SMU will likely start a fourth-string walk-on at quarterback vs. TCU
SMU has been outscored 146-6 in its first three games, all losses. In the process, four quarterbacks have seen action for the Mustangs and after the dust settled from Saturday’s 58-6 loss to No. 6 Texas A&M, a walk-on emerged as the best option for the team moving forward.
Interim coach Tom Mason, who is filling in for June Jones, who resigned on Sept. 8, said Tuesday that junior Garrett Krstich will likely start Saturday against TCU. Krstich, a walk-on who started the season fourth on the depth chart, came on in relief of Kolney Cassel against A&M and completed 13-of-24 passes for 137 yards.
“I don’t care if he’s a walk-on,” Mason said, per the Dallas Morning-News. “I don’t care if (Krstich) was fourth string going into fall camp. To me, quarterback is like any other position. You play the guy that’s playing the best right now. Right now, he’s playing the best.”
Sophomore Neal Burcham won the starting role coming out of preseason camp, but he went down with a season-ending elbow injury against North Texas. Cassel played most of the North Texas game after Burcham went down, but was ineffective in the first half against the Aggies. Sophomore Matt Davis has also seen snaps.
“Right now, it’s probably going to be Krstich then Cassel then Davis,” Mason said of the QB depth chart. “I hate revolving quarterbacks. We’ve got to get this thing settled down where we’re playing one or two guys, but the kids are rallying around Krstich, and that’s important because that tells you who the kids want right now.”
Before being brought into the game against A&M, the 6-foot-3, 199-pound Krstich played in just one other game in his career – last season when he completed a pass for 13 yards and threw an interception against UCF.
He’ll face a tough task against TCU Saturday and things won’t get any easier after that. The Mustangs will play No. 23 East Carolina on the road in the following week.
For more SMU news, visit PonyPride.com.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
