SMU football hired Sonny Dykes to try and continue the air raid work that was started under former coach Chad Morris. The first year was a mixed bag.

Ultimately, the Mustangs missed a bowl game. More importantly, they missed opportunities that could have made this an especially special year. However, there was clear progress on both sides of the ball that could catapult the Mustangs into 2019.

Here’s our full postmortem and review of the 2018 SMU Mustangs football season.

Full list of recaps: UTEP Miners || Rice Owls || Texas State Bobcats || UTSA Roadrunners || SMU Mustangs || Houston Cougars ||

SMU Mustangs Season Recap

Final record: 5-7, 4-4 American

Head coach: 46-53 (5-8 SMU)

Coordinators: OC Rhett Lashlee, DC Kevin Kane

Offensive MVP: WR James Proche

Proche emerged as one of the best offensive players in the entire state as a junior. The DeSoto product caught 93 passes for 1,199 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Mustangs. He managed to excel as both a possession receiver and explosive target. Next year, he has the potential to be an All-America candidate if the quarterback play can match.

Defensive MVP: LB Richard Moore

When Moore transferred from Texas A&M, Mustangs fans hoped he could immediately be a contributor. He dramatically exceeded expectations. The junior led the team with 92 tackles, and added 13.5 tackles for loss and five sacks. He and Kyran Mitchell made up one of the most surprising linebacker groups in the conference.