QB Derek Green keying on 2021: 'You take on a leadership role'

Editor's note: On Friday, The HillTopics published Part 1 of the two-part feature on SMU quarterback Derek Green. Today, we publish Part 2.

Spring classes begin for SMU on Jan. 25, and Derek Green said he'll return to Dallas a few days before to get readjusted to the student-athlete life.

While in the greater Kansas City area, Green's had the chance to enjoy family time and take in all of the knowledge he possibly can. He's got some pretty solid mentors sitting across from him at the dinner table.

His father, Trent Green, played 15 seasons in the NFL and was on the St. Louis Rams team that won Super Bowl XXXIV. He also threw for 5,400 yards and 23 touchdowns as a college standout at Indiana.

"It's been great having him in my corner," Derek said of his father. "I can call him after practice and after games just to get his advice. Being at home these last couple of weeks will be really nice."

While he gives his father tons of credit, Green never skips on acknowledging his older brother, as well. TJ Green's story at Northwestern has its similarities to Derek's. Both were former walk-ons who worked their way up the depth chart.

"He's been in the same shoes, competing for a starting spot and everything," Derek said. "Plus, he had a transfer from Clemson come in that he was competing against. We're actually in very similar situations."

That support staff, along with the rest of his family, has been all the motivation Green's needed as he prepares for his junior season. The idea of potential quarterback competition is par for the course -- and always has been for Green -- but it's easy to notice that there's a fire within him as he gears up for the 2021 season.

Particularly with two other stud quarterbacks joining the roster this spring.

"For me," Green said, "just to even be in an open competition with two guys like that, it speaks volumes of what I've been able to overcome and what I've been able to do in my time at SMU."

Taking on leadership role

Indisputable fact: Green will enter spring football with the most experience of all active SMU quarterbacks. Will Brown is now a wide receiver. Tanner Mordecai and Preston Stone have yet to take a game snap in SMU's system. Neither have current roster quarterbacks Jacob Oehrlein and Josh Stupin.

Shane Buechele, who set records during his two-year stint calling plays, will no longer lead the offense for SMU. That leaves a void for leadership -- and while a spring 2021 snap has yet to happen, it should be noted that Green has shown that mentality for spearheading the offense.

"Being the returning guy, you take on a leadership role," Green said. "Whether it's leading stretches in workouts or throwing with the receivers in the indoor ... it definitely has its perks. I'm excited to take that role as we come back later on."

It's a very positive attitude for someone who has earned everything he's received. A little over a year ago, Green was a walk-on and No. 4 on the quarterback depth chart. There was even a time not long ago when he was a reserve holder on special teams. Being the team's holder for kicker Chris Naggar became his calling card in 2020, with added highlights occurring during SMU's overtime win on the road at Tulane in October.

"One of the biggest plays of the game obviously was the game-winning field goal ... we didn't have a great snap, and Derek Green did an unbelievable job of getting the ball down," head coach Sonny Dykes told reporters. "The ball rolled back there. Those are just little things that people don't notice, but that was a huge play."

Green was never lied to. Dykes told him from Day 1 that he'd have a chance to compete for a scholarship and that he'd have a chance to rise up the ladder.

Only if he worked hard -- which he did.

"[Dykes] has been awesome since my time here," Green said. "Even in the recruiting process, he never promised me anything. He never promised me a scholarship. He just told me if I keep my head down and work, he thought it would work out.

"To be in the position I'm in now, it speaks to what he told me."

Now Green is a few days from returning to Dallas and a few weeks from one of the biggest battles of his football career. He'll look to win a starting job against a former Big 12 quarterback in Mordecai, a two-time high school state champion in Stone, and two other SMU quarterbacks just as hungry for consistent playing time as he is.

It's exactly what he wants.

"Going in, I'm the returning guy who knows what the culture's like on the team," Green said. "The team knows me and knows the kind of work I put in. "I think they respect me coming in as a walk-on and earning a scholarship and moving my way up the ranks. I think I got a lot of respect from my teammates, and I think that'll help me a lot."

Building on success

SMU finished 7-3 in 2020 and saw its season come to an abrupt halt because of COVID-19. The Mustangs had been able to collectively dodge the coronavirus all season, but it finally caught up with the program at the end of the season. SMU had to cancel its final AAC game against Houston on Dec. 5, and the Mustangs didn't get to play in the Frisco Bowl on Dec. 19.

It was a disappointing finish, but Green and the rest of the Mustangs were grateful to get 10 games in.

"Going out and winning seven games to be bowl eligible, there were some teams who didn't even play enough games to be bowl eligible in a regular season," Green said. "It didn't finish the way we wanted to, but big picture wise, putting up back-to-back winning seasons and getting more national recognition has been a big step for the program.

"It's something we can build on for next season."

And that's Green's focus: Building on something that has been established. Dykes has SMU trending in the right direction, and with several key members returning for 2021, the expectations are high for another solid season. The Mustangs are 17-6 in their last two seasons.

Green would love to be the reason why that success sees another uptick.

"We went into this past season expecting to win every game," Green said. "I think overall, we've got a good mentality of going into the upcoming season. We've just got to keep at it.

"We accomplished a lot, especially in such a crazy year. Hopefully I can help us get even farther."