Life for Preston Stone is a little busy at the moment.
He's preparing for four finals ahead of his graduation from SMU with a finance degree. He's helping the Mustangs get ready for a College Football Playoff game against Penn State. Then there's that whole transfer portal thing, with schools lighting up Stone's phone since his official entry Tuesday evening.
"It's a lot," Stone told CBS Sports. "It's kind of like being a high school recruit again but with such a short window. It's really hectic."
Stone, who's heard from 16 schools since entering the portal, is an intriguing transfer option. He's 13-3 as a starter with 35 touchdowns against eight interceptions in his career. Stone opened the 2024 season as the starter on the heels of a season-ending injury in 2023 but was benched after three games, which included an 18-15 loss to BYU.
SMU rode backup QB Kevin Jennings to the CFP. Still, Stone -- a former four-star recruit -- is expected to field robust interest from Power Four schools. Stone has one guaranteed season of eligibility remaining and plans to apply for a medical redshirt for a second.
"I'm a veteran with a lot of experience," Stone said. "I know how to win. I'm a two-time captain at SMU. I feel like whichever team I go to is getting a leader who wants to go into the locker room and be a great teammate. And I love to throw the ball. Whichever school I end up at hopefully we can have a great passing attack and have a great offense."
Stone is staying with the Mustangs during their playoff run for the same reason he stayed with the Mustangs midseason despite the quarterback change: He's a captain.
He always planned on finishing out his degree at SMU. He loves the school and grew up in Dallas. He wants to finish things the right way. That just means, due to the calendar, he's having to juggle a few things at once.
"It's a little bit tough," Stone said. "But I've had great conversations with (quarterbacks coach) D'Eriq (King) and Coach (Rhett) Lashlee way before I ever entered the portal and tried to do things the right way as it pertains to my teammates and coaches. I'm wanting to make sure I can finish the season with the team and still prepare for Penn State if and when an opportunity comes for me to play."
As for what comes after the Penn State game, or whenever the Mustangs are knocked out of the playoff, Stone is looking for a place that allows him to compete for the starting job.
He will enter an offseason healthy for the first time in two years. He broke his collarbone in October of 2022. Then he broke his leg in November of 2023. Both injuries cost him significant chunks of time due to rehab. But he hasn't endured many hits this season in relief of Kevin Jennings and will approach 2025 as healthy as he's been in a long time.
When it comes to picking the right school, Stone's priorities are simple.
"I want to go somewhere where I can win football games," Stone said. "I want to go somewhere that has a great culture and is a great fit for me personally. I'm looking for somewhere that I can go and compete and get on the field and have a chance to play at the next level."
That decision will come quickly in the transfer portal. Stone will just be juggling a bit more than most when making it.
Practice, finals and a playoff game. All in the life of a transfer portal quarterback.
