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Rhett Lashlee contract extension: SMU coach enters Top 10 in pay with two additional years

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby: Grant Grubbs4 hours agogrant_grubbs_
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Rhett Lashlee. (Photo: Matt Visinsky)

Rhett Lashlee is finalizing a two-year contract extension with SMU, per On3’s Billy Embody. The extension will reportedly make him one of the top-10 highest-paid college football coaches in the country.

Lashlee is in his fourth season at the helm of SMU. The Mustangs are 5-3 this season and 3-1 in conference play.

Last season, Lashlee guided SMU to its first College Football Playoff appearance in program history. Additionally, Lashlee led SMU to the ACC Championship game in the team’s first season in the conference.

SMU fell to Clemson in the conference championship game and suffered a 38-10 loss to Penn State in the first round of the CFP. Nonetheless, it was a historic season for Rhett Lashlee and Co. Before Lashlee joined SMU, the school hadn’t recorded 11 wins in a single season since 1982.

Lashlee took over at SMU in November 2021, after former head coach Sonny Dykes left the program to be TCU‘s head coach. In his debut campaign at SMU, Lashlee propelled the team to a 7-6 overall record. In his second season, SMU finished 11-3. The following season was the 2024 campaign.

Lashlee also signed a contract extension with SMU in November of last year. With his latest extension, his contract will run through the 2032 season. Ole Miss‘ Lane Kiffin entered this season as the 10th-highest paid head coach in college football, making $9 million a year.

Lashlee’s new contract will reportedly rival that number. Lashlee isn’t the first coach to sign a massive contract extension in October. Earlier this month, Indiana‘s Curt Cignetti signed an eight-year contract extension with an average annual compensation of approximately $11.6 million.

Indiana and SMU were both likely motivated by the surge of head coach openings across the country. There are 11 openings currently, including eight at the Power Four level. Per On3’s Pete Nakos, Arkansas showed “legitimate interest” in Lashlee.

SMU will look to bounce back from its Week 9 loss to Wake Forest this weekend. On Saturday, the Mustangs will square off against No. 10 Miami at 11 a.m. CT. The game will air live on ESPN. Lashlee is excited for the test.

“Proud of our guys, the way they’re attacking the week,” Lashlee said earlier this week. “They’re excited for the challenge. It’s a great challenge, but we’re excited for the opportunity to get to play them and get to play them at home here at Ford Stadium.”