The Reclamation Initiative | The Coaching Career of Nico Augustine

Post by **djp73** » 28 Jan 2026, 20:42

Hopefully not a big step back on defense

Post by **Soapy** » 29 Jan 2026, 07:20

Cheeseman coming back imo

Post by **Captain Canada** » 29 Jan 2026, 08:48

djp73 wrote: ↑
28 Jan 2026, 20:42
Hopefully not a big step back on defense

Think we're taking a step back regardless with the sheer lost of impact players on defense, but we'll see how this scheme change affects things.

Soapy wrote: ↑
29 Jan 2026, 07:20
Cheeseman coming back imo

Ain't no way he's done

Post by **Caesar** » 29 Jan 2026, 09:14

Better back up a Brinks truck for Cheeseman if you want him to stay.

Post by **djp73** » 29 Jan 2026, 09:44

Give him the cheese, man

Post by **Captain Canada** » 31 Jan 2026, 18:31

SMU loses superstar defensive tackle Trent Landry, retains Cheeseman and Brewer
By Veronica Downs | SMU Daily

With a National championship and the 2029 Heisman Trophy both becoming new additions to his trophy case, SMU quarterback Alonzo Cheeseman had every motivation to forego the remainder of his eligibility and make the mad dash to the National Football League. He would have been a top 10 pick in the upcoming draft.

"Run it back".

Cheeseman's Instagram post shook up the collegiate landscape when he posted and announced that the redshirt sophomore would be returning for at least another season to the Mustangs, ensuring the defending National champions would continue to be one of the favorites heading into the 2030 college football season.

Following closely behind him is the reigning Jim Thorpe Trophy winner, free safety Esteban Brewer, who decided to return for his final season of collegiate eligibility rather than head into the NFL draft as well. Brewer is expected to slot into the free safety position more predominantly rather than his nickelback role he starred in with the Mustangs. He'll be replacing graduating free safety Armani Medlock in the deep safety position.

Shockingly, defensive tackle Trent Landry decided to hop into the transfer portal to play out the remaining two years of eligibility for his college career. This comes after an impressive season where he led the nation in sacks from the interior. He narrowly lost the Bronco Nagurski Trophy to teammate and outgoing star linebacker, Thomas McCariens while picking up the Lombardi Award as the league's top defensive linemen.

"Playing at SMU has been a dream come true and some of the life-long friendships and connections I've made here, I'll never forget," said Landry in a statement posted to his Instagram account. "But, I need to do what's best for me and the direction of my career is not aligning with where I believe the direction this institution is heading in. God first."

The message seemed to be be a bit of low blow at head coach Nico Augustine and the staff at SMU, while fans believe that Landry is pointing towards his close relationship with outgoing defensive coordinator Kerry Abraham, who recently took a job with Michigan State. Landry is highly expected to be following Abraham to the Spartans, but analysts are wondering if there is more to this story than meets the eye.

NFL Draftees
MIKE Kevin Lockridge - 6th round
WILL Thomas McCariens - 6th round

Transfer Portal
DT Trent Landry
QB Kerry Sylvan

Graduations
EDGE Junior Rudd
RT Brendan Mullen
FS Armani Medlock
LG Drew Hill
TE Miles Uter
EDGE Josh Mingo
C Rich Bitonio
CB Manu Hook
EDGE Ramon Arrollo
SS Trent Abreu
LT Sinilau Yoo
HB Titus Dayes
WILL Gerald Stingley

redsox907 · Post by **redsox907** » 01 Feb 2026, 01:11

Trent Landry a bitch. I hope he goes to Texas so you can kill that fuck boy

Post by **Captain Canada** » 01 Feb 2026, 17:46

Mustangs land generational class, land #2 ranked class on National Signing Day
By Cheryl Smith

DALLAS -- Winning a national championship can validate a program. What comes next defines it.

Fresh off capturing the 2029 National Championship, SMU has sent another clear message to the rest of college football: this run isn't ending anytime soon. When the dust settled on signing day, the Mustangs landed the number two ranked recruiting class in the nation, trailing only Georgia, which finished atop the rankings via their six five-star recruits, led by offensive tackle David Ajirotutu (#6 in the nation, #3 OT) and tight end Clayton Hixon (#13 in the nation, #2 TE).

SMU wasn't far behind.

The Mustangs closed with five 5-star signings, a haul that would have been unthinkable in Dallas just a few years ago - and one that signals a program intent on sustaining dominance, not merely celebrating it.

Headlining SMU's historic class are five elite prospects, including Eli Nall, the five-star MIKE linebacker that forecasts to be the defensive centerpiece and a future quarterback of the unit. Alex Longoria, a rangy, instinctive defender built for immediate impact as a safety, and running back Avery Knowles, a generational talent with three-down upside.

Together, along with safety Taylor Stick and wide receiver Kenyon Natson, they from the backbone of a class designed to replace stars with stars - a necessity given the departures SMU faces entering the new season.

The urgency on the recruiting trail was clear.

SMU is tasked with suturing the losses of defensive stalwarts Thomas McCariens and Kevin Lockridge at linebacker, and Armani Medlock at free safety, both of whom graduated after anchoring the Mustangs' championship defense. Compounding the challenge was the departure of Lombardi Award-winning defensive tackle Trent Landry, whose decision to transfer to Auburn left a sizable void in the interior.

Rather than panic, SMU leaned into its new reality: reload with elite youth.

Nall projects as a long-term answer in the middle of the defense, while Longoria and Stick offer immediate competition - and potentially instant solutions - on the back end. Knowles and Natson, meanwhile, give the offense explosive upside that can evolve alongside a roster already accustomed to championship expectations.

Beyond the high school ranks, SMU continued its aggressive use of the transfer portal, landing David Coco, an experienced offensive tackle from head coach Nico Augustine and new defensive coordinator Griffin McCauley's former team, Arkansas State. Coco is expected to step directly into a starting roe, stabilizing an offensive line that is young, talented, and unafraid of responsibility.

SMU has developed a reputation for starting true freshman, giving them meaningful snaps early and accelerating their growth. It's a strategy that's paid off - and one that will again be put to the test as this recruiting class begins to integrate.

The team also addresses their secondary, adding Jamerson Cotton out of Utah State and Dominick Jackson out of Arkansas State as well. The team hopes to reload their arguably weakest unit, especially with their top cornerback, Manu Hook, graduating as well.

SMU isn't rebuilding a champion.

They're constructing the next one. And with the number two recruiting class in the nation, the Mustangs have ensured that the climb to the top won't require starting over - only moving forward.

SMU 2030 Football Recruiting Board

RECRUIT	POS	HOMETOWN	HT / WT	NATL (POS)
Hayden Presley	WR	Dallas, TX	5'11"/168	#189 (#40)
Alex Longoria	FS	Austin, TX	6'2"/186	#18 (#2)
Tyree Duke	HB	Mansfield, TX	6'1"/202	#1015 (#137)
Kenyon Natson	WR	Tomball, TX	6'4"/199	#32 (#3)
Taylor Stick	FS	Grand Prairie, TX	6'3"/198	#30 (#4)
Dwayne Sowells	HB	Springfield, MA	6'0"/204	#125 (#13)
Stephen Barmore	OG	Cedar Hill, TX	6'4"/294	#83 (#3)
Bryce Lewis	OG	Cypress, TX	6'4"/291	#1432 (#77)
Kordell Reddick	EDGE	Virginia Beach, VA	6'5"/229	#431 (#39)
Eli Nall	MIKE	Oxford, MS	6'0"/238	#9 (#1)
Avery Knowles	HB	North Royalton, OH	5'10"/209	#17 (#2)
Dalton Griffen	OT	Lufkin, TX	6'5"/286	#941 (#65)
Erik Iverson	SS	Baton Rouge, LA	5'10"/183	#1507 (#22)
Keary Carraway	EDGE	Conway, AR	6'1"/226	#1472 (#124)
Eric Vizcaino	MIKE	Austin, TX	6'3"/227	#262 (#13)
Zack Wilkins	QB	Mesquite, TX	6'2"/190	#882 (#55)
Anthony Vigil	EDGE	Weatherford, TX	6'2"/241	#1253 (#103)
Alex Lewis	SAM	Houston, TX	6'0"/226	#932 (#67)
Dan Oben	MIKE	Arlington, TX	6'2"/213	#1522 (#93)
Fabian Marcus	WR	Jacksonville, FL	5'11"/204	#92 (#17)
Sergio Lewis	WILL	Shreveport, LA	6'1"/227	#1866 (#126)
Steve Humphries	FB	Ridgely, MD	5'11"/190	#1672 (#21)
Raijon Boutte	QB	Mansfield, TX	6'0"/222	#1824 (#121)
Lee Merryweather	ATH	Charlotte, NC	6'1"/214	#47 (#5)
Vernon Verrier	DT	Dearborn, MI	6'3"/284	#370 (#24)
Deontay Homer	EDGE	Fort Lauderdale, FL	6'6"/242	#153 (#13)
Chad McRoy	CB	Tracy, CA	6'0"/195	#144 (#13)
Jamille Dugans	EDGE	Baton Rouge, LA	6'4"/237	#86 (#7)
James Doctson	CB	Bakersfield, CA	6'1"/160	#117 (#11)
Henry Malik	CB	Broken Arrow, OK	5'11"/175	#12 (#1)
DeAndre Brooks	QB	West Des Moines, IA	6'3"/201	#127 (#9)
Shaquille Dicker	EDGE	Tyler, TX	6'6"/247	#21 (#3)
Juan Arcuri	SS	North Richard Hills, TX	6'0"/186	#139 (#3)
Owen McMahon	MIKE	Houston, TX	6'2"/239	#28 (#2)
Juan Carrizosa	OT	Houston, TX	6'8"/297	#329 (#30)

Post by **ShireNiner** » 01 Feb 2026, 20:59

Eli Nall - one to watch. That is a great class, this team is ready for a repeat.

Post by **djp73** » 01 Feb 2026, 21:15

Reloaded

Login • Register