Take Kevin Jennings off SMU's roster and the first thing you'd miss is 3,641 pass YDS, 2,500-yd club.
6′0″ · 192 lb · Oak Cliff, TX
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
passing yards · 2026
8 TD · 2 INT · 14.8 per attempt
2 games into 2026 so far -- Backed by 337 yds · 5 TD -- top 1% passing TDs game. -- Best game: 337 pass yds, 5 TD, 5 rush yds, vs UC Davis
The play that turned itSwung SMU from 47% to 91% to win.Baylor at SMU · 48-45
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 quarterback for SMU. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
Aura™ · Him Watch
-17aura tax
89th pctl our passing-value metric (wEPA) QBs · 160 qualified, n=135
— the discourse is fair.Buzz vs Tape
The wider college football conversation reads him warmer than his own fans do — a gap of 25.9 points in belief.
Also worth knowing:
“Jennings and SMU are gonna rip this secondary a new one.”
Fan claims · every quote verified verbatim
Kevin Jennings 2nd half was embarrassing. Guy needs competition in camp next year
Based on 1 comment from 1 poster across 1 thread · Jan 3, 2026 · via CFB
Kevin Jennings
Kevin Jennings is a cornerstone for SMU — measured against the line he joined.
PASS YDS · 2,500-YD CLUB
3,641
3641 passing yards — clears the 2,500-QB volume bar.
AI-generated narrative · may contain errors · not journalism · updated 2026-09-15
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
The role got bigger.
Career arc
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
ALL-ACC
All-ACC mention (2024)
Badges
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
1 coachPlayed his entire career under Rhett Lashlee.
Season context · Team result + system
5 seasons under Rhett Lashlee — 40-16 over that span.
Where this profile ranks vs the QB cohort
Box-score percentiles
Elite: yards / att (100th percentile). Strength: completion % (92nd percentile). Concern: rush tds (19th percentile).
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Pass Profile · True throw depth (charted plays)
Adjusted ANY/A, sack rate, and where the yards came from
Adjusted ANY/A
15.621 of 75 QBsSack rate
1.9%19 of 75 QBsRarely sacked (19 of 75 QBs) and still 1 of 75 in Adjusted ANY/A.
Adjusted ANY/A uses full-season box-score totals (attempts, yards, TDs, INTs); sack rate is play-by-play-derived.
Behind LOS · Negative air yds
Short · 0–9 air yds
Middle · 10–19 air yds
Deep · 20+ air yds
Overall 76.0% completion on 50 attempts · 30% of attempts thrown 0–9 air yds.
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 384 YDS/g, 4.0 TD/g, 16.5 YPA, 1.0 INT/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Rhett Lashlee
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Player standing · 2026
Our Heisman model has him inside the top 25; he is not on a published award watch list yet.
Recognition
2026 outlook
Heisman market1.3%full market ›
In the mix to repeat All-ACC
Based on 2025: #4 of 17 ACC QBs
35% estimated, 95% confidence interval 31–38%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 27–24
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CMP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT | YPA | QBR | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 27-24@ Florida State | 26/36 | 430 | 3 | 2 | 11.9 | 95.6 | Season-high 430 yds |
| Wk 2 | W 56-10vs UC Davis | 14/16 | 337 | 5 | 0 | 21.1 | 99.3 | 5 TD passes |
| Total | 40/52 | 767 | 8 | 2 | 16.5 | 97.4 |
Play style
Operates within the system without forcing anything.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
SMU
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Quarterback · SMU
Returning around him
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
SMU · Last season: 9-4 (AP #25) · Talent rank #31 · 2026 recruiting class #32
Player DNA
Balanced passer who operates within the system, without one standout number carrying the profile.
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Jake Haener’s 2021 season.
Matches Jake on
Differs from Jake on
Through 5 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to John Mateer’s path through Oklahoma.
Matches John on
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Josh Hoover's senior season at TCU (2025).
Matches Josh on
Differs from Josh on
Player DNA
Heisman futures · sportsbook market
#18 in market ▲ from #22 · 6 books
Heisman Trajectory · 2026
Peaked at #8 — top-10 conversation.