No position gets more attention than quarterback when it comes to the transfer portal.
The NCAA changed rules in 2019-20 that allowed a student-athlete to transfer to another school without having to sit out for a season. Since then, the way the quarterback position is managed in college football has changed dramatically, and that trend continues in the 2022-23 cycle.
That is what everybody will be watching Monday. The portal is officially open for undergraduate transfers until Jan. 18, 2023. It will also be open from May 1 to May 15. Remember, graduate transfers can transfer at any time. It’s essentially the college football form of free agency.
With that a look at how those impacted quarterbacks this season:
2022 QBs and the transfer portal
It’s most visible at the most-important position. A third of the Power 5 schools had a transfer quarterback starting in Week 1 in the 2022 season. USC’s Caleb Williams became the fourth transfer quarterback in the last six years to win the Heisman Trophy; joining Baker Mayfield (2017), Kyler Murray (2018) and Joe Burrow (2019).
Williams wasn’t the only transfer QB to have big-time success in 2022. Michael Penix Jr. transferred from Indiana to Washington and led the Huskies to a 10-win season and a berth in the Alamo Bowl. Bo Nix found new life at Oregon with first-year coach Dan Lanning. Spencer Rattler heated up late in the season for South Carolina. LSU’s Jayden Daniels, Texas’ Quinn Ewers and Washington State’s Cam Ward were among the other success stories this season.
Don’t be surprised if the 2023 transfer portal cycle creates even more movement at the quarterback position, especially in some unexpected places.
THE CFP CASE FOR: Georgia | Michigan | Ohio State | TCU
2023 transfer QBs
A look at some of the quarterbacks who have transferred and found new homes for the 2023 season:
DJ Uiagalelei, Oregon State (Clemson)
(Dec. 25): Uiagalelei transferred to Oregon State, and he becomes an interesting find with the move to the Pac-12. Uiagalelei, a five-star recruit from the class of 2020, lost the job to freshman Cade Klubnik in the ACC championship game. Uiagalelei, a former five-star, had an uneven two years as Clemson’s starter and got a fresh start with a competitive Oregon State team that won nine games this season. This could be a good fit.
Kedon Slovis, BYU (Pitt)
(Dec. 24): Slovis transferred to BYU, where he should compete for the starting job. He played three years at USC before starting for Pitt this season. As a freshman, Slovis was second in the Pac-12 in passer rating after throwing for 30 TDs and 9 INTs. He slipped to third in the Pac-12 as a sophomore and ninth as a junior. At Pitt, he went 8-4 and threw 10 TDs to 9 INTs and was ninth in the ACC in passer rating.
Graham Mertz, Florida (Wisconsin)
(Dec. 21): Mertz, a three-year starter with the Badgers, transferred to Florida. Wisconsin hired Luke Fickell as its new coach, and Mertz will look to play for the Wildcats after totaling 38 TDs and 26 interceptions the last three seasons. Mertz is 19-13 as a starter and will compete for a starting job under second-year coach Billy Napier.
Devin Leary, Kentucky (NC State)
(Dec. 20): Leary transferred to Kentucky, and that is a good situation. Leary had 3,433 passing yards, 35 TDs and five interceptions in 2021, but he struggled with inconsistency and injuries in 2022. Leary still has 62 TDs and 16 interceptions for his career. He will pick up where Will Levis left off for the Wildcats.
JT Daniels, Rice (West Virginia)
(Dec. 20): Daniels is in the transfer portal after one season with the Moutaineers. Daniels passed for 2,307 yards, 13 TDs and nine interceptions in his one season with West Virginia. Daniels also played two seasons at USC and two seasons at Georgia.
Drew Pyne, Arizona State (Notre Dame)
(Dec. 19): Pyne transferred to Arizona State, where he will work with first-year coach Kenny Dillingham, who worked wonders with Nix last season. This was a bit of a surprise considering Pyne helped right the ship for Notre Dame after the Irish started 0-2. He finished with 2,021 passing yards, 22 TDs and six interceptions. The Irish are expected to be in the market for a transfer QB, which is presumably why Pyne decided to transfer.
Jeff Sims, Nebraska (Georgia Tech)
(Dec. 22): Sims transferred to Nebraska, where he will have a chance to compete for the starting job under first-year coach Matt Rhule. Sims was a three-year starter at Georgia Tech, but lost his job at the end of 2021 and didn’t finish 2022 due to injury. He threw for 30 touchdowns, ran for 11 and threw 23 interceptions in his Georgia Tech career.
Haynes King, Georgia Tech (Texas A&M)
(Dec. 18): King is a graduate transfer for Georgia Tech. He played in 10 games the last three seasons for the Aggies, and he had 10 TDs and 10 interceptions. King, however, has some bounce-back appeal as a first-year starter under Brent Key with the Yellow Jackets.
Phil Jurkovec, Pitt (Boston College)
(Dec. 6): Jurkovec is a two-time transfer who has played five seasons between Notre Dame and Boston College. He’s a talented 6-5, 225-pound quarterback, but injuries hampered his development with the Eagles. He passed for 37 TDs with just 17 interceptions. Pat Narduzzi will take a chance on another transfer quarterback, and the ACC familiarity should help make that transition.
Shadeur Sanders, Colorado (Jackson State)
(Dec. 5): Colorado hired Deion Sanders. If there was any doubt Shadeur was coming too, then that ended when Deion said, “There’s your quarterback” in his opening press conference. Sanders has passed for 66 TDs and 14 interceptions the last two seasons with Jackson State. Sanders will get to prove it on the FBS level in 2023, and that makes him one of the most-interesting quarterbacks to watch.
Deion Sanders introduces his son Shedeur in his opening statement:
“That’s your quarterback.”
“He’s gonna have to earn it though. The safety (Shilo) made me mad so I didn’t bring him.” #GoBuffs pic.twitter.com/aBhpNQXuDy
— Grace Remington (@GraceRemiTV) December 4, 2022
Cade McNamara, Iowa (Michigan)
(Dec. 1): McNamara led Michigan to the Big Ten championship in 2021, but he lost the starting job to J.J. McCarthy this season. McNamara stays in the Big Ten, and he will be an upgrade for the Hawkeyes. Iowa is coming off a rough season in which it averaged just 17.4 points per game. McNamara has 21 TDs and seven interceptions for his career, and he will be one of the most-experienced QBs in the Big Ten in 2023.
2023 QBs in transfer portal
Brennan Armstrong, Virginia
Armstrong will be a sixth-year graduate transfer at his next landing spot. He’s Virginia’s all-time record holder in career passing yards (9,034) and TD passes (58), and he also had 20 rushing TDs. Armstrong was terrific in 2021 (4th in the ACC in passer rating) but took a major step back as a senior (last in the ACC in passer rating). His dual-threat ability will be enticing in the right scheme.
Connor Bazelak, Indiana
The former Missouri starter transferred to Indiana when he lost his job with the Tigers. Bazelak started eight games for IU but lost his job again and finished the season as QB2. He has 36 touchdowns and 27 interceptions in his three seasons with a 62.2 completion percentage.
Hudson Card, Texas
This was predictable knowing Arch Manning also is on the way to Texas. Card battled with Quinn Ewers for the starting job at Texas in fall camp, and it was close. He has 11 TDs and two TDs in 21 appearances the last three seasons and could be a solid option given the right fit.
Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina
McCall is in the transfer portal but will play in the bowl game for the Chanticleers. He is a huge potential pickup depending on where he lands. McCall, a three-year starter, has 78 TD passes and just eight interceptions. That comes with a 70.4% completion percentage. Will he follow through and land at a new destination?
Spencer Sanders, Oklahoma State
Sanders, who started the majority of the last four seasons with Oklahoma State, entered the transfer portal. Sander had 67 passing TDs and 40 interceptions with the Cowboys. Sanders finished with a 31-12 record as a starter and could be an ideal veteran add for a program looking to contend. Auburn reportedly is in contact with Sanders.