Stanford week last year was the week everything changed for SMU’s tight end room and its star RJ Maryland.
Maryland was making a routine catch, running full-speed towards a defender during SMU’s Oct. 19 game when a defender collided helmet-first with his right knee.
That play caused him to tear his ACL, ending his season and launching a yearlong journey to full recovery from surgery.
It placed graduate transfer Matthew Hibner into a larger role. SMU was grateful it had the depth at the position to still make a run to the College Football Playoff. But its players and staff always wondered what could’ve been had both of its NFL-caliber tight ends stayed healthy throughout the year.
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Last week at Syracuse was the first time the Mustangs reaped the benefits of having its two tight ends healthy and in action at the same time. As SMU hosts Stanford Saturday at 11 a.m., it’ll hope to build on what the tight end room can do — and show what was robbed of them during that same game last season.
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“Those two guys are great,” SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee said. “They’re NFL players. They’re as healthy as they’ve been this season. That’s why it was a lot easier to get them more involved, and we’ll continue to try to do that every week.”
After his injury, Maryland started counting down the months until he could return to game action. SMU was just hopeful he’d be back for the start of conference play.
The Mustangs got even more out of their tight end than expected, as he was able to play in the four nonconference games. But the coaches still wanted to ease him back in.
SMU tight end Matthew Hibner (88) celebrates his touchdown reception with SMU offensive lineman Andrew Chamblee (74) during the first half of an NCAA football game against TCU, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in Fort Worth.
Elías Valverde II / Staff Photographer
Maryland caught just nine passes for 76 yards in the first four games of this season. He scored a touchdown in the second half against Missouri State.
But in the 31-18 win over Syracuse last Saturday, Maryland looked much more like himself again. He made three catches for 40 yards and a touchdown and appeared to be back to full speed.
“It felt great,” he said. “The last touchdown I had versus Missouri State, it was a little freebie, so this one felt pretty good to get in for real.”
Hibner also wasn’t fully healthy in the first few games of the season. The bye week helped him recover.
He made eight catches for 49 yards and one touchdown in non-conference play. On Saturday against Syracuse, he had five catches for 55 yards.
“Kevin [Jennings] has a lot of faith in those guys. You saw late in the game, he hit Hibner twice to run some clock and get some first downs,” Lashlee said. “We were able to spread the ball around. We’re trending towards who we want to be. We’ve just got to put it all together more consistently.”
SMU may have one of the deepest tight end rooms in the country. Maryland and Hibner are supported by Stone Eby, Adam Moore, Tripp Riordan and Miles Uter. There’s a lot of college football experience in that group, including a national championship-winner in Hibner and players that have won conference championships and made the College Football Playoff.
Multiple of SMU’s tight ends have the potential to play at the next level. It’s always been believed that Maryland, who has been an impact player in all four of his years on SMU’s campus, would follow in his father Russell’s footsteps and play in the NFL.
Lashlee said while his injury could have been seen as a setback to those goals, it also better prepared him for them.
“There’s this old saying: prepare like you’re a pro before you’re a pro. I think RJ has displayed that this year,” Lashlee said. “I think he attacked his disappointment in the injury, his setback and then his rehab and recovery like a pro, and I think that’s what’s going to help him even more at the next level.”
Stanford has one of the better run defenses that SMU will face this year, allowing just 113.8 yards per game. It’s imperative that the passing game can be the difference, and that requires Maryland and Hibner to both be factors again.
SMU had eight different players log a catch against Syracuse and six make multiple catches.
Having their both tight ends be a part of that effort is a long-overdue goal that the Mustangs are relieved to finally see in action.
Prediction
SMU’s offense looked like it finally hit its stride in the first half against Syracuse, the defense made plays it wasn’t making the first four weeks, and the group was able to finish. The Mustangs should be able to build on their first conference win and gain even more confidence against a struggling Stanford team.
Prediction: SMU 42, Stanford 14
On X/Twitter: @Lassimak