual. The game plan and the game week are the same. On Friday after our run-through, we shower up, get on a plane, and fly to Louisville instead of staying here.”

Q: What are your thoughts on Louisville’s quarterback Tyler Shuck?

Lashlee: “He’s playing with a lot of confidence—11 touchdowns to 1 interception. He’s got great weapons, including Ja’Corey Brooks, who we recruited when I was at Miami. He went to Alabama and then transferred to Louisville, and he’s a super talented guy. They’ve got a couple of guys playing at a high level, and Coach Brohm is known for developing quarterbacks and having explosive, balanced offenses. We’ve played really good passing teams like TCU, and we’ve played teams that run the ball well, like Florida State or Nevada. BYU tried to be balanced. But this is probably the most balanced attack we’ll face. We’ll be stressed and strained defensively, so it’ll take everything we’ve got.”

Q: Louisville has struggled a bit against dual-threat quarterbacks. Do you see an opportunity there for your team?

Lashlee: “A lot of people struggle with dual-threat quarterbacks. Kevin [SMU’s quarterback] has shown the last two weeks that he doesn’t need to run for 100 yards to be a threat. Whether it’s extending plays and throwing on the run or pulling the ball down and running when needed, that’s part of who we are. Kevin gives us a little extra pressure on the defense and forces them to defend the whole field.”

Q: How’s Roderick Daniels adjusting to his role this season?

Lashlee: “Roderick is kind of a renaissance man for us. He’s done everything except play left tackle, and I hope we don’t have to get to that point. He’s a great returner, he plays slot receiver, outside receiver, and running back. Last week, with only two practices, he went out and played running back the whole game and did really well—15 carries. He’s a really smart football player, so we’re not limited with him back there. Between him, Rashard, and McFaul, plus getting LJ back this week, we should be in good shape depth-wise.”

Q: Will LJ Johnson be ready for Saturday?

Lashlee: “Yes, he’s been cleared. He practiced today.”

Q: Any updates on Rashard and Tank?

Lashlee: “Brashard practiced fully today, wasn’t limited in any way. Tank’s x-rays were negative, and he was out there in pads today. Our training staff is doing everything they can to get him ready for Saturday. There’s a chance he could play, and we’re optimistic. Worst case, we have a bye week coming up, but we don’t expect him to be out for a long time. Ramello is probably a game-time decision—he practiced today, but it’s still up in the air.”

Q: How will Roderick be used if LJ is ready?

Rhett Lashlee:
Roderick will still play both running back and receiver. LJ has a history of getting banged up, so Roderick’s versatility will still be key for us.

Q: Jahari Rogers announced he’s leaving the team. Can you comment on that?

Rhett Lashlee:
Jahari handled it perfectly. He came to us last week and made the decision by Wednesday. He loves SMU, and he’ll graduate in December. He’s been here five years, but he wants to take advantage of the redshirt rule and try to start somewhere else next year. He was in our rotation and helping us on special teams, but he wants one more year to be the guy somewhere. We understand that, and we’ll help him however we can.

Q: Do you anticipate more players opting out like Jahari?

Rhett Lashlee:
I don’t think so. We’re past the fourth game, and most of the guys have played five games. The culture here is good, and I think the players are bought into being here. They’re having fun, and they believe in this team. No one’s immune to it, but I don’t expect many more guys in that situation.

Q: Will Speedy Nettles see more opportunities now?

Rhett Lashlee:
Yes, that moves Speedy up. Crossley and Smoke have been doing well, and Deuce had a good game last week. AJ Davis has been playing, and Speedy’s right there with them. We’ll be smart and not burn a year of eligibility if we don’t have to, but he’s taken a lot of reps with the ones and twos. We have a lot of confidence in him, and he’s got the size to be a great player for us.