The 2023 college football regular season has wrapped and that means the transfer portal is beginning to fire up. Transfer quarterbacks have made significant impacts for their new schools in recent years and that’s evident with the likes of Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr., and Jayden Daniels all emerging as Heisman Trophy contenders this season.
Here, we’ll keep tabs on the top gunslingers in the sport and where they land when the smoke clears:
College football quarterback transfers
Max Johnson
Previous schools: LSU, Texas A&M
Final destination: North Carolina
November 29 update: Johnson told On3 Sports that he has committed to North Carolina.
After stints at both LSU and Texas A&M, Johnson will move on from College Station with two years of eligibility remaining. He replaced an injured Conner Weigman midway through the season before suffering his own rib injury against Ole Miss.
DJ Uiagalelei
Previous school: Clemson, Oregon State
Final destination: TBD
Uiagalelei is on the move again after spending just one season at Oregon State. He was able to get a fresh start after a disappointing end to his time at Clemson, leading the Beavers to an 8-4 record while throwing for 2,638 yards, 21 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
Grayson McCall
Previous school: Coastal Carolina
Final destination: TBD
McCall spent five years at Coastal and started for four of them. This season, he finished with over 1,900 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He passed for 2,700 yards or more in both 2021 and 2022, and added 51 touchdowns over those two years.
Riley Leonard
Previous school: Duke
Final destination: TBD
Leonard entered the portal with a “no contact” tag, and the rumor mill is sending him to Notre Dame, though he has made no official announcement. Leonard led Duke to a 4-1 start to their 2023 season before sustaining an ankle injury against Notre Dame that kept him out for most of the season. He finished the year with three passing touchdowns, four rushing touchdowns, and three picks.
Will Howard
Previous school: Kansas State
Final destination: TBD
Howard took over as the starter for K-State midway through the 2022 season and helped lead the team to the Big 12 Championship Game. As a senior this year, he compiled 2,643 passing yards, 364 rushing yards, and 33 total touchdowns.
Will Rogers
Previous school: Mississippi State
Final destination: TBD
Rogers was a four-year starter at Mississippi State and excelled while operating the late Mike Leach’s Air Raid offense. He leaves Starkville with 12,315 career passing yards, the second-most in SEC history.
Katin Houser
Previous school: Michigan State
Final destination: TBD
A former four-star high school prospect out of powerhouse St. John Bosco in California, Houser got to start as a redshirt freshman in the back half of Michigan state’s season this year. He is one of several Spartan players entering the portal in the aftermath of Mel Tucker’s firing.
Hank Bachmeier
Previous schools: Boise State, Louisiana Tech
Final destination: TBD
Bachmeier is entering the portal once again after spending just one season at Louisiana Tech following his four-year stint at Boise State. He threw for 2,058 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions this year.
Ken Seals
Previous school: Vanderbilt
Final destination: TBD
Seals started several games in place of an injured AJ Swann this season, throwing 11 touchdowns and four interceptions.
Nate Johnson
Previous school: Utah
Final destination: TBD
With Cam Rising sidelined with his ACL injury, Johnson spent the first month of the season as the Utes starter before being replaced by former walk-on Bryson Barnes. He compiled 499 passing yards, 235 rushing yards, and seven total touchdowns.
Tyler Shough
Previous school: Oregon, Texas Tech
Final destination: Louisville
December 5 update: Shough told ESPN he will be transferring to Louisville.
Shough enters the portal after completing a three-year stint in Lubbock that was plagued by injuries. He broke his leg against West Virginia in late September and was ruled out for the season.
Spencer Petras
Previous school: Iowa
Final destination: TBD
Petras did not suit up for Iowa in 2023 as he was nursing a shoulder injury he suffered the year prior. He’ll look for a fresh start after spending years operating an ineffective Iowa offense under the guidance of Brian Ferentz.
Dante Moore
Previous school: UCLA
Final destination: TBD
Moore enters the portal after just one season at UCLA under head coach Chip Kelly. The former five-star prospect was up-and-down as a true freshman, throwing for 1,610 yards, 11 touchdowns, and nine interceptions through nine games.
MJ Morris
Previous school: NC State
Final destination: TBD
Morris enters the portal after spending two seasons with Raleigh with the Wolf Pack. He replaced struggling Brennan Armstrong as the starter midway through the season and led the Pack to a 3-1 record. Having played exactly four games, he opted out the rest of the season in early November to preserve his redshirt and another year of eligibility.
Kyle McCord
Previous school: Ohio State
Final destination: TBD
McCord came under fire as the Ohio State starter this season, and will not be remaining in Columbus for 2024. He finished the season with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions in an 11-1 season for the Buckeyes.
Dillon Gabriel
Previous school: Oklahoma
Final destination: TBD
Gabriel began his career at UCF before joining Brent Venables at Oklahoma ahead of the 2022 season. He led the Sooners to a 10-2 season in 2023, passing for a career-high 3,660 yards. He passed for 30 touchdowns and rushed for another 12. Gabriel was expected to find himself in a quarterback competition next season with Jackson Arnold.
Tyler Buchner
Previous school: Alabama
Final destination: TBD
After spending a year at Jalen Milroe’s backup at Alabama, Buchner has unexpectedly entered the portal as a lacrosse player.
Tyler Van Dyke
Previous school: Miami
Final destination: TBD
Van Dyke spent four years at Miami and spent the last three as a starter for the Hurricanes. He dealt with some minor injury issues in 2023, and the Canes finished 7-5. He passed for 2,700 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in the 2023 season. His best year thus far was 2021, in which he passed for over 2,900 yards and had a TD-to-INT ratio of 25-to-6.
Cam Ward
Previous school: Washington State
Final destination: TBD
Ward is getting out of dodge as he leaves the now conference-less Washington State program. He spent the last two years as a Cougar, and had an impressive 2023 season. Ward finished the year with over 3,700 passing yards, 25 passing TDs, eight rushing TDs, and seven interceptions.