SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings said Thursday that he plans to return to the Mustangs for his senior year.
The move is not a big surprise, considering how well he has played over the past two years and how much SMU has invested in him. SMU coach Rhett Lashlee gave Jennings his first major offer out of high school in Dallas in 2021.
Since then, Jennings has become one of the best quarterbacks in the country. He emerged as the SMU starter last year, leading the Mustangs to the ACC championship game and the College Football Playoff. This year, playing through an ankle injury for most of the season, he ranked No. 9 in the nation in passing yards with 3,363, throwing 26 touchdowns to 10 interceptions.
"I'll be back for sure," he said during a media availability in Dallas. "I want to finish my years off as a Mustang. Coach Lashlee put his trust in me. When I came out of high school, I had no offers. Nobody was looking at me. Coach Lashlee believed in me, and I'm putting my heart back into it and finishing it off as a Mustang."
SMU plays Arizona on Jan. 2 in the Trust & Will Holiday Bowl.