Washington's Michael Penix Jr. showed that a quarterback transfer can not only change a player's trajectory, but an entire program's.
The quarterback transfer market has become the most significant personnel component in college football, as the hits, misses and everything in between shapes so much in the sport. The 2023 season produced another Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback who transferred in LSU's Jayden Daniels (Arizona State), as well as exceptional runners-up in Penix (Indiana) and Oregon's Bo Nix (Auburn).
Although all three Heisman finalist quarterbacks were in their second seasons at their new destinations, several first-year transfers stood out. Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, who followed his father and Buffs coach Deion Sanders from Jackson State to Boulder, finished No. 10 nationally in passing average. Appalachian State's Joey Aguilar (Diablo Valley Community) and North Texas' Chandler Rogers (Louisiana-Monroe) both finished in the top 10 in passing touchdowns.
Transfers made contributions beyond glitzy numbers, facilitating clear improvement with their teams at Oklahoma State (Alan Bowman), Georgia Tech (Haynes King), Northwestern (Ben Bryant), Texas State (TJ Finley), Boston College (Thomas Castellanos) and elsewhere. There were other transfers who arrived with great fanfare, but ultimately didn't provide the spark their new teams hoped.
In mid-October, we gave midterm grades to first-year transfer quarterbacks. But those marks captured only a partial view of the performances. The final grades are in, and I've added a few key transfers who weren't part of the midseason rundown, while removing a few others, bringing the total number to 50. Not every QB transfer appears below, but we tried to cover the most prominent names.
Let's get started.
Final analysis: Florida coach Billy Napier can't point to a ton of success stories in his two seasons, but Mertz should be at the top of his list. Mertz arrived at Florida as a career 59.5% passer, unable to take the next step in his development despite ample opportunities with Wisconsin. Florida stumbled to a 5-7 season, but Mertz settled in seamlessly with Napier's offense, completing 72.9% of his passes (No. 4 nationally) with no game at below 61.9%. Although the Gators faded with five straight losses to end the season, Mertz maintained his progress, recording multiple touchdown passes in six of his final seven games before missing the finale against Florida State with an injury. Mertz will return in 2024 after setting career highs in passing yards, completion percentage, completions (261), touchdown passes (20) and efficiency (157.8), and a career low in interceptions.
TJ Finley, Texas State Bobcats
Transferred from: Auburn
2023 stats: 3,439 passing yards, 24 TD passes, 8 interceptions, 5 rushing TDs
Midseason grade: A
Final analysis: First-year Texas State coach G.J. Kinne reshaped the team's roster with transfers, and Finley proved to be one of the best and most valuable. After struggling with turnovers and accuracy at both Auburn and LSU, Finley finished 16th nationally in completion percentage (67.4) and had five 300-yard passing performances. He helped Texas State to a season-opening win at Baylor as well as a dominant bowl win over Rice, while setting a single-season team record for passing yards and ranking 17th nationally. Finley was a bit shakier in the second half of the season, throwing six of his eight interceptions and enduring some inaccurate performances.
Haynes King, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Transferred from: Texas A&M
2023 stats: 2,842 passing yards, 26 TD passes, 16 interceptions, 737 rushing yards, 10 rushing TDs
Midseason grade: A-
Final analysis: King's first healthy full season in college showcased the dual-threat talent that got Texas A&M fans and coaches so excited when he came to College Station. Georgia Tech and first-year coach Brent Key benefited from King, who helped the Yellow Jackets to their first bowl win in seven years and sparked an offense that rose from 124th nationally in scoring in 2022 to 41st in 2023. King's athleticism emerged during the second half of the season, as he recorded five games with 82 rushing yards or more. He had big swings in accuracy, from precision performances against North Carolina, Virginia and Syracuse, to struggles against Clemson, Georgia and Boston College. King had four multi-interception games, including a four-pick disaster against Clemson, but generally took better care of the ball during the second half of the season.
Chandler Rogers, North Texas Mean Green
Transferred from: Louisiana-Monroe
2023 stats: 3,382 passing yards, 29 TD passes, 5 interceptions, 180 rushing yards, 4 rushing touchdowns
Midseason grade: N/A
Final analysis: Rogers turned out to be an ideal leader for coach Eric Morris' first offense at North Texas. After missing most of the season opener due to injury, he eclipsed 200 passing yards in each of the Mean Green's final 11 games, while exceeding 300 passing yards six times and 400 yards twice. He had 19 touchdowns and no interceptions in the first seven full games he played for North Texas, and had multiple touchdown passes in all but one of 11 full contests. Rogers also showed solid mobility at times, eclipsing 30 rushing yards five times with 56 yards and a touchdown against Tulsa in his second-to-last game.
Grade tier: B+
Ben Bryant, Northwestern Wildcats
Transferred from: Cincinnati
2023 stats: 1,807 passing yards, 13 TD passes, 6 interceptions, 4 rushing TD
Midseason grade: C
Final analysis: Bryant's numbers don't jump out, but he turned out to be one of the most important transfer QB additions, helping Northwestern improve its wins total by an FBS-best seven games. He had 396 passing yards and four touchdowns in a Week 4 come-from-behind win against Minnesota that served as the team's inflection point. After missing four games with a shoulder injury, Bryant returned to spark Northwestern's road upset of Wisconsin, and the Wildcats didn't lose the rest of the way. If Bryant had been healthy all season, Northwestern might have won the Big Ten West Division, as it produced only 16 combined points in losses to Iowa and Nebraska. He completed better than 67% of his passes in four of his final six games.
Mikey Keene, Fresno State Bulldogs
Transferred from: UCF
2023 stats: 2,976 passing yards, 24 TD passes, 10 interceptions, 1 rush TD
Midseason grade: B+
Final analysis: Keene's play mirrored that of Fresno State, which started 8-1 before dropping its final three regular-season games, only to finish strong. He had 218 passing yards or more in each of his first eight appearances with the Bulldogs, and opened with multiple touchdown passes in the first five games and six of the first seven. A first-half head injury against San Jose State limited Keene during the stretch run, as he had only one touchdown, two interceptions and 358 yards in Fresno State's three losses that removed the team from the Mountain West race. Keene responded in the New Mexico Bowl, though, passing for a career-high 380 yards, as well as three touchdowns, in a win over New Mexico State. He earned honorable mention All-Mountain West honors.
Kyron Drones, Virginia Tech Hokies
Transferred from: Baylor
2023 stats: 2,084 passing yards, 17 TD passes, 3 interceptions, 818 rushing yards, 5 rushing TDs
Midseason grade: C
Final analysis: Drones' progress mirrored that of Virginia Tech, which he helped to victories in four of its final six regular-season games, and a Military Bowl triumph against Tulane. After taking over for Grant Wells in Week 2, Drones took a few games to settle in as a passer while continuing to hurt defenses with his legs. He had 50 or more rushing yards in nine contests, and ended with a career-high 176 yards against Tulane, a Virginia Tech bowl record. Drones also had multiple passing touchdown performances in each of his final four games, while racking up 412 rushing yards during the final stretch. His passing accuracy fluctuated a bit but the overall skills and playmaking has given Virginia Tech's offense a major boost heading into 2024.
Thomas Castellanos, Boston College Eagles
Transferred from: UCF
2023 stats: 2,248 passing yards, 15 TD passes, 14 interceptions, 1,113 rushing yards, 13 rushing TDs
Midseason grade: B+
Final analysis: Boston College entered the season with Emmett Morehead as its starter, but soon pivoted to Castellanos, whose dual-threat abilities sparked an offense that ranked 121st nationally in scoring in 2022. Castellanos ranked 34th nationally in rushing yards and trailed only Daniels for rushing yards by a quarterback, logging 45 yards or more in all but one game and finishing with 286 yards and three touchdowns in his final two contests. He became just the second quarterback in Boston College history to reach 1,000 rushing yards in a season. The pass game proved to be more of an adventure for Castellanos, who had four multi-interception games, including three straight to end the regular season, and only completed 57.1% of his attempts. His best passing performances occurred in the first half of the year, including 305 yards against eventual ACC champion Florida State.
Grade tier: B
Alan Bowman, Oklahoma State Cowboys
Transferred from: Michigan
2023 stats: 3,460 passing yards, 15 TD passes, 14 interceptions, 2 rushing TDs
Midseason grade: C-
Final analysis: Bowman wasn't the biggest reason for Oklahoma State's in-season turnaround and run to the Big 12 championship game and 10 wins, but his contributions shouldn't be overlooked. After only 11 pass attempts in two seasons at Michigan, Bowman transitioned back into a starting role and found a nice rhythm during the meat of the Big 12 season. He shined in several of Oklahoma State's biggest wins, including the Bedlam game against Oklahoma but also Kansas and West Virginia. Bowman had four multi-interception outings, but two came in wins (BYU, Texas A&M). He eclipsed 200 passing yards in each of his final 11 starts to complement All-America running back Ollie Gordon II. Bowman capped his season with a team-bowl record 402 passing yards and ranked in the top-10 in single-season team history in pass yards, completions (304) and total offense (3,484 yards).
Davis Brin, Georgia Southern Eagles
Transferred from: Tulsa
2023 stats: 3,781 passing yards, 24 TD passes, 19 interceptions, 1 rush TD
Midseason grade: A-
Final analysis: No FBS quarterback attempted more passes in 2023 than Brin, who had a whopping 552 while completing 362 of them for 3,781 passing yards, which ranked No. 6 nationally. Brin eclipsed 200 passing yards in all but one game and had seven 300-yard performances. Much like Georgia Southern's team, his season went through some bumps, including five games with multiple interceptions and three in each of the final two games. Brin's passing accuracy started off strong, dipped midseason and then ended strong with consecutive games of 70% completions or better. Brin earned honorable mention All-Sun Belt honors for the Eagles, who started 6-2 before dropping their final five games.
DJ Uiagalelei, Oregon State Beavers
Transferred from: Clemson
2023 stats: 2,638 passing yards, 21 TD passes, 7 interceptions, 219 rushing yards, 6 rushing TD
Midseason grade: B+
Final analysis: Uiagalalei's cross-country trek to learn a pro-style offense in a quieter setting worked out fairly well for both sides. He helped Oregon State to an 8-2 start and had 20 touchdown passes and only four interceptions in his first 10 games with the Beavers. Uiagalelei had at least one touchdown pass in all of those contests, while recording five rushing scores in the first four games. But accuracy once again proved to be fleeting, as Uiagalelei eclipsed 58.3% completions just twice in Pac-12 play and finished on a down note, connecting on only 34 of 66 passes with a touchdown and three interceptions in losses to Washington and Oregon, before entering the transfer portal again. His completion percentage at Oregon State dropped five points from his last season at Clemson, leaving him at 59.1% for his career.
JT Daniels, Rice Owls
Transferred from: West Virginia
2023 stats: 2,443 passing yards, 21 TD passes, 7 interceptions, 1 rushing TD
Midseason grade: B
Final analysis: A journey that began as a 17-year-old at USC and included a national championship as Georgia's backup quarterback in 2021 culminated at Rice, where Daniels played well through the first two months. He had multiple touchdown passes in each of his final eight appearances for the Owls, before a concussion against SMU on Nov. 4 ended his season and ultimately his playing career. Daniels set a career high in touchdown passes with the Owls and would have eclipsed his top passing yards total if he had played down the stretch. His highlight came in Week 2 against Houston, as he tied his career high with 401 passing yards and three touchdowns as Rice won the Bayou Bucket for the first time since 2010. Two weeks later, Daniels set a career high with 432 passing yards and three touchdowns in a loss to South Florida.
John Paddock, Illinois Fighting Illini
Transferred from: Ball State
2023 stats: 1,278 passing yards, 9 TD passes, 3 interceptions
Midseason grade: N/A
Final analysis: Paddock lost the offseason quarterback competition to fellow transfer Luke Altmyer, but the veteran proved to be a capable option down the stretch as Illinois pushed for bowl eligibility. He replaced an injured Altmyer against Minnesota and rallied the team for a game-winning drive. Paddock then started the following week against Indiana and had 507 passing yards -- the second-highest total in team history -- and four touchdowns in an overtime win. He finished the season with 334 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in a narrow loss to Northwestern.
Grade tier: B-
Zach Calzada, Incarnate Word Cardinals
Transferred from: Auburn
2023 stats: 2,598 passing yards, 19 TD passes, 9 interceptions, 5 rushing TDs
Midseason grade: B
Final analysis: Calzada, who started 10 games for Texas A&M in 2021 before transferring to Auburn, returned to the state and earned first-team all-league honors in the Southland Conference, as well as being named Newcomer of the Year. He had six 300-yard passing performances, including in each of the final four contests, and ranked third in the FCS in passing average (288.6 ypg) and seventh in passing efficiency (159.3) while appearing in only nine games. Calzada displayed strong accuracy for UIW but also had some interception issues at times, getting picked off three times against Texas A&M-Commerce and twice in a loss to Nicholls State.
Donovan Smith, Houston Cougars
Transferred from: Texas Tech
2023 stats: 2,801 passing yards, 22 TD passes, 13 interceptions, 428 rushing yards, 6 rushing TD
Midseason grade: B-
Final analysis: Smith and the Cougars seemed to be turning a corner midseason, as he came out of Houston's near-upset of Texas with 1,979 pass yards and 16 touchdowns on 66.8% completions with only four interceptions. But then the picks began to pile up for the Texas Tech transfer, as he had at least one during his final six games and nine in a three-week stretch that included losses to Cincinnati and Oklahoma State. Smith's efficiency also fluttered down the stretch, as he eclipsed 60% completions only once in his final five games. But his rushing production surged late and he had his three best performances on the ground in November. Smith certainly had some notable performances, but ultimately needed to show more progress as a passer in the second half.
Jack Plummer, Louisville Cardinals
Transferred from: Cal
2023 stats: 3,204 passing yards, 21 TD passes, 12 interceptions, 1 rushing TD
Midseason grade: B
Final analysis: Plummer certainly played a key role in helping Louisville to its first ACC championship game appearance under new coach Jeff Brohm. He played well in wins over Miami, Boston College and Pitt, avoided major errors in defense-fueled victories against Notre Dame and Duke, and completed 11 of 12 passes with a touchdown against Virginia Tech. But Plummer also had three multi-interception outings, and his struggles against Florida State in the ACC championship game -- 14-for-36 passing for 111 yards and an interception, while being sacked seven times -- are tough to ignore. Plummer completed 21 of 25 passes against USC in the Holiday Bowl but finished with only 141 yards against a defense that pretty much everyone else had gashed all season. Plummer was mostly solid overall, but Louisville could have expected a bit more from a veteran who had familiarity with Brohm from their time at Purdue.
Sam Hartman, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Transferred from: Wake Forest
2023 stats: 2,689 passing yards, 24 TD passes, 8 interceptions, 3 rushing TDs
Midseason grade: A-
Final analysis: Hartman's efficient start to his Notre Dame career -- he had 14 touchdowns and zero interceptions, while passing for 1,236 yards in the first five games -- had him on the early Heisman radar. But his performance fell off as Notre Dame's competition level went up midseason, and he threw seven interceptions during a four-game stretch that included road losses to both Louisville and Clemson. Much like Notre Dame's offense as a whole, Hartman feasted on weaker defenses, showcasing accuracy and production. But aside from a solid effort against Ohio State -- a game the Fighting Irish arguably should have won -- Hartman didn't help Notre Dame meet its annual goal of becoming a national contender. The Irish are looking for a bigger spark from another ACC transfer, Duke's Riley Leonard, in 2024.
Grade tier: C+
Hudson Card, Purdue Boilermakers
Transferred from: Texas
2023 stats: 2,387 passing yards, 15 TD passes, 8 interceptions, 203 rushing yards, 5 rushing TDs
Midseason grade: B-
Final analysis: Coach Ryan Walters brought in Card and offensive coordinator Graham Harrell as the centerpieces of his first Boilermakers offense. Card occasionally displayed why Purdue is so excited about him, especially in the team's three Big Ten wins over Illinois, Minnesota and Indiana. He combined for eight passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and looked poised in the pocket. Consistency is the next step for Card, who had tough midseason stretches with both interceptions and accuracy, as he completed only 41 of 92 passes during a stretch against Ohio State, Nebraska and Michigan. Card eclipsed 200 passing yards in his other eight games, though, and showed in the final two contests how effective he can be as a dual-threat Air Raid quarterback, piling up 526 pass yards, 129 rush yards and eight total touchdowns (6 pass, 2 rush).
Devin Leary, Kentucky Wildcats
Transferred from: NC State
2023 stats: 2,746 passing yards, 25 TD passes, 12 interceptions, 1 rushing TD
Midseason grade: B-
Final analysis: Leary, who entered the 2022 season as a bona fide NFL prospect before a torn pectoral changed his path, hoped to get the Will Levis-like draft bump from transferring to Kentucky. He had a solid start to the season and some solid second-half performances against Tennessee, Mississippi State and Louisville. But the consistency and efficiency both Leary and Kentucky had hoped for didn't show up enough. He completed only 56.3% of his passes, a significant drop from his best college season (65.7%) and even from his limited work last fall (61.1%). Leary had only four games without an interception, although he countered with eight games with multiple touchdown passes. He didn't always get a ton of help from his receivers or offensive line, but Leary ultimately didn't make the clear-cut progress he sought in coming to Kentucky.
Brennan Armstrong, NC State Wolfpack
Transferred from: Virginia
2023 stats: 1,785 passing yards, 11 TD passes, 7 interceptions, 665 rushing yards, 7 rushing TD
Midseason grade: D
Final analysis: Armstrong had an interesting year at NC State. Things didn't start off well, as he struggled in losses to Notre Dame and Louisville. NC State replaced him with MJ Morris, who started four games midseason before telling the coaches he wanted to opt out, preserve his redshirt and prepare for the portal. Armstrong didn't pout and helped the Wolfpack to wins in their final three regular-season games, completing 70.2% of his passes for 650 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions. He had his best performance in the finale against rival North Carolina, passing for 334 yards and three scores. But the Pop-Tarts Bowl brought back more of Armstrong's early-season struggles, as he completed only 50% of his passes with an interception, although he added 121 rushing yards. Armstrong's run ability was his biggest contribution, as he led NC State in both carries (143) and rushing yards.
Connor Bazelak, Bowling Green Falcons
Transferred from: Indiana
2023 stats: 1,935 passing yards, 12 TD passes, 7 interceptions, 2 rushing TDs
Midseason grade: C-
Final analysis: After middling results in the first half, Bazelak performed better down the stretch to help Bowling Green record consecutive postseason appearances for the first time since 2014 and 2015. Bazelak's passing numbers weren't overwhelming, but he limited mistakes, throwing only one interception in the final six games, while connecting for eight touchdowns. He also delivered several of his most accurate performances late, eclipsing 68% completions in wins over Kent State and Western Michigan. Bazelak recorded five performances of 200 passing yards or more.
Grade tier: C
Luke Altmyer, Illinois Fighting Illini
Transferred from: Ole Miss
2023 stats: 1,883 passing yards, 13 TD passes, 10 interceptions, 282 rushing yards, 3 rushing TD
Midseason grade: C
Final analysis: Altmyer had a mostly solid September for Illinois, helping the team to a big opening win against Toledo and completing 64% of his passes in four of five contests. His overall evaluation is a bit difficult, as he had average results in October and a strong performance against Minnesota on Nov. 4, which turned out to be his final game as another transfer, John Paddock, guided the offense down the stretch. Altmyer had the truly unique stat line of 100 pass yards and 100 rush yards in a loss to Wisconsin, and had touchdown passes in each of the final seven games he played. He could have been poised for a strong finish if not for a head injury in the Minnesota game, when he completed 77.4% of his passes for 212 yards and a career-high three touchdowns.
Hank Bachmeier, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
Transferred from: Boise State
2023 stats: 2,058 passing yards, 10 TD passes, 5 interceptions, 2 rushing TDs
Midseason grade: C-
Final analysis: Bachmeier once again couldn't avoid injury as he missed three games but was generally effective when on the field. He twice eclipsed 300 passing yards after returning from a shoulder injury and completed at least 64.9% of his attempts in the final five games. Bachmeier had only one multi-interception game, and threw touchdowns in seven of his eight appearances for Louisiana Tech, which dropped its final six games. He entered the transfer portal after the season and will play his final year at Wake Forest.
Sam Huard, Cal Poly Mustangs
Transferred from: Washington
2023 stats: 2,205 passing yards, 18 TD passes, 10 interceptions
Midseason grade: C
Final analysis: Huard, ESPN's highest-rated quarterback recruit in the 2021 class (No. 15 overall), transferred to the FCS Mustangs and rejoined his high school coach, Sheldon Cross, now Cal Poly's offensive coordinator. Cal Poly went 3-8 overall, and Huard's play was choppy. He had two interceptions in three of his final four games, but also had 17 touchdown passes in the last seven contests he played. His accuracy fluctuated with two games of better than 71% completions but also four where he connected on less than 53% of his throws.
Emory Jones, Cincinnati Bearcats
Transferred from: Arizona State
2023 stats: 2,219 passing yards, 18 TD passes, 10 interceptions, 560 rushing yards, 4 rushing TD
Midseason grade: B-
Final analysis: The sixth-year QB put up numbers that most closely mirrored his 2021 season at Florida, when he had 2,734 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, 13 interceptions and proved to be a threat with his legs. Jones led a Cincinnati offense that struggled to find steadiness in coach Scott Satterfield's first season, which led to only one Big 12 victory. His most productive performances came early on, as he eclipsed 166 passing yards just once after Sept. 29. Jones delivered efficient performances against both UCF and Houston and threw only two interceptions in his final six games. He logged seven games of at least 42 rushing yards, including five straight early in the season. There were some tough moments, though, and consistency proved to be a challenge for Jones.
Taisun Phommachanh, UMass Minutemen
Transferred from: Georgia Tech
2023 stats: 1,507 passing yards, 6 TD passes, 6 interceptions, 2 rushing touchdowns
Midseason grade: N/A
Final analysis: The former Clemson and Georgia Tech quarterback from Connecticut returned to New England this fall and had mixed results. He led UMass in passing in all three of the team's wins and was very efficient in games against Army (17-for-23) and Arkansas State (29-for-38). But his accuracy wavered a bit, and he threw interceptions in five of the eight games where he appeared. Phommachanh had some early running success -- 130 rushing yards, two touchdowns in the first two weeks -- but didn't do much on the ground the rest of the season.
Grade tier: C-
Tanner Mordecai, Wisconsin Badgers
Transferred from: SMU
2023 stats: 2,065 passing yards, 9 TD passes, 4 interceptions, 303 rushing yards, 4 rushing TDs
Midseason grade: B-
Final analysis: Mordecai, who began his career at Oklahoma before two very productive seasons for SMU, came to Wisconsin as part of a new experiment: Would the Air Raid offense work in Madison? After Year 1, the questions remain. Mordecai had some notable moments and ended with his best performance, passing for 378 yards and three touchdowns in the ReliaQuest Bowl against LSU. He also displayed his athleticism with solid rushing performances in wins over Nebraska, Minnesota and Rutgers. But there were some limitations in Big Ten play, and Mordecai also missed three weeks with a broken hand that required surgery. Still, he only eclipsed 174 passing yards once in Big Ten play, and entered the bowl game with only six touchdown passes. Mordecai was mostly accurate at 65% completions, but he didn't connect on downfield throws more than a few times per game.
Tony Muskett, Virginia Cavaliers
Transferred from: Monmouth
2023 stats: 1,031 passing yards, 6 TD passes, 5 interceptions, 1 rushing TD
Midseason grade: C-
Final analysis: Muskett performed generally well when he took the field for Virginia, completing 63.3% of his passes and eclipsing 200 yards in four straight games before an injury Nov. 4 against Georgia Tech essentially ended his season. Virginia turned to freshman Anthony Colandrea, who put up strong numbers down the stretch for coach Tony Elliott. Muskett played well for the Hoos in wins over William & Mary and North Carolina but also had interceptions in each of his final five appearances.
Dylan Hopkins, New Mexico Lobos
Transferred from: UAB
2023 stats: 2,074 passing yards, 11 TD passes, 9 interceptions, 124 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD
Midseason grade: C-
Final analysis: Hopkins was the primary quarterback for a New Mexico offense that improved from 129th nationally in scoring in 2022 to 63rd this season. He had some solid performances during the first seven games, including a 202-yard, three-touchdown effort in a win over Hawai'i, but struggled down the stretch. Hopkins had only one touchdown pass and five interceptions in New Mexico's final four contests, and he completed just 20 of 49 attempts over the final two. Late in the season, he shared some time with dynamic dual-threat freshman Devon Dampier.
Kedon Slovis, BYU Cougars
Transferred from: Pitt
2023 stats: 1,716 passing yards, 12 TD passes, 6 interceptions, 3 rushing TDs
Midseason grade: B
Final analysis: After a difficult 2022 season at Pitt, Slovis came to BYU hopeful that he could capture the production from his first two college seasons with USC. He never truly got on track with the Cougars, though, before a shoulder injury and Jake Retzlaff's emergence sidelined him during November. Slovis eclipsed 345 passing yards in two of his first four games but failed to reach 200 yards in his final three appearances. Accuracy issues also surfaced for Slovis, who completed just 53.4% of his attempts during a five-game stretch before logging no touchdowns and two interceptions in a blowout loss to Texas. BYU's struggles went beyond Slovis, as the offense tumbled to 99th nationally in scoring. But the veteran quarterback didn't get the reboot he wanted in Provo.
Grade tier: D+
Christian Veilleux, Pittsburgh Panthers
Transferred from: Penn State
2023 stats: 1,179 passing yards, 7 TD passes, 8 interceptions
Midseason grade: Incomplete
Final analysis: Veilleux replaced starter Phil Jurkovec for the second half of the season and had some initial success, helping the Panthers to an upset of Louisville and tossing four touchdown passes and no interceptions in his first two starts. But things went downhill in the final three games, as Veilleux threw four interceptions in a historic blowout loss at Notre Dame and struggled with his accuracy. He completed only 51.1% of his passes and exceeded 15 completions only once.
Payton Thorne, Auburn Tigers
Transferred from: Michigan State
2023 stats: 1,755 passing yards, 16 TD passes, 10 interceptions, 515 rushing yards, 3 rushing TDs
Midseason grade: C-
Final analysis: Thorne was one of the last notable quarterbacks to enter the transfer portal, doing so after Michigan State's spring practice session. After two years as the Spartans' starter, his introduction to the SEC and Auburn was a bumpy one. The passing production rarely came for Thorne, who reached 200 yards only once against an FBS opponent, and failed to reach 100 yards five times, including in losses to Alabama and Maryland to end the season. Auburn used multiple quarterbacks but continually stuck with Thorne as its starter. His biggest strides came on the ground, as he recorded career highs in carries (134), rushing yards and rushing touchdowns, and had five games of 40 rushing yards or more. His best stretch came during Auburn's three-game win streak against Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Arkansas, as Thorne had eight passing touchdowns and 587 yards. Thorne also showed decent accuracy until the final two games, when he completed only 18 of 43 attempts.
Grade Tier: D
Deacon Hill, Iowa Hawkeyes
Transferred from: Wisconsin
2023 stats: 1,152 passing yards, 5 TD passes, 8 interceptions, 2 rushing TDs
Midseason grade: Incomplete
Final analysis: Hill had a surprisingly significant role, as he took over as Iowa's starter after Cade McNamara's injury and helped the team to a Big Ten West Division title and 10 regular-season wins. Like all members of Iowa's offense, Hill had some difficult moments, as the team didn't score against Michigan or Tennessee in its final two games, and he fell shy of 100 passing yards in four starts. Hill had efficient performances in wins over Northwestern, Rutgers and Illinois, but the consistency and tangible improvement didn't show up down the stretch.
Ben Finley and Sam Jackson V, Cal Golden Bears
Transferred from: NC State (Finley) and TCU (Jackson)
2023 stats (Finley): 572 passing yards, 3 TD passes, 4 interceptions
2023 stats (Jackson): 556 passing yards, 5 TD passes, 2 interceptions, 1 rushing TD
Midseason grade: D
Final analysis: Neither transfer QB provided the jolt Cal had hoped, as the Bears eventually turned to Fernando Mendoza for the stretch run that resulted in a bowl appearance. Jackson entered the season as Cal's starter but was injured in the season opener against North Texas, creating a chance for Finley, who played well with 289 pass yards. Jackson struggled with his accuracy the next two weeks, and both he and Finley played in a 59-32 loss at Washington, where Finley was intercepted three times in the first half. Cal's quarterback situation remained in flux for a few more weeks before Mendoza emerged. Jackson did not appear in a game after September, and Finley had just one pass attempt after struggling in an Oct. 14 loss at Utah.
Sawyer Robertson, Baylor Bears
Transferred from: Mississippi State
2023 stats: 864 passing yards, 2 TD passes, 4 interceptions, 1 rushing TD
Midseason grade: D-
Final analysis: A knee injury to starter Blake Shapen allowed Robertson to see the field quite a bit in September. He made three consecutive starts, including against Texas, but struggled with his accuracy, connecting on only 42 of 85 pass attempts with one touchdown and three interceptions. Robertson returned to a reserve role when Shapen recovered, but once again replaced Shapen against West Virginia and delivered by far his best performance, completing 17 of 19 passes for 219 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions.
Brendon Lewis, Nevada Wolf Pack
Transferred from: Colorado
2023 stats: 1,313 passing yards, 2 TD passes, 6 interceptions, 495 rushing yards, 4 rushing touchdowns
Midseason grade: N/A
Final analysis: Lewis, who started for Colorado throughout the 2021 season, was Nevada's top QB through most of the team's 2-10 season. Passing production and accuracy proved to be a challenge, as he eclipsed 182 passing yards only once and completed less than 52% of his attempts in five of his more significant appearances. Lewis had some highlights, including 402 yards of offense and three touchdowns (two pass, one rush) against UNLV. He also completed 75% of his pass attempts and added 61 rushing yards and a touchdown against Colorado State. But his first season was a challenge, as he only threw touchdown passes in one game.
Grade tier: D-
Tayven Jackson, Indiana Hoosiers
Transferred from: Tennessee
2023 stats: 914 passing yards, 2 TD passes, 5 interceptions, 1 rushing TD
Midseason grade: D+
Final analysis: Jackson didn't play much in the second half of the season, as Indiana turned to Brendan Sorsby to lead the offense. Jackson had by far his best performance in a near-upset of ACC runner-up Louisville, as he had 299 pass yards with a touchdown and an interception. Jackson had no touchdown passes and three interceptions in losses to Maryland and Michigan to begin Big Ten play. Sorsby took over the starting role for Indiana's final six games.
Phil Jurkovec, Pittsburgh Panthers
Transferred from: Boston College
2023 stats: 818 passing yards, 6 TD passes, 3 interceptions, 1 rushing TD
Midseason grade: D-
Final analysis: Jukovec's statistics didn't change from the midseason evaluation, as he only saw the field briefly after September, logging one carry and 1 rushing yard Nov. 4 against Florida State. Pitt pivoted to another transfer quarterback, Christian Veilleux, for the second half of the season. Jurkovec eclipsed 50% completions against only one FBS opponent, connecting on 11 of 15 attempts against North Carolina. He also produced one of the oddest stat lines you'll see, completing only 10 of 31 passes with three touchdowns and no interceptions in a loss to Cincinnati.
Jeff Sims, Nebraska Cornhuskers
Transferred from: Georgia Tech
2023 stats: 282 passing yards, 1 TD passes, 6 interceptions, 189 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD
Midseason grade: D-
Final analysis: Some transfer moves simply don't work out and Sims struggled mightily in limited action with Nebraska. Turnovers came in bunches for the dual-threat quarterback, who had six interceptions and also several costly fumbles before Nebraska benched him. After committing six turnovers in Nebraska's first two games, Sims didn't see significant action until Nov. 11, when he had two more interceptions and a fumble as the Huskers fell to Maryland at home. Sims came in as a sub-60% passer and ended up right about there, connecting on 28 of 47 attempts as a Husker before re-entering the transfer portal last month.
Grade Tier: Incomplete
Logan Smothers, Jacksonville State Gamecocks
Transferred from: Nebraska
2023 stats: 735 passing yards, 6 TD passes, 4 interceptions, 322 rushing yards, 7 rushing TDs
Midseason grade: B-
Final analysis: Smothers was a tough QB to grade because he played so sparingly during the second half of the season, after helping Jacksonville State to a 5-1 start. An ankle injury and other ailments slowed Smothers midseason, and Jacksonville State turned to Zion Webb for most of the stretch run. Smothers' only significant action after mid-October came against Louisiana in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, as he had 80 passing yards with an interception, and 39 rushing yards and a touchdown. Half of Smothers' touchdown passes came in an overtime win Sept. 28 against Sam Houston.
Cade McNamara, Iowa Hawkeyes
Transferred from: Michigan
2023 stats: 505 passing yards, 4 TD passes, 3 interceptions
Midseason grade: D+
Final analysis: Unfortunately, McNamara's evaluation hasn't changed much from the first one, as an ACL tear Sept. 30 against Michigan State ended his season. He hadn't made the immediate impact Iowa had hoped, completing only 51.1% of his passes with just 42 passing yards against Penn State in his final full game before the injury. He didn't complete better than 56.7% of his passes in any full game. Iowa's offensive woes went way beyond McNamara, as other key injuries and the lack of development at certain positions led to more historically low production. But McNamara will be looking for better health and overall play in 2024.
Drew Pyne, Arizona State Sun Devils
Transferred from: Notre Dame
2023 stats: 273 passing yards, 2 TD passes, 3 interceptions
Midseason grade: Incomplete
Final analysis: Pyne unfortunately fits the incomplete grade well, as his ASU career never got on track because of injuries, both in the preseason and in late September when he returned to the field. The Notre Dame transfer appeared in only two games for the Sun Devils, passing for 221 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to USC before being shut down for the rest of the season. He entered the transfer portal last month.
Spencer Sanders, Ole Miss Rebels
Transferred from: Oklahoma State
2023 stats: 278 passing yards, 3 TD passes, 0 interceptions, 45 rushing yards
Midseason grade: Incomplete
Final analysis: Sanders' transfer selection of Ole Miss, which returned starter Jaxson Dart, seemed a bit odd at the time after he started four seasons at Oklahoma State. He arrived in Oxford with 11,509 total offensive yards for his career, but never saw significant action as Dart maintained the starting job and never let go. Sanders completed 4 of 7 passes and added 21 rushing yards in a blowout loss to Georgia, and he completed 4 of 5 passes for 61 yards and a touchdown in a blowout win the following week against Louisiana-Monroe. He then was ruled academically ineligible for the Peach Bowl. His transfer certainly yielded the desired effect for Dart -- and, in turn, the Rebels as a whole -- but didn't benefit a player with 41 career starts.
Casey Thompson, Florida Atlantic Owls
Transferred from: Nebraska
2023 stats: 509 passing yards, 5 TD passes, 5 interceptions
Midseason grade: Incomplete
Final analysis: An ACL injury in Week 3 against Clemson ended Thompson's season, which began with five touchdown passes and 280 yards against Monmouth. Thompson, who started games at both Texas and Nebraska earlier in his career, entered the transfer portal yet again in December. He combined for 4,520 passing yards and 41 touchdowns with 19 interceptions in 2021 at Texas and 2022 at Nebraska.
Tyler Buchner, Alabama Crimson Tide
Transferred from: Notre Dame
2023 stats: 61 passing yards, 0 TD passes, 0 interceptions, 1 rushing TD
Midseason grade: D-
Final analysis: Buchner's transfer to Notre Dame justifiably generated buzz, as he had performed well during spring practice with the Irish and was reuniting with offensive coordinator Tommy Rees in Tuscaloosa. But his Alabama on-field experience was limited to two games, most notably a 5-for-14 passing performance at South Florida that preceded Alabama reinstalling Jalen Milroe as its starter for the rest of the season. Buchner is returning to Notre Dame but to play lacrosse this spring.
Jake Garcia, Missouri Tigers
Transferred from: Miami
2023 stats: N/A
Midseason grade: Incomplete
Final analysis: After passing for 803 yards and five touchdowns last year at Miami, Garcia never saw the field with Missouri before reentering the transfer portal last month. He was ESPN's No. 23 overall recruit in the 2021 class, but he is still seeking a true breakthrough at the college level.
