Preston Stone is already making his presence known with Northwestern football.
In the final week of spring camp and during Saturday’s open practice at Martin Stadium, coaches and players alike raved about the transfer quarterback from SMU.
“I’m really excited about his progress and, again, you can see things in the first couple of practices about the talent, but it’s his character, it’s leadership, the way that he’s starting to really integrate with this team that gets you really excited,” said head coach David Braun on Saturday. “I think he’s someone that this team wants around.”
Time with SMU
Northwestern quarterback throws during a spring practice on April 19. (Damien Dennis/TPM)
Stone announced on December 24 that he would be transferring to Northwestern after spending the previous four seasons with SMU. He started all 12 regular season games for the Mustangs in 2023, but missed the AAC Championship game against Tulane after suffering a leg injury in the regular-season finale against Navy. Stone completed 206 of his 344 passing attempts that season for 3,197 yards and 28 touchdowns with just six interceptions.
He started the Mustangs’ first three games in 2024 but split time with Kevin Jennings, who eventually won the job. Stone entered the transfer portal in early December.
“You know, I think it started with the coaching staff when I was in the portal talking to different coaches,” Stone said during a media availability on April 10. “When I spoke with coach Braun, there was just a level of belief and kind of desire to get me here that was different than everyone else. And once I stepped on campus and got to meet the staff, meet some of the leaders on the team, I knew this was going to be home.”
Despite making his decision to transfer to Northwestern, Stone elected to stay with the Mustangs through their College Football Playoff run that ended in a loss to Penn State. Stone did not play in that game.
“Yeah, that was a crazy week,” he said. “I knew I wanted to stay with SMU through the rest of the season, because we work all year to get to the those prime time games, and I was a captain on the team, and I still wanted to be there for my teammates. So that was a really important decision for me. But as far as coming up here, that was a wild week, because I was doing my finals. It was the Sunday before we played Penn State. So coach (Rhett) Lashlee let me fly up here for a day and get to meet the staff, and then I flew back home that night. And then, you know, finals, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and practice, game, prep, getting ready for Penn State.
“So that was a crazy time, but I had a great support system behind me, and it all worked out.”
Adjusting to new system
With the spring camp in the books, Stone said he’s had fun learning the Northwestern offense.
“It’s definitely much more a pro style system than what I’m coming from,” he said. “Our plan at SMU, kind of our X’s and O’s thought process, was to keep it simple and play as fast as possible. Here, it’s much more so methodical and try to hurt you in a lot of different ways. And coach (Zach) Lujan and the staff, and you know, even guys like Jack Lausch and Ryan Boe have been super supportive — helped me learn the offense.”
Braun said it’s been “neat” watching Stone’s confidence, comfort and leadership progress through the spring. These sentiments followed Lujan’s a week earlier.
“He’s done a phenomenal job stepping in,” said Northwestern’s offensive coordinator. “You know, obviously a mature kid, he’s played a lot of football, won a lot of football games and just his leadership style across the board. He kind of has this calm demeanor about him, but very urgent and intentful with everything that he does as well.”
Lujan added that Stone came in with his head down and “his ass off from day one” to ingratiate himself with the team.
“I think what’s lost is that Preston was an unbelievably successful winning quarterback, right?” he said. “He took SMU to really the next level with that. And he, you know, lost his job to somebody who’s going to be a Heisman hopeful this upcoming year. Well, that’s not in any way, shape or form a knock on Preston, but really speaks to who he is as a player, person and competitor.”
Northwestern quarterback Preston Stone tosses the ball to running back Cam Porter in a drill during the Wildcats’ open practice at Martin Stadium on April 19. (Damien Dennis/TPM)
Wildcat impressions
Running back Cam Porter, who announced in February his return to Northwestern, said Stone picked up the offense really fast which surprised him.
“From my perspective, it’s really cool to see, just because you can tell he’s played a lot of football,” Porter said on Saturday. “He’s very calm, he’s very relaxed. … It is good to be back there with a guy who knows what’s going on, especially as a running back, seeing different blitzes and stuff like that. He’s calling it out and helping me out.”
Defensive lineman Anto Saka said Stone has been a great addition to the team.
“Preston, man, the way he throws that ball is beautiful,” he said. “Just being able to go against him, seeing how he moves around the pocket, it’s obviously going to help me in the fall.”
Griffin Wilde, a wide receiver transfer from South Dakota State, shared his thoughts on Stone.
“I’ve learned a lot from Preston just talking with him, learning the ins and outs of like, kind of where he wants me at certain spots, finding the open spot,” he said. “And he’s done a really good job of helping me along the way.”
Position battle
Despite all this praise, neither Braun nor Lujan said much about the starting role under center.
Unlike the previous two seasons, however, Braun said he expects to know who the Wildcats’ quarterback will be well before the opener at Tulane on August 30.
“I anticipate us all being on the same page with who our starting quarterback is very early in fall camp,” he said Saturday. “It’s been unique in that quarterback room. You’ve got a young guy in Ryan Boe, you’ve got a guy in Jack Lausch that’s done a great job of balancing a lot of things. But he hasn’t been here to be able to practice every single day. It’s going to be good for our guys to get in the facility next week to really have some post-spring ball conversations of where we see all the competitive areas on our football team.
“But I anticipate there will be an absolute clarity for this football team of four starting quarterback days very early on in fall camp.”
