Tanner Mordecai, Wisconsin Football News: Draft Scout Player News

08/15/22 - QB Tanner Mordecai, rSr/2024, Wisconsin

It'll be year No. 2 for QB1 at SMU. Senior Tanner Mordecai, the incumbent at SMU, was announced as the starting quarterback for the Mustangs by head coach Rhett Lashlee after practice on Friday. Mordecai beat out freshman Preston Stone for the second-straight season. Lashlee said he expects Stone, a former All-American at Parish Episcopal, to play this year. "We feel like that's just the best thing for our team and for those guys to give them, and us, the best chance to be ready to go in three weeks," Lashlee said after announcing the decision. "It's been a really good unifying moment for our team, and I like I told them yesterday, Tanner has earned that opportunity. I think the guys believe in him. Preston has earned the opportunity to play [as well]." Stone, like he often is, was the last player to leave the practice field on Tuesday.

Lashlee had just announced that Mordecai would be the starter, but Lashlee also preached then importance of all his players being ready to play, including his quarterbacks. "He's still going to get plenty of reps. The reality of it is he's one play away," Lashlee said about Stone. "You've got to get him ready, and he's still young. He's a redshirt freshman and it speaks a lot of what his teammates think about him and his ability to be in this situation for us to say, 'Hey, he's going to play. He's going to help us win." But when it comes to the leading role, that's Mordecai's job. Mordecai waited a while to be a starting quarterback. He was a four-star recruit out of Waco Midway and headed to Oklahoma. He played in 12 games for the Sooners, including a stint in place of starter Spencer Rattler in the 2020 Cotton Bowl. Mordecai then transferred to SMU where he won the starting job. - Dallas Morning News

rSr/2024