Jennings' arm fuels SMU's offense, but costly interceptions threaten their championship aspirations. Can he eliminate mistakes for 2026 success?
Under Rhett Lashlee, the SMU Mustangs are 38-16 in four seasons. The Ponies posted back-to-back 11-win seasons in 2023 and 2024, winning the American Conference title and playing for the ACC championship, respectively.
Lashlee is known in coaching circles for his ability to develop quarterbacks.
Kevin Jennings has been the beneficiary of that development over his career at SMU. Jennings has thrown for over 3,000 yards in each of the past two seasons and 49 touchdowns, and led an SMU passing attack that ranked No. 2 in the ACC and 13th in the FBS at 283 yards per game last season.
Jennings threw for 300 yards or more in three straight games in wins over No. 10 Miami, Boston College and Louisville.
He also completed 70 percent of his passes four times last season.
But there is one aspect of his game that he must improve and that is reducing the mistakes, specifically interceptions.
Jennings has thrown 26 interceptions in his SMU career, 24 over the last two campaigns.
To start the 2025 season, Jennings threw at least one interception in five straight games while throwing 13 touchdowns.
Jennings finished last season with a dismal three interceptions and zero touchdowns in the bowl game win over Arizona, as the Mustangs finished 9-4 on the season. Three of their four losses were by three points or fewer against Baylor, Wake Forest and California.
After a loss to Baylor in Week 2, the Mustangs dropped out of the Top 25 poll after being anointed with a No. 16 ranking in the preseason poll. For the rest of the weekly rankings, SMU was a ghost.
In 2024, Jennings threw 11 interceptions, with half of those coming against Duke in a win (3 picks) and a 28-point loss to Penn State (3 INTs) in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
Jennings has thrown for over 7,700 yards since he was recruited to SMU. He was a product of Texas high school powerhouse South Oak Cliff and led his team to a state championship as a senior.
Jennings will have new receivers to throw to in 2026, with Yannick Smith (East Carolina) and Jalen Hale (Alabama) transferring into the program. SMU’s top two receivers from last season, Jordan Hudson and Romello Brinson, have accepted invitations to play in the Senior Bowl, signaling the end of their collegiate careers.
While Jennings is QB1, there is talent on the depth chart behind him. Tyler Van Dyke is a veteran signal-caller who has been a starter at both Miami and Wisconsin. On the recruiting trail, SMU went out and signed Cole Leinart. He is the son of former USC and 2004 Heisman winner Matt Leinart.
Lashlee and quarterbacks coach D’Eriq King must work with Jennings and figure out a way to limit the mistakes and turnovers. If they can do that, Lashlee and the Mustangs can continue their winning ways that have defined his tenure on The Hilltop.