Press Conference: Rhett Lashlee on SMU College Football Playoff loss to Penn State, Kevin Jennings

[@thekingslayer8463]

Penn state alumni here, head up coach. SMU had a great season and has nothing to be disappointed about. Y’all should be very proud. Don’t let these internet trolls get to you. You had a great year.

[@marshcreek4355]

PSU simply had too much for them. He handled this loss a whole lot better than most coaches show in their post game pressers. Grace. He has a good thing going in the ACC and given their NIL model of team building and availability of resources will thrive. Jenkins is a huge talent. If they can build up their O-line and defensive secondary talent they will continue as a force in the ACC.

[@nick.......]

PSU student here. I was impressed with the tempo of the offense. We had to be screaming nonstop throughout every SMU drive

[@manuelesoto23]

This is the beginning, not the end. It was a great season for SMU. As a Miami fan I’m happy for Lashlee and our former players.

[@jwisor93]

I like this guy. He's got class. Great win for PSU.

[@kevinchandler179]

As a die hard Nittany Lions 🦁 fan, this guy is a good coach and a stand up dude 👏!!!! WE ARE

[@Alan-lv9rw]

SMU had a great year. They were G5 last year. Onward and upward. The sky is the limit.

[@brianwalter7387]

SMU hopefully back, good game coach, as a PSU guy, trust me, I know how hard defeats stinks..keep it up coach

[@davidmedina2823]

Well said coach. Took it like a man, and the team did not quit.

[@ghosttowntomato]

Good game, ya’ll. Don’t be so hard on yourselves. PSU is a top team in entire country.

[@Artiee2Nicee]

WE WILL BE BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@jessman8597]

I think the PA cold played a significant factor too. That was brutally cold compared to what SMU is used too.

[@SF49ss]

Great coach.

[@coolkatmehrfth]

A G5 team in their first year in the P4, went 11-1 in the regular season, and made the playoffs! A lot to be proud of. Game didn’t go your way today, but it was never supposed to. Coach Lashlee has a bright future, and now he has the taste of big games! We Are!

[@natonic6538]

This guy's a class act.

[@RealCamSmith]

Thank you coach and thank you seniors! Time to reload!

[@GiantOcean-t7x]

SMU beat themselves They are a good team

[@johnbarnes4506]

Penn State controlled both lines of scrimmage! Game over

[@brandotex]

No, smu defense played well. Offense sucked

[@frankcristell692]

SMU Quarterback probably never has thrown a pad in sub freezing temperatures and it looked like the wind affected his first pick 6 for sure. Not saying SMU wins in a normal weather situation, but it would have been a lot closer game 😊

[@marshcreek4355]

That touchdown pass Jenkin's threw at the end was indicative of his true ability. Even with pressure he slipped containment and threw a dart. A talented young QB. It's just that PSU's defense and the weather were a bit too much for him.

[@BigManBoss8]

lol listening to Lashlee you would have thought his team was 1-2 plays away from winning this game…fact of the matter is, you guys got dominated up front and your QB ran for his life all day, which led to his terrible decisions. Couldn’t handle the crowd and the superior talent on the opposing side.

[@vikefans4819]

I was there - crowd was great, but that was not the problem. Jennings runs around like that all the time, as the line is a Group of 5 line and that is why Jennings (with mobility) had to start over 4-star Preston Stone (who is a better passer). They get the TD on that first errant pass on the 1st drive, and score when he threw the second pick 6, then, yes, it is 1-2 plays and it is a different game.

[@BigManBoss8]

@ I was there too…crowd absolutely had an impact. SMU could not change plays at the line of scrimmage. Both times they tried, one was a timeout and the other a delay of game. After that they just stuck with the play called.

[@punav7449]

If Jennings doesn’t throw two pick sixes and converts that 1st 4th down yea it definitely could have been a different game

[@coolkatmehrfth]

I don’t know what you’re talking about, he says multiple times that they got beat thoroughly. What did you want - him to get down on his knees and praise Penn State for 15 minutes? He’s the SMU head coach, he’s going to talk about SMU!

[@BigManBoss8]

@@punav7449 PSU may not have won by 28 but they would have won handily. Far too strong in the trenches.

[@byronhare7202]

"America's team" just got their shiii pushed in😂😂

[@SaucyDangles]

Glad we got a free win but man Bama would have been fun to see live

[@justinbrosious6601]

Fun to get smoked by PSU

[@justinbrosious6601]

Umm ain’t nobody yall played is on Abdul Carters level

[@Rich-l6r]

Carter Neckzilla 💪🏈💪👍👍💯🔥

[@vikefans4819]

That is 100% true. He was great

[@brandotex]

Lost opportunities and Kevin had an awful game. Cant give away 21 points - decision making was so bad. Sad to see

[@Nategrossman7]

Very strange press conference. Almost like he knew this was going to happen

[@ryansheard8092]

Anyone with half a brain knew it was going to happen. The LOS was going to be a huge W for PSU. There aren't elite OL in the portal. Gotta recruit and develop them over 5-7 years.

[@vikefans4819]

He's just disappointed and does not want to throw his talented QB under the bus. Jennings will be fine, just a rotten day

[@tylerknepp6197]

lol play calling and decisions…. Me along with 106,000 other fans were there today and you say the crowd didn’t really cause any issues??? Coward call a spade and spade. Out coached and out played. Safe flight home

[@vikefans4819]

I was there tool. Crowd was great and respectful fans. No, the crowd was not the issue. The cold was not the issue. Kevin Jennings was the issue. For all his talent, his 3 picks were brutal. The SMU gave up 17 points and only 300 yards of offense. SMU does not throw those picks and we score even a few times on the 6 red zone possessions that netted ZERO TDs, and it's a different game. PSU defense was good, but Jennings was the powder keg today that killed SMU. So, Lashlee is not a coward - you watched the game, you know it was Jennings.

[@kevinchandler179]

It was our elite defense that made Jennings a frickin dear in headlights!!!! Try giving our Nittany Lions 🦁 players credit for a change!!!! WE ARE, going to go through this bullshit for 10 more days, people overthinking and saying my Nittany Lions 🦁 should be scared 😱 of Boise St.!!!! WE ARE, going to skull drag their asses 38-13!!!!! Enough said

[@GMS8201]

I’m an ND fan; but I've followed SMU scores all year and have been impressed with them. I am curious if this was just a bad game? Or was PSU that good? SMU I thought was just as good as PSU, but I haven't watched a bunch of SMU film so I was curious what SMU fans think.

[@metroidnerd9001]

We’ve generally had a solid foundation, but there have been cracks throughout the season. The loss to BYU exposed our O-line as subpar, which pushed us towards Jennings, who is better at running than Stone was. Against Duke our turnover problem showed itself, but our defense held up enough to win. We were probably a bit overrated going into the last couple weeks, but a solid season that I’m still happy with overall. I think we have a good enough foundation to try to make another run next season with all our returning players.

[@RSeaker]

PSU is bigger and better at most positions.

[@vikefans4819]

Kevin Jennings miserable day caused the loss to be lopsided. He is good, but when he is off, he is miserably off. The SMU defense giving up 17 points and 300 yards is good - look what Oregon gave up to PSU. The SMU offense was in the red zone 6 times today with no TD. When Jennings is on, they convert 5 of them. SMU lost today, more than PSU won. Not knocking PSU, but SMU handed them the game. Crowd noise and cold was not the problem. You just saw the growing pains of a 20 year old first year starting QB, who still showed some flashes today

[@forrestpanda]

@@vikefans4819KJ seems turned over crazily in big games. Tulane, Clemson, PSU. Not sure why

[@kevinchandler179]

Why, I don't know about any of them other games, but why today, duh!!!!!!!! My Nittany Lions 🦁, enough said!!!!!!!!

[@brandotex]

Death penalty question was so stupid. Gimme a break. Stick to the game

[@victorcornelius7948]

Thats what happens when you play a cupcake schedule with no wins against ranked teams.Smu is 7-11-1.against cfp ranked teams in playoff era.1-7 in bowlgames and the last win was against Hawaii in 2012.Cfp fix your playoffs

[@vikefans4819]

They played the ACC schedule they were given plus BYU and TCU. That is not their fault. PSU has no signature wins this year either, til now.

[@wendyweber7975]

Penn State dominated you. Admit it. You were outplayed. You are a mediocre team in a bad conference.

[@GMS8201]

Nah, Jennings played terribly. They had a decent push, and open receivers, Jennings just ruined the game

[@vikefans4819]

Penn State did not dominate at all. SMU defense was solid (300 yards given up and 17 points by the D - that wins most games. The ACC is not as strong as the B10 or SEC, but they won. SMU is not mediocre, they are simply not as good as the top8-9 teams after being a power 4 for 1 season vs PSU's 100 years. Kevin Jennings implosion killed SMU today, but he has loads of talent. He is just 20. If PSU dominated, explain how SMU almost trucked you on the opening drive (Jenning pass off target to a wide open TE in the end zone), had 6 red zone possessions (where he imploded again). SMU lost more than PSU won in this game. How come no one talks about your coach going for a 4th and 1 on his own 19 and failing - worst judgment I have ever seen. Be cool - most PSU fans were classy at the stadium today

[@brandotex]

No you got 21 points in a gift wrap. You guys will not win the natty

[@Fred-t8q]

Blah, blah, blah, …… you should be saying that we are total frauds and took a playoff spot from a more deserving team.

[@johngilger5368]

Like who. A team that lost to shitty Kentucky or a team that had two bad losses to Vandy and Oklahoma. Neither of them deserved it. Miami didn't either.

[@Fred-t8q]

@ that’s right….Let’s exclude teams because of a bad loss. Dude, we are trying to get 12 teams in, this means that we will have to accept teams with bad losses. Otherwise, go back to the 4-team playoff.

[@marshcreek4355]

SEC fantacy land. Who would those teams be? Alabama? Mississippi? Oh. Friggan Tennessee Vols were crushed by OSU last night. Or Miami from the ACC who couldn't even handle Syracuse when it needed to? They all had their opportunities, but failed. No - SMU, Boise State, and Arizona State earned their way in. Given NIL the balance of power is shifting.

[@jrcontreras7059]

Great season but they didn’t belong in the playoffs. South Carolina, Alabama or Ole Miss would have given Penn State more of a competitive game.

[@vikefans4819]

They did belong. You want to reward the others for bad losses to .500 or below teams. C'mon. SMU was 8-0 with the schedule the ACC gave them in their first year. They are not on par with the top 8 or so teams, as that chasm is huge for teams due to 100 years of recruiting. SMU has ZERO years recruiting as a power 4 team - watch, we have the money (trust me), players want to be at SMU. Also, if you were not aware, SMU is a tiny D1 school - just 7,000 full time students. PSU has 40,000.

[@marshcreek4355]

Is this a reverse DEI that applies to the SEC? SMU earned its way in while the teams you mentioned did not. The opportunity was there for them throughout the whole season, but they didn't take advantage of it. Oh, and you should have held off on your argument until the OSU - Tennessee Vols game results. OSU beat them like they were playing Northwestern or Purdue. At least for this season the SEC is running on the fumes of past glory and history. Things will really fall apart if Notre Dame beats the Georgia Bulldogs.

[@tiguhhhh5415]

SMU izza joke

[@victorcornelius7948]

Alabama deserved to be in over smu.This game proved it.Roll Tide and Roll Penn St

[@Liamh68]

lol no they did not

[@MichaelKeville]

Bama suck . Penn state would have rolled them

[@RSeaker]

Bama, USCe, whatev. PSU wins by 14. It's cold weather, hard nose PA football.

[@Fred-t8q]

Total frauds. If SMU had to play Georgia, Tennessee, LSU, Missouri, South Carolina the way bama did , there’s no way that they win 11 games. Their best win is against Louisville. What a joke.

[@Fred-t8q]

@@MichaelKevilleask Penn state who they preferred to play - SMU or bama? You know the fucking answer.

[@tylerknepp6197]

lol play calling and decisions…. Me along with 106,000 other fans were there today and you say the crowd didn’t really cause any issues??? Coward call a spade and spade. Out coached and out played. Safe flight home

[@vikefans4819]

He was not out coached at all. Your head coach went for it on 4th and 2 from his 19. That is good coaching? Enjoy the win, others were at the game besides you. PSU won, no need to be a jerk about a team that has no history or rivalry with you.

[@kevinchandler179]

As a die hard Nittany Lions 🦁 fan, the SMU coach is a good dude, but now you guys know how Franklin feels, when they bash him constantly!!!!! WE ARE

[@brandotex]

Hey tyler, you got 21 free points