Note: This story is featured in the 2026 edition of Dave Campbell's Texas Football's Summer Magazine, which you can order here.

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DCTF’S TAKE  

The Mustangs need young, talented skill position players to step up around third year starting quarterback Kevin Jennings on offense after losing its top two rushers and four of its top five receivers from 2025. Defensively, SMU elevated linebacker coach Maurice Crum to defensive coordinator after Scott Symons left for a job with the Dallas Cowboys.  

SMU is 31-10 over the last three years and is 14-2 in regular season ACC games since joining the conference in 2024. The Mustangs were one win away from returning to the conference championship game last year and have posted a winning record in seven straight seasons. Another conference championship run is on the table because the 2026 slate doesn’t include Miami or Clemson. 
 

THE OFFENSE  

Kevin Jennings is a rare breed. He led South Oak Cliff to Dallas ISD’s first state title in 60 years as a senior and is entering his third year as the starting quarterback for an SMU program he’s led to the ACC Championship game and into the College Football Playoff. Jennings enters 2026 with 26 career starts, over 8,000 yards of offense, and 65 total touchdowns.  

“He’s been the same guy since we recruited him out of high school,” SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee said of his starting quarterback. “He’s super humble, super confident, and just loves to compete. He’s had a consistent climb from being the third guy his first year to being a backup in his second year and then taking over the reins during his third year. You don’t see that much anymore in college football.”  

And while Jennings is the constant in the SMU offense, he’ll be surrounded by a host of talented, yet unproven, skill pieces. That starts at wide receiver where the Mustangs must replace Jordan Hudson and Romello Height after the two combined for 104 catches, 1,404 yards, and nine touchdowns last year. The Mustangs also lost tight ends RJ Maryland and Matthew Hibner. That’s four of the top five pass catchers from 2025.  

The leading returning receiver for SMU is Yamir Knight, a slot receiver who was second on the team last year in receptions (54) and touchdown catches (5), and third in receiving yards (637). Lashlee said Knight could catch 70-100 balls in 2026 and have a “James Proche type season.”  

East Carolina transfer Yannick Smith provides the Mustangs with a 6-foot-3 frame and experience after catching 44 passes for 583 yards and five touchdowns last year in the American Conference. Alabama transfer Jalen Hale is a potential X-factor if he recovers from injuries that cost him nearly two seasons with the Crimson Tide. SMU also added a trio of tight end transfers, including Randy Pittman Jr. (Florida State) and Theo Melin Ohrstrom (Texas A&M).  

Second-year wide receiver Jalen Cooper and Isaiah Robertson provide the upside to replace Hudson and Brinson. Both were highly touted recruits in the 2025 class. Cooper caught 19 passes for 321 yards and a pair of touchdowns as a true freshman while Robertson would’ve made an impact if not for an injury.  

Lashlee says the running back duo of Cal transfer Kendrick Raphael and redshirt freshman Dramekco Green are the best 1-2 punch SMU has had at the position in time on the Hilltop as a head coach or offensive coordinator. Raphael was third in the ACC last year with 13 rushing touchdowns. Derrick McFall was described as a “Roderick Daniels” type and will split time at slot receiver and running back. Watch out for true freshman Christian Rhodes, who is likely to get carries.   

Three starters return on the offensive line with tackle PJ Williams able to start on the left or the right. Center Joshua Bates is the anchor, while Addison Nichols locked himself into the starting right guard position with a strong 2025. Andrew Chamblee and former five-star recruit Dramodd Odoms were battling in the spring for the tackle spot opposite of Williams. Alex Woods and true freshmen Drew Evers and Toa Katoa are options at left guard.  

BY THE NUMBERS  

32.2 – Average number of points per game scored by SMU, which was 26th in the country and fourth in the ACC.  

3,641 – Passing yards by SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings in 2025, which was tied for eighth in the FBS and was third in the ACC behind Darian Mensah and Carson Beck. 

13 – Interceptions thrown by SMU, which was 109th most in the FBS and third most in the ACC. The Mustangs turned the ball over 19 times in total.  

KEEP AN EYE ON  

A quality backup quarterback is a luxury most colleges don’t possess in the revenue share world. Most of the good ones, understandably, transfer for more playing time. The Mustangs feel like they’re in the minority thanks to Ty Hawkins, a redshirt freshman out of San Antonio who finished his prep career at IMG Academy. His flip from TCU to rival SMU in the 2025 class was a boon for the Ponies. Rhett Lashlee says that he’s so confident in Hawkins that SMU wouldn’t have searched for a new starter in the portal had Kevin Jennings left, instead handing the keys to the talented youngster.  

BREAKOUT CANDIDATES  

RB Dramekco Green – The Conroe native would’ve played more as a true freshman if not for injuries. Green retained his redshirt after playing in four regular season games plus the Holiday Bowl and is expected to be a major contributor on offense as a redshirt freshman. He averaged 9.4 yards a carry as a senior in high school.  

WR Jalen Hale – The Alabama transfer knocked the rust off in the spring after missing most of the last two seasons because of injuries and could be an X-factor for the Mustangs on offense if he can regain his speed and return to the form that made him an elite recruit at Longview.  

PROJECTED STARTERS  

QB 7 Kevin Jennings 6-0, 192, Sr. South Oak Cliff 

RB 6 Kendrick Raphael 5-11, 200, Sr. Naples, Fla.  

WR 8 Yamir Knight 5-8, 186, Sr. Smyrna, Del.   

WR 10 Jalen Cooper 6-2, 180, Soph. Cibolo Steele   

WR 3 Yannick Smith 6-3, 207, Jr. Summerville, S.C.  

TE 5 Randy Pittman Jr. 6-2, 240, Sr. Panama City, Fla.  

LT 74 Andrew Chamblee 6-6, 308, Sr. Maumelle, Ark. 

LG 77 Alex Woods 6-4, 300, Jr. Port Santi Lucie, Fla.   

C 64 Joshua Bates 6-3, 315, Jr. Durango, Colo.  

RG 63 Addison Nichols 6-5, 320, Sr. Norcross, Ga.  

RT 59 PJ Williams 6-5, 312, Sr.  Dickinson 

K 47 Nick Reed 5-7, 180, Jr. Harrison, N.Y. 

THE DEFENSE  

Maurice Crum Jr. takes over as defensive play caller for Scott Symons, who took the inside linebacker job with the Dallas Cowboys after four seasons as the defensive coordinator at SMU.  

“Rhett Lashlee has blossomed an incredible culture here and that’s what makes this place special and that’s what kept me here,” Crum said. “We’ll fit our scheme to what our personnel does best and the offseason is for figuring out who we are as a unit and where we can excel in the fall.”  

The depth along the defensive line is improved from 2025, but the jury is still out on if that group can produce playmakers like the unit in 2024. Kansas State transfer Malcolm Alcorn-Crowder might be the best of the bunch and he’ll start at defensive tackle in the three-technique next to nose tackle Christian Davis. Jonathan Jefferson returns from injury while Kevin Allen and Woo Spencer continue to improve.  

SMU lost its top four sack producers from last season and don’t return a single player who recorded more than two sacks in 2025. That forced the Mustangs into the transfer portal, where they landed Marques White (UMass) and Ira Singleton (USF). That duo combined for 14 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks last year at their previous schools.  

Former South Alabama transfer Aakil Washington should be an impact player off the edge after medically redshirting in 2025. Same for Jahkai Lang, who started four games for SMU last year. JUCO star Tavion Atkinson is an X-factor because he didn’t arrive until the summer.  

SMU believes it has a three-headed monster at linebacker with Alexander Kilgore, Brandon Booker, and Brandon Miyazono returning. That trio combined for 174 tackles, including 11 tackles for loss, and three interceptions last year. Booker was a breakout performer in 2025, taking advantage of his opportunities while starting 11 games and finishing third on the team in tackles despite entering the year as a reserve. Miyazono is a playmaker who had 4.5 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks.  

Marcellus Barnes Jr. is the headliner at cornerback after starting seven games a year ago as a redshirt freshman. Texas A&M transfer Jayvon Thomas and Jaelyn Davis-Robinson were in a battle during the spring for the starting cornerback spot opposite of Barnes. SMU ranked 16th out of 17 teams in the ACC in pass defense last year and needs better play from its secondary to compete for a conference title.  

UTSA transfer Jimmy Wyrick impressed in the spring and provides SMU with an experienced safety in the mold of former Mustang Jonathan McGill. Tyren Polley Jr. and Sael Reyes spent the spring competing for the starting spot at Rover. Jaylen Moses is another name to know at safety.  

The staff believes the defense could improve at nickel with Jarvis Lee described as a “playmaker.” Him and La’Modrick Spencer are considered co-starters at that position.  

“We’re deeper than we’ve been on defense at a lot of positions and I think our ceiling is high up front and in the secondary,” Lashlee said in the spring.   

BY THE NUMBERS  

28 – Number of turnovers forced by the SMU defense, which led the ACC. The Mustangs recorded 18 interceptions and 10 recovered fumbles.  

33.5 – Average number of points allowed per game in SMU’s four losses. The Mustangs only allowed 14.8 points per game in their nine wins.  

2.62 – Average number of sacks per game racked up by the SMU defense. The Ponies totaled 34 sacks and 81 tackles for loss on the season.  

KEEP AN EYE ON  

Rhett Lashlee was forced to replace his defensive coordinator for the first time as a head coach when Scott Symons, who arrived in 2022 with Lashlee, took the inside linebacker job for the Dallas Cowboys. SMU’s head coach didn’t need to search far for Symons’ replacement, however, because Maurice Crum Jr. and Rickey Hunley Jr. were right down the hallway. Crum, a former two-time captain and 40-game starter at linebacker for Notre Dame, will call the plays. He was the defensive coordinator at Western Kentucky in 2021, where the Hilltoppers held seven opponents to 21 points or less.   

BREAKOUT CANDIDATES  

DE Tavion Atkinson – The JUCO transfer is the wildcard at edge rusher for the Mustangs because he didn’t arrive until the summer. Atkinson, a Houston native, registered 16 sacks and 13 tackles for loss in two years at Trinity Valley Community College. SMU lost its best edge rushers from last season in Isaiah Smith and Cam Robertson.  

S Tyren Polley Jr. – Polley and fellow sophomore Sael Reyes spent the spring battling for the vacant Rover spot, which was manned by Isaiah Nwokobia for years. Polley, a Duncanville product, played in six games last year, recording 20 tackles and two interceptions as a freshman. His upside excites the defensive staff.  

PROJECTED STARTERS  

DE 52 Jakhai Lang 6-3, 255, Jr. Troy, Mo.   

DT 5 Malcolm Alcorn-Crowder 6-6, 305, Sr. Brockton, Mass. 

DT 97 Christian Davis 6-3, 328, Jr. Ruston, La.  

DE 16 Marques White 6-2, 250, Sr. Glendale, Ariz.  

LB 54 Alexander Kilgore 6-1, 230, Sr. Katy Paetow 

LB 28 Brandon Booker 6-1, 225, Jr. DeSoto   

CB 4 Jayvon Thomas 5-11, 196, Sr. South Oak Cliff 

CB 8 Marcellus Barnes Jr. 6-1, 180, Soph. Chattanooga, Tenn.  

FS 21 Jimmy Wyrick 5-10, 185, Sr. South Oak Cliff 

SS 10 Tyren Polley Jr. 6-0, 195, Soph. Duncanville  

NB 1 Jarvis Lee 5-11, 185, Sr. Jacksonville, Fla.  

P 43 Wade McSparron 6-3, 236, Soph. Geelong, Victoria