UNIVERSITY PARK — Since SMU offensive coordinator Casey Woods announced he’d be leaving the program to take over as Missouri State’s head coach in December, one of the primary questions within SMU’s football team has been who would replace him.
On Thursday ahead SMU’s national signing day celebration, we learned the Mustangs will, instead, be taking a different approach to their offense.
Head coach Rhett Lashlee announced he doesn’t plan to hire a new staffer or promote any one member of his current staff to replace Woods in a traditional OC role. Instead, the Mustangs will approach the role by committee — with all of its offensive position coaches taking on additional responsibilities.
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Wide receivers coach and associate head coach Rob Likens has been promoted to Chief of Staff. Quarterbacks coach D’Eriq King will also now hold a co-OC role, which he will share with offensive line coach Garin Justice. Running backs coach Kyle Cooper, who also previously served as special teams coordinator, will now only be on the offensive side of the ball, acting as the run-game coordinator. Assistant special teams coordinator Casey Horny has been promoted to special teams coordinator. Finally, SMU hired Southlake Carroll head coach Riley Dodge in December to take over Woods’ role as tight ends coach and pass-game coordinator.
“Those five guys in that room, we’re gonna do a lot of it together,” Lashlee said. “We’re not the first people who have had two co-coordinators lead a side of the ball. … We felt like we had the answers within.”
The decision not to hire a replacement for Woods was simpler than it would’ve been in other programs because Lashlee calls the plays. In many programs, that’s the offensive coordinator’s job. While Woods consulted with Lashlee on the playbook, the head coach ultimately makes the calls — and it will remain that way.
Lashlee said he’s confident in the group he has because of its continuity. While it has lost pieces like Woods and former quarterbacks coach Jonathan Brewer, who became the OC at Duke following the 2023 season, it also stayed mostly intact.
Lashlee and Cooper have coached together for nine years. He, Likens and Justice are entering their seventh year together. King played for Lashlee at Miami and is now entering his fourth season on his staff.
“I feel good about where we are as an offensive staff,” Lashlee said. “I think the staff and the unit will work well together, and hopefully, we can be better next year than we were this past year.”
The primary changes, Lashlee hopes, will make the team even stronger. Cooper will be able to focus on the offense, allowing Horny to dive into a special teams unit with room for improvement.
“Other than missing some kicks, we’ve not lost games on special teams,” Lashlee said. “We want to start winning games on special teams.”
The same can be said on defense with defensive coordinator Scott Symons dropping his role as safeties coach and instead giving those responsibilities to former South Oak Cliff defensive coordinator Kyle Ward.
Ward and Dodge allow SMU to further strengthen its relationship with local high schools where the bulk of its recruiting classes are built.
“They’re fantastic coaches,” Lashlee said. “They’ve been super successful. They win championships, and I think they’re both going to help us a lot on the coaching side, the relationships, the recruiting side and really elevate our staff.”
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