SMU to name new recovery center after starting quarterback Kevin Jennings

A new recovery space at SMU will be named the Kevin Jennings Recovery Center, per reports from the ACC Media Days in Charlotte, North Carolina. A press release by SMU Athletics later confirmed the reports.

Funds for the new recovery center were donated by SMU alumni Ann and Malcolm Holland. Malcolm is the CEO of Veritex Holdings. The space is expected to have saunas, massage units and other recovery spaces for SMU athletes, and will not be limited to just football.

Notable college insiders, including Lia Assimakopoulos from The Dallas Morning News and Ross Dellenger from Yahoo Sports, first broke the news on X following an ACC Media Day press conference with Jennings and SMU Football Head Coach Rhett Lashlee.

Interesting announcement coming later from SMU: The program is unveiling the Kevin Jennings Recovery Center, a new performance space made possible through the support of donors Ann and Malcolm Holland.

It’s not often you see a campus building named in honor of a current athlete.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) July 15, 2026

"He deserves this unprecedented recognition to be the first current college player to have a space named after him before he is done playing,” Lashlee said. “A huge thank you to Malcolm and Ann Holland for their generous support of our program and bringing the Kevin Jennings Recovery Center to life."

The announcement comes just two days after SMU launched Jennings’ Heisman Campaign, K7NG of Dallas. The redshirt senior is entering his third year as the school’s starting quarterback, during which time he has led the Mustangs to a College Football Playoffs and a 14-2 record in regular season ACC play.

Jennings is likely no stranger to SMU’s current recovery room, as throughout his 2025 campaign he battled through an ankle injury that greatly hampered his mobility. Even still, the South Oak Cliff product passed for 3,641 yards, the second-most in the ACC, and 26 touchdowns, which ranked third.

Should he replicate his efforts from 2024 and 2025, Jennings will easily surpass multiple program records, including passing yards, attempts and touchdowns. His impact on SMU’s rise to national prominence is profound, which explains the school’s loyalty to the quarterback.

"SMU has given me so much over the last four years, and I wanted to help create something that will benefit the guys who come after me," said Jennings. "I'm grateful to the Holland family for helping bring this vision to life. My hope is that every student-athlete who walks through these doors has the resources they need to be at their best every single day."

Jennings is the first active SMU student-athlete to have a space on campus named after him, and one of the first-ever across the nation. He’ll begin his final season at Florida State on September 7, 2026.

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