SMU Names New Starting Quarterback Two Weeks Before FSU Travels To Dallas

The Mustangs will have a new starter at quarterback when they face Florida State later this month.

Sep 6, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings (7) in action during the game between the Southern Methodist Mustangs and the Brigham Young Cougars at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Florida State is rolling with DJ Uiagalelei as its starting quarterback for the third straight game as the team looks to record its first victory of the season on Saturday. Uiagalelei has struggled so far but head coach Mike Norvell is sticking with the veteran quarterback.

One upcoming team on FSU's schedule is taking a different approach to try to inspire life in its offense. On Tuesday, SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee announced that the Mustangs were making a quarterback change.

After entering the season with redshirt junior Preston Stone as the starter, the Mustangs are handing the reins over to redshirt sophomore Kevin Jennings. Stone was benched in SMU's 18-15 loss to BYU on Friday following two consecutive three-and-outs to begin the game. Jennings took over in relief, completing 15/32 passes for 140 yards with zero touchdowns and an interception. He also rushed nine times for 38 yards.

READ MORE: Florida State Running Back To Miss Remainder Of 2024 Season

Lashlee believes the change gives SMU the best chance to win right now.

"When it comes to the quarterback situation, I think we've got a clear direction now in consistency," Lashlee said at a press conference. "Kevin Jennings is going to be our starting quarterback, Preston will serve as the backup. It was not an easy decision."

"There are a lot of factors. It wasn't one game or one moment. Like I said, both guys have had a lot of success and won a lot," Lashlee continued. "We're not performing well offensively but if you just watch and look at all of the evidence, we've moved the ball better at the beginning of the season when he's [Jennings] 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 and other things 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 he gives us the best chance to win this team."

Stone hasn't been able to get into a rhythm early in the season after coming off a career year under Lashlee in 2023. He's completed 25/43 passes for 336 yards with three touchdowns to one interception in three games. Last season, Stone passed for over 3,000 yards while throwing 28 touchdowns to six interceptions. That resulted in him being named an All-AAC third-team selection and the conference player of the week three separate times.

Jennings is a different type of signal-caller with the ability to hurt defenses through the air or on the ground. He only has two career starts to his name, both came last year as he led SMU to an AAC Championship win against Tulane before coming up short in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl against Boston College. In those two games, Jennings completed a total of 43/81 passes for 394 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He added 25 carries for 114 yards.

The Texas native was a three-star prospect in the 2022 class after leading South Oak Cliff to a state championship. During his three years with the Mustangs, Jennings has completed 107/178 passes for 1,165 yards with seven touchdowns to interceptions while rushing 57 times for 246 yards and two more scores.

The good news for Florida State is that the coaching staff will have plenty of film on Jennings before the team travels to SMU for its first true road game on September 28. He played nearly the entirety of the contest against BYU and will start for the Mustangs in a home game against TCU on Saturday evening.

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READ MORE: Florida State Running Back To Miss Remainder Of 2024 Season

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