DALLAS (AP) — Kevin Jennings was once a largely overlooked high school quarterback whose only Division I offer was from then-FCS team Missouri State.
That changed when, days after becoming SMU's head coach, Rhett Lashlee and his offensive coordinator saw Jennings play while looking at other recruits in a prep playoff game. He soon after signed with his hometown team to play for what has become a Top 25 program with a College Football Playoff appearance.
Now, nearly five years later, Jennings is the centerpiece of a Heisman Trophy campaign in his senior season with No. 22 SMU (2-1). His final nonconference home game is Saturday night against Missouri State and new Bears coach Casey Woods, the OC who was with Lashlee and in that role with the Mustangs the past four seasons before landing his first head coaching job.
“It's just crazy. ... It'll be a cool experience for sure,” Jennings said of the somewhat full-circle moment that puts his experience in perspective. “It definitely does. ... It's been a long journey. So grateful I got a chance to come to SMU."
The game is also a matchup of longtime friends Lashlee and Woods, who as young coaches together at Auburn were part of Tigers' undefeated 2010 national championship.
Missouri State is now in its second FBS season, and its first game at that level was a 28-10 loss at home over SMU last September.
Jennings stayed with the Mustangs even after finally getting noticed by other big schools who suddenly wanted him, and has been part of their successful transition to a power conference.
The dynamic quarterback is 21-8 as the starter, including an 8-0 league record in their Atlantic Coast Conference debut in 2024 when he became the full-time starter and they made the 12-team CFP field. Jennings' first start was a win in the 2023 American Conference championship game after Preston Stone broke his leg in the regular-season finale.
“He did it the right way. There's very few quarterbacks in college football right now that have come in and stayed the duration of their career, particularly not somebody as high profile as him," Woods said. “To watch his continued progression and development has been a lot of fun.”
Jennings is already SMU's career leader with 9,330 total yards, and second for passing yards (8,698), completions (689) and total touchdowns responsible for at 74. His 64 TD passes rank third. All of the record marks are within reach in the next few games.
While SMU offered the unexpected opportunity to play in Dallas, it was still emotionally difficult for Jennings to call the Missouri State coaches who had put their belief in him. He was verbally committed to the Bears and didn't want to let them down.
“That’s who Kevin is. I mean, he’s so loyal, obviously he’s been loyal to us. And he’s just such a good person. He’s got a lot of integrity. His yes is yes, his no is no," Lashlee said. “We came in late. ... I think within that first week, he knew he wanted to stay in Dallas. This is his home. This was a great opportunity for him.”
As for the coaches, Lashlee was a graduate assistant and Woods a quality control coach for Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn during that title season in 2010. Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz was also a grad assistant there.
When Malzahn got his first head coaching job at Arkansas State in 2012, Lashlee was his OC while Woods coached receivers and Drinkwitz running backs. Drinkwitz took the Mizzou job after the 2019 season, with Woods serving as his tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator before leaving to join Lashlee's staff at SMU.
“I don’t have a closer friend in this business than Rhett Lashlee,” Woods said.
“I don’t have brothers, but if I did, he would be one of the few guys in my life that’s like a brother,” Lashlee said. “Just in the business too. I mean ever since I’ve been a coach since ‘09, he and I have either been on staff together, or the years we haven’t we’ve obviously remained close.”
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