Mess at Tulane Proves Hart Had Timing Right on Lashlee Extension

Fritz tries to convince media, players his name tied heavily to coaching jobs won't distract Green Wave from beating SMU in AAC championship game

DALLAS – SMU and Tulane are in very different places heading into this weekend's AAC championship game. 

Sure, the Mustangs will enter counting on what has proven to be a reliable back-up quarterback situation after record breaking quarterback Preston Stone went down with a bone break in his lower leg in the second quarter against Navy last week. However, they go in knowing head coach Rhett Lashlee is locked down with a new contract and looking to lead SMU through to championship game against the Green Wave to whatever bowl awaits on the other side and into the ACC. 

There is a positive purpose there. As for Tulane, may be not. While the SMU administration did its job in quieting all the noise as other college programs looked for ways to lure Lashlee away from Dallas, the leaders in New Orleans failed to do the same for head coach Willie Fritz.

It's been all over the news and social media that Fritz and UTSA coach Jeff Traylor have been fighting it out for the head coach opening down in Houston. However, if Traylor or another coach is the target, that announcement would likely be made soon. If this continues to drag out, speculation will continue to run high in the Green Wave locker room that Fritz is gone.

New Tulane AD David Harris opening presser:

"We believe we are going to have a very attractive opportunity and package to discuss with Coach Fritz, and we feel confident in our ability to keep him as a part of the Green Wave family." pic.twitter.com/g4p5XSGzAF

— not Fear the Wave (@FearTheWaveBlog) November 27, 2023

Now this puts Tulane in a similar situation to last year when reports of Tulane losings its head coach got hot and heavy, but that was a different scenario. Fritz was working under an athletics director he knew and apparently trusted in Troy Dannen as the two worked together for seven seasons. However, Dannen left in October for the University of Washington, leading to former Northern Iowa athletics director David Harris taking the role.

Still Fritz was insistent it wouldn't be distraction enough to take his team's focus off SMU.

"Last year I wasn't going to be a distraction," Fritz said. "This year I'm not gonna be a distraction. I hope next year you're asking me the the same [expletive] questions and I'm not being a distraction. We're locked in on Saturday. As I said before, this is a huge ball game for us and that's the only thing I am concerned about."

Still, unless Houston and possibly Duke lock in a coach by Thursday, there will be players openly wondering whether they need to consider jumping in the portal when it opens on Friday. Like it or not, any time spent not thinking about SMU is a distraction. 

Texts from players on other teams asking them to come join them elsewhere start blowing up players' phones when talk like this gets out. Friends, families and random strangers start sharing "inside" information that says the head coach already has a deal set somewhere. It's probably just the guy serving up pulled pork at the local barbecue joint, but everyone believes he has a connection they don't and take his speculation as gospel. 

SMU players aren't trying to listen to Lashlee while voices run through their heads about how they feel that he may bail on them at any minute. Timing is everything, and athletics director Rick Hart and the boosters who back him knew that. They laid as smooth of a road as they could for this team to walk on heading into the AAC championship.

So many coaches over the years have stood firm that games are won Sunday through Friday. If that's the case, the Mustangs have been provided a potential edge, even with Kevin Jennings getting his first start at quarterback in such a big moment.

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PONY EXPRESS:

FANS NOW KNOW WHEN STONE WILL BE BACK FOR PONIES AT QUARTERBACK

SMU HOLDS OFF SUITORS AS LASHLEE AGREES TO EXTENSION TO LEAD MUSTANGS INTO ACC ERA

MUSTANGS BACK IN TOP 25 LATEST THEY'VE BEEN IN A VERY LONG TIME

RHETT LASHLEE DIDN'T USE KEVIN JENNINGS MORE IN WIN OVER NAVY "BECAUSE WE DIDN'T NEED TO"

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