Randy McKinnon was one of the millions who spent part of Christmas Eve last year watching the SMU football team run roughshod (or “pass roughshod”) over the Nevada Wolf Pack, 45-10, in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl.

What separated him from so many others watching the game was the fact that he was a college player looking for a team. McKinnon played safety three years for Syracuse, including appearances in 10 games last season. But as he grew as a player, he also excelled as a student. McKinnon was on track to graduate a year early, with a degree in communications and sociology.

Randy McKinnon arrived at SMU with a degree in communications and sociology from Syracuse, and now is working toward a Master's degree in Liberal Studies at SMU (photo by Syracuse athletics).

“After the season, (Syracuse) didn’t go to a bowl,” McKinnon said. “Me and my dad — we watched SMU put the beating on Nevada. We liked the style of defense they were playing, so we looked up (SMU defensive coordinator) Coach (Tom) Mason’s phone number … during the game.

“We decided to wait a few days after the game before we called. The only teams we contacted were SMU, Northwestern, East Carolina and Central Florida. Coach Mason moved the quickest. From what I saw in that game, I liked the situation at SMU, and the foundation he had built in that defense.”

That he ended up at Syracuse after high school was no surprise. Growing up in Jacksonville, Fla., he attended the same church as Jacksonville Jaguars safety Donovin Darius, who had been a star at Syracuse. The two grew closer, with Darius ultimately becoming McKinnon’s godfather. Coming out of high school, McKinnon spurned offers from Georgia Tech, Maryland and UCF to sign with Syracuse.

At Syracuse, McKinnon filled a number of roles, including safety and special teams. But while he was taking on more responsibility on the field, McKinnon also was excelling in the classroom, so much so that the Orange coaches didn’t know he was leaving a year before his eligibility was used up.

“The Syracuse coaches had no idea I was graduating early,” he said. “Nobody knew I was graduating early.”

McKinnon is trying to get a leg up on learning his new defense by studying with teammates Sterling Moore and Bennie Thomas (photo by Syracuse athletics).

In addition to the promise he said he saw in the Mustangs, and specifically in Mason’s defense, McKinnon chose SMU because of academic and family reasons. He had never been to Texas before arriving on campus, but has an uncle who lives in the Dallas area, and he wanted to earn his Master’s degree in Liberal Studies program.

“After he saw my tape, Coach Mason said he wanted me to come play for him,” McKinnon said. “When I told him I had already graduated and that I was getting financial aid because of academics, so he didn’t need to spend a scholarship on me, then he really wanted me to come play for him.”

McKinnon said he has been assured of nothing, as far as a role or playing time with the Mustangs.

“The first thing they expect me to do is come in and work hard, and that’s what I’m going to do,” he said. “I’m going to learn both safety positions, learn the nickel (back) position. Coach Mason said that based on what he saw of my games at Syracuse, he might bring me up like an extra linebacker every now and then to blitz.”

The 5-10, 210-pound McKinnon has latched on to some of the Mustangs’ veteran defensive backs this summer in an effort to get a headstart on learning his assignments for the upcoming season.

“I’m rooming with Bennie Thomas, and he and Sterling (Moore) have been helping me learn what I’ve got to know,” he said. “Coach Mason’s defense and the Syracuse defense have a lot of the same principles. The biggest transitions are getting used to the players around me and learning the terminology. But I’m picking that up. I’ll be alright.”