After a 2-1 start to the 2024 season, SMU is making a change at quarterback. Incumbent starter Preston Stone will head to the bench in favor of redshirt sophomore Kevin Jennings.
What does Jennings bring to the table, and can he deliver better results than Stone?
SMU Head Coach Rhett Lashlee Names Kevin Jennings the Starting QB
The Mustangs played both QBs last season, as Jennings’ dual-threat skill set and arm strength warranted their own packages. However, he started the final two games of the 2023 season after Stone suffered a broken fibula against Navy just one week before the AAC Championship.
Jennings stepped in and completed the victory over the Midshipmen, guided SMU to a win over No. 22 Tulane in the title match, and threw 48 passes in a 23-14 Fenway Bowl loss to Boston College.
Stone finished the season with 3,197 yards and 28 touchdowns (11th in the FBS) against just six interceptions, cementing himself as one of the best passers in the country. He didn’t just pad his stats — he led SMU to a 10-2 record in games he played, marking the Mustangs’ first double-digit win campaign in 40 years.
During ACC Media Days this summer, head coach Rhett Lashlee didn’t shy away from the idea of playing both QBs once again, saying, “We had to have both of those guys to win a conference championship last year, and there’s no question in my mind — to be successful, we’ll need both of them this year.”
Lashlee brought Stone and Jennings with him to Charlotte, N.C., for Media Days, and the two were highly complimentary of each other.
“The way he moves in the pocket, doing 360s, making defenders miss, that’s a crazy trait of his that I’m trying to learn,” Jennings said of Stone.
“[Jennings] is one of my best friends in the entire world,” Stone said. “We get to go out and compete against one another every day, but we have just as much fun off the field as we do practicing and playing. … I thought he was the faster one. But I wish I could throw the ball 80 yards; this kid’s got a really strong arm.”
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Stone struggled to shake the rust in Week 0 against Nevada, throwing a pick on his first throw of the game. But once he rediscovered his connection with star TE RJ Maryland, the offense scored 16 unanswered to leave with the 29-24 victory.
Jennings played in two drives, leading to a TD on the second, thanks to a few timely penalties by the Wolf Pack.
However, both QBs saw plenty of time against FCS-level Houston Baptist in Week 2, with Stone (6-for-9 for 78 yards and two TDs) finding his rhythm and Jennings flashing his dual-threat ability (10-for-14 for 148 and one TD; 5-54-1 rushing line).
Yet, the offense took a nosedive in its first game against Power Four competition. Stone went three-and-out on his first three drives against BYU in Week 2, forcing the Mustangs to turn to Jennings to jumpstart the unit.
Any positive movement was welcomed, but Jennings still only completed 15 of 32 passes for 140 yards and an INT. SMU stalled out every time they broke BYU’s side of the field, relying on kicker Collin Rogers for five field goals, including two from beyond 50 yards.
“It wasn’t one game or one moment,” Lashlee said about his decision to start Jennings in Week 3. “Both guys have had a lot of success and won a lot. We’re not performing well offensively, but if you watch, we’ve moved the ball better when [Kevin’s] in there as a team, and that’s not always on the quarterback.
“Early drives the other night, we had a lot of busts in protections that aren’t on the quarterback that really contributed to some of the early issues so that’s frustrating. It’s not just one snapshot of anything. We feel like it gives us the best chance to win with this team.”
The Mustangs are in dire need of offensive momentum, and Jennings’ dual-threat capability offers their best shot at achieving it.
As Lashlee noted, the offensive line failed to support Stone against BYU and has been inconsistent throughout the season. With eight different players rotating in, left tackle PJ Williams and right guard Ben Sparks have been the only reliable fixtures. Lashlee’s offense is filled with longer-developing vertical routes, but the line just can’t hold its own in the ACC as it did in the AAC last season.
Even RB Jaylan Knighton has struggled to pick up blitzes and execute assignments as a blocker. But pass protection isn’t SMU’s only issue on offense. The pass catchers have dropped several passes and have rarely come down with contest targets, putting even more pressure on their QBs to unleash perfectly placed throws downfield.
Jennings will be able to mitigate pass-pro issues simply with the threat of running, as defenses will look to contain him in the pocket rather than tee off on Stone.
However, we could also see more RPOs, screens, and quick-passing concepts to get Jennings in rhythm and stretch defenses horizontally before taking the top off.
Lashlee is no stranger to dual-threat QBs, most recently taking Miami’s offense to new heights in 2020 as the OC with D’Eriq King under center. We’ll see if he is able to find similar success with Jennings as his starter … for now.
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