SMU's Kendrick Raphael Slowly Adjusting To Life As A Mustang - 'Building Connections!'

SMU has a new starting running back in Kendrick Raphael, a transfer from California, and he will be spearheading the offense along with quarterback Kevin Jennings.

After a very productive 2025 that saw Raphael post 943 rushing yards and 13 TDs, he comes to the Mustangs looking to improve on that stat line.

But to do that, he's got to master the offense, plus learn his teammates and everything else that comes with arriving at a new team, and it isn't easy.

However, once you are on the field, you build chemistry, and even in the classroom as well, and as camp has rolled on, Kendrick has gotten his feet under him for Rhett Lashlee's team and is beginning to emerge as a genuine weapon.

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But how has he seen his first offseason with SMU?

"It's been great," Raphael said. "Just everything to it. Just bonding with my guys, with the team, building connections with Ty, Kevin, just learning the offense, getting new to the system. It's been great."

Coming from a California offense to what the Mustangs run, Raphael has admitted it is very different.

Of course, that would be the case with any team, but for SMU, things are vastly different, and that has meant a lot of teachable moments for Raphael.

But how different is the scheme at SMU compared to California?

"It's very different," Raphael added. "You got to think fast. You got to know what you're doing because the tempo that we run on offense is very different than  [the]previous offense I've been in. So, just getting adapted to the tempo and just having your eyes ready, looking at the defense, looking at safeties, all that."

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Raphael is expected to be one of the better weapons that Jennings will have at his disposal, and his stats last season were easily better than all of SMU's backs, as TJ Harden led the team with 787 yards and 9 TDs.

So it is an upgrade, but for Raphael to be the dynamic weapon the Mustangs want, he's got to be at ease in the system, and as camp has rolled on, it certainly feels like he's more comfortable.

And that should bode well for what he can produce as a Mustang in 2026.