Life After Cheeseman: Inside SMU’s Looming Quarterback Question
By Veronica Downs | SMU Daily
DALLAS -- For the better part of three seasons, the quarterback position at SMU has not been a question. It has been a certainty.
Alonzo Cheeseman.
The reigning Heisman Trophy winner didn't just elevate the Mustangs - he transformed them. He led SMU to a National Championship, became the face of one of the most explosive offenses in college football, and helped usher the program back into national relevance at a time when the school is preparing to take its next leap by joining the SEC next season.
In doing so, Cheeseman has become the presumptive number one overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Which raises the unavoidable question in Dallas: what happens after him? Because while SMU looks like a national powerhouse on Saturdays, its quarterback room behind Cheeseman remains one of the most uncertain in the country. As of right now, there's no prince in waiting.
The most experienced backup on the roster is redshirt junior Fredrick Cooper, but Cooper's future in Dallas has long felt temporary.
Cooper arrived with potential back in the day, but has spent his career watching Cheeseman dominate from the sideline. At this stage, many around the program are surprised he hasn't already entered the transfer portal. His role has effectively become injury insurance, and if Cheeseman departs as expected, Cooper could still look elsewhere for a clearer path to starting.
Behind him sits another redshirt junior, Gideon Akinmoladun, a Queen Creek, Arizona native has taken a handful of garbage-time snaps over the past two seasons. Akinmoladun has looked serviceable when called upon, but his best chance at the starting job next year may come only if the younger quarterbacks simply aren't ready to take the reigns. In that scenario, he could serve as a one-year bridge - a steady hand while the next era develops.
If the future starter is already on the roster, it likely lies among SMU's trio of freshmen.
Lee Merryweather, a former four-star recruit out of Charlotte, NC, arrived with the most raw talent. He's faster than Cheeseman and possesses a cannon arm capable of stretching defenses vertically, traits that fit perfectly in SMU's aggressive passing scheme.
But the transition to college football hasn't been seamless.
Merryweather has struggled with timing and anticipation, particularly when reading linebackers dropping into coverage. Coaches say he sometimes locks onto targets too early - a habit that leads to tipped balls or potential interceptions in practice.
The tools are there. The refinement is not, at least, not quite yet.
Then there's Zack Wilkins, the three-star quarterback from Mesquite, TX. Wilkins may be the most cerebral passer in the room. Coaches praise his command of the offense and ability to process coverages quickly. But at this level, arm strength matters, and Wilkins has struggled to push the ball outside the numbers with the same velocity as his peers.
He's tough, disciplined, and dependable - but there's a question of whether his physical ceiling limits the offense.
Raijon Boutte, another three-star recruit, brings a different skill set. At 6-foot even, he was a dynamic playmaker at Mansfield High School, capable of escaping pressure and creating big plays with his legs.
But what worked in Texas high school football hasn't translated as easily to the ACC, which means it certainly won't work in the SEC next year.
When Boutte scrambles in practice, he's not outrunning defensive backs anymore - he's dealing with players like SAM linebacker Ben Stutz, who can close space in a hurry. The improvisational magic he relied on in high school has proven much harder to replicate against elite collegiate defenses.
SMU's coaching staff isn't standing still on the recruiting trail. J.J. Rattay, the number 4 quarterback in the nation out of Stakville, Mississippi is a polished passer with quick decision-making and experience in a pro-style sytstem.
The bigger prize is Alex Keyton, the number one quarterback in the country and the number two prospect overall. Keyton from Jones, Oklahoma has become one of the most sought-after players in the class, and SMU is believed to be firmly in the race alongside several SEC program. Landing him would instantly reshape the outlook of the quarterback room,
Replacing a generational quarterback is never simple. Cheeseman wasn't just productive - he was and is transformational . His leadership, accuracy, and pose helped turn SMU into a national champion and restored the program's credibility on the biggest stage.
The next starter won't just inherit the offense. He'll inherit the expectations.
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QB Nick Ansah, Rs Jr » 2,253 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, 57% CMP, 135.1 QB RTG, 113 carries, 560 rushing yards, 5.0 AVG, 7 touchdowns
WR Reynaldo Bull, Rs So » 54 catches, 879 receiving yards, 16.3 AVG, 10 touchdowns
QB Alonzo Cheeseman, Rs Jr » 2,079 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, 1 interception, 76% CMP, 189.0 QB RTG, 45 carries, 220 rushing yards, 4.9 AVG, 3 touchdowns
WR Collin Edmond, Jr » 42 catches, 738 receiving yards, 17.6 AVG, 10 touchdowns
QB Ben Baity, Rs Sr » 2,216 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, 1 interception, 70% CMP, 168.0 QB RTG, 78 carries, 247 rushing yards, 3.2 AVG, 4 touchdowns
TE Cliff Sermons (Florida): 12 catches, 135 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns
CB Marvin Sumner (Kansas): 3 tackles, 3 interceptions
WR Nick Babcock (North Carolina): 10 catches, 142 receiving yards, touchdown
CB Glen Gale (Tulane): 6 tackles, interception, 2 pass breakups
OT Ethan Whitehead/b] vs 
EDGE Kevin Frederick