Football coaches get a lot of things wrong. Not nearly as many as an angry fan might think, but still quite a few. They don’t like to talk about it because, well, do you like talking about all the things you get wrong? No, most of us don’t.
While plenty of coaches can school the general public on the minutiae of a football team, play, or game, there’s one big part of their job they get wrong frequently and fans do too: they often pick the wrong quarterback.
While there are some elite NFL prospects out there, most programs are dealing with a hodgepodge of three-star (or lower) options. These are guys without much experience. And when you’re forced to make a decision based on mostly practice or scrimmages, you’re working with incomplete information.
History is full of quarterbacks who looked great in practice but were horrible in games — and vice versa. Lots of coaches pick the wrong guy under center. What’s important is whether the coach corrects the mistake.
Rhett Lashlee did just that at SMU this season. Preston Stone started the first three games of the year after a breakout 2023 campaign, but he missed the final two games of the season after breaking his leg in a win over Navy. After a slow start to 2024, Lashlee switched to Kevin Jennings — who had also received significant snaps last season — during SMU’s third game of the year. Jennings couldn’t prevent the Mustangs from losing that game, but he has helped them win every game since.
Jennings’ best performance of the season may have come Saturday night against then-undefeated Pitt. Jennings threw for 306 yards and two touchdowns to help the Mustangs crush the Panthers 48-25. Now, SMU is in the driver’s seat alongside Miami for an ACC title in its first year in the league, and Jennings has entered the QB Power Rankings for the first time. Before we get to them, though, a quick reminder of our process.
Honorable Mention: Max Brosmer, Minnesota; Sam Leavitt, Arizona State; Jake Retzlaff, BYU; Sawyer Robertson, Baylor; Tyler Shough, Louisville
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