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SMU quarterback J.J. McDermott met the media after passing for 322 yards and three touchdowns in SMU's 45-24 victory Saturday over Tulane at Gerald J. Ford Stadium.

Courtesy of SMUMustangs.com:



(Interview borrowed because of technical issues)

All I gotta say is anybody knocking JJ Mc must have a personal agenda like an angry ex or maybe somebody he is competing with at qb. For Padron to be hurt and nowhere in sight and JJ playing with muliple injuries.......wow! What would our record be without him? We are lucky to have a gamer like him and so glad he is having success after waiting his turn and being a "team" guy for 4 years. You just have to know that he and his parents and those who know him had to wonder why he wasn't playing more yet we never heard a peep on any message board! Class teammate!

I am going to defend Padron because I have had back problems for the last 30+ years. It is NOT easy dealing with the pain from such a problem. Standing up and walking to the bathroom can be the toughest thing you have ever done when you have the type of back problem that he has. He hurt both his L4 and L5 vertebra, which are the biggest vertebra in the spine. Both of mine are degenerative and cause me problems on a daily basis. The shots will help but will eventually wear off. I fear he will have back problems for the rest of his life.

Ponymon wrote:I am going to defend Padron because I have had back problems for the last 30+ years. It is NOT easy dealing with the pain from such a problem. Standing up and walking to the bathroom can be the toughest thing you have ever done when you have the type of back problem that he has. He hurt both his L4 and L5 vertebra, which are the biggest vertebra in the spine. Both of mine are degenerative and cause me problems on a daily basis. The shots will help but will eventually wear off. I fear he will have back problems for the rest of his life.

I do not think that was a shot a KP that needed defending. He was just saying that if KP had gotten injured and we did not have McD we would likely have been in bad shape this season.

I do have to comment that McD has not been here 4 years. He is a transfer, but I do think this is his third year, including sitting out a transfer year. He has been patient and waited his turn.

it is striking that he has been patient in waiting for an opportunity, but also now that he is playing, he isn't saying anything close to 'look at what I can do', but appears to be the consummate team guy. and, he is ready to say 'I have to play better' whenever he has stumbled.
great demeanor.
I wonder if he might turn to coaching if playing at the next level doesn't pan out?

No need to defend Kyle! His body of work stands for itself...coming in as a true freshman and leading SMU to its first bowl game in twenty-something years and then setting bowl records too. Then coming back and leading the team to another bowl! Then being the "face of the mustangs" and having so lofty of expectations in your third year and being "kicked to the curb" by your head coach after a bad start against a top ten team at the time in front of 87,000 hostile fans! He deserved better but don't knock another kid like JJ who is just trying to do his best and help the team win. They are both good qb's. This offensive staff is just brutal when it comes to playing subs, even with 4 touchdown leads or behind by 4 tds and risking injury to starters. Look at Jeremy Johnson. What a great receiver but he hardly plays since Beasley is back. JJ was at New Mexico or NM State and was to be the next qb in line before a coaching change and he came to SMU, hence the four years in waiting at NM and SMU. The ultimate team sport.

smuuth wrote:No need to defend Kyle! His body of work stands for itself...coming in as a true freshman and leading SMU to its first bowl game in twenty-something years and then setting bowl records too. Then coming back and leading the team to another bowl! Then being the "face of the mustangs" and having so lofty of expectations in your third year and being "kicked to the curb" by your head coach after a bad start against a top ten team at the time in front of 87,000 hostile fans! He deserved better but don't knock another kid like JJ who is just trying to do his best and help the team win. They are both good qb's. This offensive staff is just brutal when it comes to playing subs, even with 4 touchdown leads or behind by 4 tds and risking injury to starters. Look at Jeremy Johnson. What a great receiver but he hardly plays since Beasley is back. JJ was at New Mexico or NM State and was to be the next qb in line before a coaching change and he came to SMU, hence the four years in waiting at NM and SMU. The ultimate team sport.

Good post. McDermott didn't have lofty expectations after being the scout Qb in 2009 and witnessing first hand Kp's emergence in leading the POnies to their first bowl victory in 25 years. He had to understand his role in backing up Kp in another bowl season and a season in which KP became the all-time single season passing leader in 2010 and taking the team to its conference title game since 1982. So coming into 2011 McD was planning on backing up Kp through another season. Jones pulled the switcheroo at A&M after 2 series, and the kid gets an opportunity. Only Jones knows why he pulled KP and discarded him....no one else. Not even the great Mrydel. Bottom line -- McD has done well at times and faltered badly at times. He has played against a much softer schedule than 2010, but that's another thread. I doubt Kp will return to the sidelines in 2011 and we'll see the what the future holds for Kp in the coming weeks. I will say that it was a pleasure to see Kp handle his demotion with class. He easily could have left the team to seek greener pastures as others have. We can write off Houston, but Navy and Rice seem winnable. 8-4 and another Hawaii Bowl. If we play Hawaii, I can't help but think we will finish 8-5, same as 2009.

They're both good quarterbacks, and an improvement over some who have rolled through. I'm glad to have both. Here's hoping JJ McD plays out the season in good health, and Kyle comes back healthy in the spring.

cutter wrote:it is striking that he has been patient in waiting for an opportunity, but also now that he is playing, he isn't saying anything close to 'look at what I can do', but appears to be the consummate team guy. and, he is ready to say 'I have to play better' whenever he has stumbled.
great demeanor.
I wonder if he might turn to coaching if playing at the next level doesn't pan out?

I talked to a guy who played here with JJMcD. The word is that JJMcD knows this offense the best out of any guy on the team. That's not to slight to anyone - especially Padron, Stephen Kaiser, and Connor Preston. JJMcD is not the most physically talented guy we have at QB. But he is clearly our best option at that position - and that is largely due to his uncommon professionalism and maturity.

So yeah, cutter, I would not be surprised if, right now, we have a future offense coordinator and/or head coach at QB for the Mustangs.