3 hours Ago
College coaches will talk a lot about their quarterback situations over the next few months, but their actions mean a lot more. We are here to sift through the coachspeak to examine what programs have actually told us about their quarterbacks this offseason through their work (or lack thereof) in the transfer portal. Advertisement Let’s get started.
ACC Boston College: Bill O’Brien seemingly has his preferred quarterbacks now. O’Brien benched Thomas Castellanos late last season in favor of Grayson James, who will be the favorite to start this year. He also brought in Alabama transfer Dylan Lonergan, whom he recruited when he was the Crimson Tide’s offensive coordinator.
Cal: The Golden Bears addressed the present when they signed Ohio State transfer Devin Brown and the future when blue-chip freshman Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele transferred to Cal shortly after signing with Oregon. That was a strong response after two-year starter Fernando Mendoza transferred to Indiana. Clemson: Nothing to see here.
Cade Klubnik should lead one of the nation’s best passing games in 2025. Duke: Maalik Murphy was good enough to lead Duke to nine wins last season, but the coaching staff clearly liked Tulane transfer Darian Mensah better. The California native was one of the top Group of 5 quarterbacks as a redshirt freshman in 2024.
Florida State: The Seminoles aren’t afraid to take risks with transfer quarterbacks. Castellanos was benched at Boston College last season, but Florida State desperately needs the partnership with offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn to work — especially after the failed DJ Uiagalelei experiment. There is some history here: Malzahn signed Castellanos while at UCF as part of the Class of 2022.
Georgia Tech: Haynes King is one of the toughest QBs in the country, but two things will be key this year: his health and addressing losses at offensive line and receiver. Louisville: Miller Moss will be Jeff Brohm’s third transfer starting quarterback in three seasons as Louisville’s coach. The Cardinals are clearly not ready to leave the transfer market yet.
Let’s do it #TheVille pic.twitter.com/7iwAPqoJMz — Miller Moss (@millermoss7) December 15, 2024 Miami: Neither are the Hurricanes.
There was positive buzz about Emory Williams in the past, but when push came to shove this offseason, Miami went all out for Georgia transfer Carson Beck. He is an obvious upgrade but comes with some risk. Assuming he’s healthy — he underwent elbow surgery in late December — he needs to play cleaner than he did last season.
Advertisement NC State: CJ Bailey is the clear starter. The Wolfpack need more from him and the offense. Can Kurt Roper, who was an uninspiring choice at coordinator, fix the problem? North Carolina: It seems like Bill Belichick has kept this job wide open.
Max Johnson is the only returner from 2024 and is coming off a significant leg injury. Four-star signee Bryce Baker and Purdue transfer Ryan Browne will be firmly in the mix. Pittsburgh: Eli Holstein is the guy.
Injuries torpedoed what was shaping up to be a very productive season, so keeping the quarterback healthy will be very important for the Panthers. SMU: Kevin Jennings is the clear-cut starter even after a disastrous performance in a first-round College Football Playoff loss to Penn State. If for some reason Jennings were to regress, the addition of Wisconsin transfer Tyler Van Dyke is a good insurance policy.
Stanford: Time to grab the keys, Elijah Brown. The Cardinal lost the only other quarterbacks who threw passes last season (Ashton Daniels and Justin Lamson) and didn’t sign a transfer. Syracuse: Barring a spring transfer addition, the Orange are placing a bet on inexperience with a competition between LSU transfer Rickie Collins and redshirt freshman Jakhari Williams.
They have a combined seven career pass attempts. Virginia: The Cavaliers are banking on North Texas transfer Chandler Morris providing a boost for an offense that’s struggled mightily during Tony Elliott’s three seasons as head coach. Virginia Tech: Kyron Drones is the clear starter even though he and the Hokies regressed in 2024.
Can new offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery get Drones back to his 2023 level of play? Wake Forest: New head coach Jake Dickert is putting his faith in South Carolina transfer Robby Ashford, who will be playing for his third program in as many years but is the only QB on the roster with real experience. Advertisement Big 12 Arizona: With a new offensive coordinator (Seth Doege) and some shrewd transfer additions at the skill positions, the directive is apparent: get Noah Fifita back to his 2023 form after a disappointing 2024 season. Arizona State: Cam Skattebo was the heart and soul of Arizona State’s offense in 2024.
Sam Leavitt will have to drive the bus this season. BYU: Jake Retzlaff led BYU to 11 wins last season and is entrenched as the starter for a team with Big 12 title hopes. Baylor: Adding Auburn transfer Walker White — the No.
8 QB in the Class of 2024 — provides intriguing depth for Sawyer Robertson, who enjoyed a breakout 2024 season and was especially effective in the second half of the year. Cincinnati: Brendan Sorsby posted decent numbers last season, but the Bearcats didn’t make enough big plays in the passing game. The staff tried to add more dynamic playmakers to the supporting cast through the portal.
Colorado: The Buffaloes needed a bridge quarterback to transition from Shedeur Sanders to blue-chip 2025 signee Julian Lewis. Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter is a really talented player who should effectively fill that role. Houston: Conner Weigman hasn’t played to the five-star ranking he had as a recruit and was benched at Texas A&M last season, but coach Willie Fritz must believe he can unlock some of that potential.
I’m coming home. Time to go to Work H-Town!!️ #gocoogs @UHCougarFB pic.twitter.
com/028DYM3XJ5 — Conner Weigman (@ConnerWeigman) December 12, 2024 Iowa State: Nothing much to say here either because Rocco Becht is back after he took yet another step forward in 2024 and led the Cyclones to 11 wins (the first double-digit win season in program history) and the Big 12 Championship Game. Kansas: Jalon Daniels’ health is always an important factor since he’s missed a good chunk of time over the years. He’s limited this spring after undergoing knee surgery.
But he started all 12 games in 2024 and his play declined, so new offensive coordinator Jim Zebrowski has to get Daniels back on track. Advertisement Kansas State: Avery Johnson is an intriguing talent, but he’s still developing as an all-around quarterback. His leading receiver returns, and the Wildcats added three transfer receivers.
We’ll see if Johnson can elevate his play with the additions and another year in the offense. Oklahoma State: The Cowboys quarterbacks struggled last year. They brought back three players from that group, but if the staff really believed in any of them as a starter, it probably wouldn’t have brought in transfer Hauss Hejny.
The former four-star recruit seems like the front-runner based on the fact that he came from TCU with new offensive coordinator Doug Meacham. TCU: Josh Hoover is set as the starter after passing for 3,949 yards and 27 touchdowns during an impressive 2024 season. Keeping Ken Seals as a veteran backup who has started several games throughout his career was also a positive.
Texas Tech: Starter Behren Morton returns, and the Red Raiders went all-in during the December transfer cycle. So the pressure is on Morton, coach Joey McGuire and the rest of the program to deliver a conference championship. UCF: Scott Frost appears ready to tie his hopes to Indiana transfer Tayven Jackson, who played well in spot duty for the Hoosiers last season.
FAU transfer Cam Fancher will be in the mix too. Utah: The Utes wanted to move past the constant uncertainty with Cam Rising’s availability and now have an exciting new quarterback/coordinator combination from New Mexico with transfer Devon Dampier and play caller Jason Beck. West Virginia: Nicco Marchiol has started a few games for the Mountaineers the past two seasons but has never received the full-time starting nod.
He’ll have an opportunity to earn it this offseason but will have to hold off Texas A&M transfer Jaylen Henderson and Charlotte transfer Max Brown. Advertisement Big Ten Illinois: There’s no doubt that Luke Altmyer is the leader of this offense. The one-time Ole Miss Rebel has started the past two seasons and led Illinois to a 10-3 record in 2024.
Expectations are high for the Illini in 2025, which is why it was wise to bring in Northern Illinois transfer Ethan Hampton as the backup. Indiana: The Hoosiers’ use of the transfer portal was so successful with quarterback Kurtis Rourke last year that they went to the well again with Cal transfer Fernando Mendoza, who was one of the better signal callers available in the winter window. Iowa: The Hawkeyes have been stuck in a depressing cycle of substandard quarterback play for five or six years.
They’re hoping South Dakota State transfer Mark Gronowski, the winner of the Walter Payton Award as the top FCS offensive player in 2023, is the answer in 2025. Maryland: Mike Locksley seems to be fine rolling with inexperienced options because UCLA transfer Justyn Martin, who has started just one game in his career, and blue-chip freshman Malik Washington are the top two candidates for the job. Michigan State: Aidan Chiles played like a first-time starter in 2024.
The coaching staff brought in several transfers at receiver and offensive line to improve Chiles’ supporting cast while hoping he will progress in Year 3 under coach Jonathan Smith. Michigan: The Wolverines worked hard to prevent another quarterback crisis like the one they endured in 2024. Five-star freshman Bryce Underwood received a massive NIL deal, and the staff brought in Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene to provide a veteran presence until Underwood is ready.
Minnesota: The Golden Gophers are in a tough spot because they’ll be choosing from either a redshirt freshman, Drake Lindsey, or a raw passer, Georgia Tech transfer Zach Pyron. We’ll see if Lindsey’s season in the system gives him an advantage. Advertisement Nebraska: There’s an urgency to make life easier for former five-star recruit Dylan Raiola.
Dana Holgorsen was named OC. The Cornhuskers brought in a couple of highly touted offensive line transfers and beefed up their receiver corps as well..
Northwestern: Preston Stone was benched last year at SMU but is still the most accomplished quarterback the Wildcats have had in recent memory. That’s a good start in an attempt to revitalize an anemic offense. Ohio State: The Buckeyes didn’t bring in a transfer, so Julian Sayin’s path toward a starting role looks clear unless incoming five-star freshman Tavien St.
Clair acclimates quickly and wins the job. Oregon: Dan Lanning didn’t bring in an experienced transfer quarterback like he previously did with Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel. That means the Ducks believe Dante Moore, the favorite to win the job, and Austin Novosad can keep this offense humming.
Penn State: Drew Allar is back for his senior season and will be working with a retooled group of pass catchers. Allar has to improve, but time will tell if the additions at receiver can help the third-year starting quarterback elevate his game. Purdue: New coach Barry Odom brought in three transfers.
Malachi Singleton (from Arkansas) has the highest ceiling, making him the favorite for the job. Rutgers: Athan Kaliakmanis is firmly entrenched as the starter after passing for 2,696 yards and 18 touchdowns. Rutgers did not pursue a transfer, so there’s no real threat to push him for the starting role either.
UCLA: Deshaun Foster fired Eric Bieniemy and picked Tino Sunseri to be his offensive coordinator. The Bruins were fortunate to land productive App State transfer Joey Aguilar after they lost their top backup (Justyn Martin) and their blue-chip quarterback commit (Madden Iamaleava) in the span of a few weeks. Advertisement USC: Lincoln Riley sat out the transfer market this winter, so all signs point to him being comfortable with a group that includes Jayden Maiava, who was inconsistent in his four starts last year, and five-star freshman Husan Longstreet.
Washington: The future has finally arrived in Seattle with Demond Williams Jr. in line to take over as the starter. The former four-star prospect signed with Arizona and followed coach Jedd Fisch to Washington.
Wisconsin: All of the scholarship quarterbacks with ties to former offensive coordinator Phil Longo are gone . It feels as though Maryland transfer Billy Edwards Jr. is in position to start, but San Diego State transfer Danny O’Neil, a one-time Colorado commit, provides youth and experience after playing a decent amount for the Aztecs last year.
SEC Alabama: Ty Simpson, who served as Jalen Milroe’s backup, appears to be the favorite for the role. The Crimson Tide didn’t bring in a transfer quarterback, but true freshman Keelon Russell possesses a very high ceiling and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s heard from at some point this year. Arkansas: Taylen Green will start after passing for 3,154 yards and rushing for 602 last year.
The development of two freshmen, Madden Iamaleava and Grayson Wilson, will be worth tracking for the future. Auburn: The Tigers have a strong group of skill players but didn’t believe last year’s quarterback group was good enough. Three quarterbacks transferred out and three new QBs arrived, headlined by former Oklahoma Sooner Jackson Arnold and five-star freshman Deuce Knight.
Arnold is the favorite to earn the start. Florida: It began last season, but the transition to DJ Lagway as the face of the program is fully underway now. Georgia: The Bulldogs are in on Gunner Stockton, but to what extent? The coaching staff made a push for Fernando Mendoza before he decided to transfer to Indiana.
Advertisement Kentucky: The Wildcats have placed their confidence in Zach Calzada, who made stops at Texas A&M and Arkansas before settling in as the starter for two seasons at FCS Incarnate Word. They need him to perform well after the offense struggled last season under Brock Vandagriff. LSU: Garrett Nussmeier is the clear starter in 2024.
But after losing Bryce Underwood’s commitment to Michigan, LSU was left scrambling to address its future at the position. The Tigers signed Mississippi State transfer Michael Van Buren, who could be a good solution to the problem. Mississippi State: Blake Shapen is probably the leader in the clubhouse based on the fact he opened 2024 as the starter before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.
But the Bulldogs explored every avenue to land a quarterback and signed talented Florida State transfer Luke Kromenhoek and also bring in four-star freshman KaMario Taylor. Missouri: Beau Pribula was more of a gadget player in Penn State’s offense, but the Tigers saw enough in those snaps to believe in him as their starter. Oklahoma: Brent Venables went all in on Washington State transfer John Mateer (and Cougars offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle).
After two losing seasons in three years as the Sooners coach, Venables desperately needs Mateer to succeed. It may not be pretty for Venables if he doesn’t. Ole Miss: The Rebels were reportedly tied to several transfer quarterbacks, but it would be a surprise if Austin Simmons, who sat behind Jaxson Dart the past two years, doesn’t win the job.
South Carolina: LaNorris Sellers should be one of the most dynamic QBs in the league, and the arrival of Ohio State transfer Air Noland sets the Gamecocks up well for life after Sellers. Tennessee: Nico Iamaleava was fine in 2024 but didn’t become the star many expected. Still, he’s the unquestioned starter for the Vols.
Advertisement Texas A&M: After entering last season as the backup, Marcel Reed owns this job now. The Aggies’ main focus this offseason was adding receivers to bolster the passing game. Texas: It’s Arch Manning’s time now.
Nothing else needs to be said. Vanderbilt: The Diego Pavia Show was surprisingly renewed for a second season in Nashville. Clark Lea and the Commodores coaching staff will try to maximize it every way possible.
And finally Notre Dame: After starting transfers in each of the past two seasons, Notre Dame has a QB competition between homegrown options: Steve Angeli, last season’s backup, and CJ Carr, a former top-100 prospect. (Photo of Jackson Arnold: William Purnell / Imagn Images).
