SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings brings experience, playoff pedigree and big numbers into 2026, but the Mustangs need more balance around him.
SMU football quarterback Kevin Jennings is expected to remain the engine of Rhett Lashlee’s offense in 2026, giving the Mustangs one of the ACC’s most proven and experienced starters at the most important position on the field.
With spring practice wrapped up and no spring transfer portal window in 2026, most college football rosters are largely set heading into the summer.
For SMU, there’s no real drama at quarterback. Jennings is the clear projected starter, and that stability matters in a conference where several programs are still sorting through transfers, injuries and unproven options.
Jennings has already played in big games, including helping lead SMU to the College Football Playoff in 2024.
That experience gives him a different profile than many quarterbacks across the ACC. He’s not a projection anymore. He’s been through the pressure, the spotlight and the grind of a high-expectation season.
Statistically, Jennings still produced at a strong level in 2025. He completed 66.1 percent of his passes for 3,641 yards and 26 touchdowns.
Those numbers show why SMU can feel good about its quarterback situation. He can handle volume, push the ball downfield and keep the Mustangs competitive in shootouts.
But there’s a catch, and it’s a big one.
Jennings also threw 13 interceptions last season, the most in the ACC. That’s the number SMU has to clean up if it wants to climb back into playoff contention.
The Mustangs don’t need Jennings to become a different player. They just need him to be a sharper, more efficient version of himself.
The bigger concern may be what happened to his rushing impact. In 2024, Jennings ran for 354 yards and gave defenses another problem to solve.
In 2025, that number dropped all the way to 54 yards. He also took five more sacks than he did the previous season, a sign that SMU’s offensive rhythm wasn’t quite as clean.
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The running game dipped, too. SMU rushed for 1,740 yards in 2025 after posting 2,347 yards in 2024. That decline put more pressure on Jennings and made the offense easier to defend in key moments.
For Lashlee and the Mustangs, the formula is pretty clear. Jennings gives SMU a high-end ACC quarterback. Now the challenge is building enough balance around him to turn strong stats into another championship-level run.
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