In only three games wearing an SMU uniform, Shane Buechele ranks first in total passing yards and second in average passing yards per game among American Athletic Conference quarterbacks. And that includes a game where he only threw the ball 18 times for 219 yards against Texas State.
After transferring from Texas, Buechele has been a solid addition for SMU coach Sonny Dykes' offense. He is looking more like the freshman who set a Longhorns freshman record with 2,958 passing yards during the 2016 season.
"He's done an outstanding job of coming in and fitting into our culture," SMU coach Sonny Dykes said of the former Arlington Lamar High School standout. "He's really buying in and has been everything you want from the quarterback position."
With the Mustangs preparing for No. 25 TCU on Saturday, Buechele will get his best opportunity to date to remind everyone of just how much of an asset he can be. TCU comes into the game with the nation's No. 2-ranked defense, allowing only 209.5 yards per contest.
Meanwhile, SMU will enter Saturday with the nation's No. 11-ranked offense, averaging 550 yards per outing. Saturday's Battle for the Iron Skillet won't be an immovable object versus unstoppable force type of game, but if both of the teams' strengths click, it should be a very entertaining afternoon.
It should be noted that Buechele's efforts come with him only taking snaps at SMU for a few weeks.
"When you look at him, he didn't go through spring ball, so he's still learning," Dykes said. "I think sometimes, we take that for granted. He's played three games for us. He hasn't had that many practices. Every day is important to him, going out, having a good practice, getting the reps and continuing to improve."
Coming out of high school, the expectations were very high for Buechele. He threw for nearly 6,400 yards and 73 touchdowns and rushed for more than 1,800 yards and 21 scores at Lamar. And Texas Rangers fans have watched him grow up for a while, as his father Steve had a stellar pro baseball career and played eight seasons in Arlington.
The youngest of five children, Shane chose to stay in state while nearly all of his siblings either attended or play college sports at Oklahoma. He chose to enter the transfer portal in February but earned a degree in sports management from Texas before leaving -- with two years of eligibility remaining.
SMU was the perfect spot for him, as the university is close to home, and he loved the offensive style of both Dykes and offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee. In a short amount of time, Buechele has the Mustangs clicking -- and he's had TCU coach Gary Patterson watching his every move on the football field in preparation of Saturday.
"For them, he's giving them consistency," Patterson told reporters during the Big 12 coaches teleconference earlier this week. "He's a guy who has played in big ball games, and he checks into things how he's supposed to."
Buechele has thrown for 871 yards and five touchdowns through three games. He also has thrown three interceptions -- two coming against Texas State -- but Dykes, regardless, is excited about the direction both Buechele and the offensive as a whole are headed.
Consider Saturday a major test for them all.
"I thought he's played really clean football," Dykes said. "He threw two interceptions and forced two balls [against Texas State] that he doesn't normally do. It was one of those deals where you want to get out and score every possession. Sometimes that can be hard on a quarterback.
"I think Shane learned a good lesson. We were able to run the ball, so that was encouraging. He's played really good football. He's a great leader for us."
SMU (3-0) at No. 25 TCU (2-0)
2:30 p.m. Saturday, Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth
