Transfer Quarterbacks Who'll Make Biggest Impacts at New Programs
Quarterback is the most unique position in college football, the most important and the toughest.
It’s also the most exclusive. Only one quarterback per team can play meaningful snaps at any one time, and barring an injury or drop-off in play, if you lose a quarterback competition, chances are you’re stuck spending serious time on the sidelines wearing a headset or carrying a clipboard.
Quarterbacks want to play, which is part of why transfers have become so prevalent in college football.
The graduate transfer rule, which allows players to transfer and be eligible immediately if they’ve secured their degrees and can pursue a unique graduate degree at another institution, has become an excellent second-chance tool for players. This year alone, Vernon Adams, Jeff Driskel and Jake Rudock all utilized the rule for successful seasons.
This winter, another crop of graduate transfers hit the market, and this spring, those players will be joined by traditional redshirting transfers who’ve become eligible and are ready to battle for playing time at their new destinations.
Here’s a look at the transfer quarterbacks who’ll make the biggest impacts at their new programs. It does not include Texas A&M transfers Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray, who transferred to Houston and Oklahoma, respectively, but will not be eligible this season while redshirting.
Austin Appleby
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If you watched the second half of Florida’s 2015 season, you know one thing is true: The Gators need help offensively.
The season took a turn after pocket passer Will Grier was suspended for a calendar year following a positive test for performance-enhancing drugs. Treon Harris clearly wasn’t the answer in a season-ending three-game losing streak.
Jim McElwain needs options, and as transfers go, Austin Appleby is a solid one. Appleby wasn’t feeling good in Darrell Hazell’s neighborhood after throwing four touchdowns against five interceptions and losing his starting role after three games, though he did start the season finale and throw for 332 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions against Indiana.
Appleby has 20 career touchdowns against 19 interceptions but would likely benefit from a talent upgrade at Florida, as opposed to woeful Purdue. If he can beat out Harris, he could end his college career on a major high note with one of the SEC’s best teams.
Kenny Hill
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Remember Kenny Hill?
To quote one of the all-time-great Simpsons lines, Kenny Hill is back—in Frog form.
Hill burst upon the scene as a sophomore starter at Texas A&M in 2014. He shredded South Carolina for 511 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start and began his Aggie career with 11 touchdowns against no interceptions.
The guy they called “Kenny Trill” was a Heisman Trophy candidate, but by November he’d lost his job to Kyle Allen, and soon after he was done at A&M. He transferred to TCU, and his game seems like a perfect fit for the Horned Frogs’ Air Raid system.
Trevone Boykin has graduated, leaving a clear path to a starting role. Top receiver Josh Doctson is gone, but Kavontae Turpin is a developing star wideout who’ll be Hill’s top target. Hill has the skills to thrive at TCU; expect him to do so.
Trevor Knight
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It was not too long ago when Trevor Knight was the next big thing at Oklahoma. Knight keyed a Sugar Bowl romp over Alabama following the 2013 season and was expected to take the next step toward stardom in 2014.
Instead, he struggled, throwing 14 touchdowns against 12 interceptions as OU finished 8-5.
Last summer, Knight lost a quarterback battle to Baker Mayfield, who led the Sooners to the College Football Playoff. He threw for 305 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions but did help the Sooners hang on for a win over TCU after Mayfield left with a concussion.
Texas A&M is an excellent landing spot for Knight as a graduate transfer. The Aggies need an experienced quarterback after losing both Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray to transfers, and new offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone will provide a clean slate.
A&M still has a talented group of receivers, including star freshman Christian Kirk, one of the nation’s top returning wideouts. It is a great chance for Knight to finish his career on a high and give Kevin Sumlin some stable quarterback play.
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Dakota Prukop
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When Oregon needed a replacement for Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Marcus Mariota last winter, it turned to the FCS ranks.
Vernon Adams was a perfect fit for the Ducks’ fast-paced scheme. He jumped from Eastern Washington as a graduate transfer, and despite not joining Oregon until after fall practice had begun, earned the starting job.
A broken finger hampered him early on, as Oregon struggled to a 3-3 start. But he and the offense found their groove once Adams got healthy. He finished with 2,643 yards and 26 touchdowns against six interceptions and served as an athletic presence.
Adams was a senior, but why not try to catch lightning in a bottle again?
That’s what Mark Helfrich is doing. Oregon secured the services of Montana State transfer Dakota Prukop. Prukop picked Oregon over Alabama, Michigan and Texas among others, and he’s a serious talent.
Prukop told Andrew Greif of the Oregonian that he trusts Helfrich and his staff.
"A couple people have said it's the perfect job opportunity with their supporting cast, their coaches, where the program's at," he said. "I believe it's still on the rise and Oregon's turning into one of the big powerhouse programs every year, in and out, in college football and that's just something I want to be a part of."
Prukop is a dual-threat passer who threw for 3,025 yards with 28 touchdowns and also had 797 yards and 11 scores on the ground. He has already enrolled at Oregon and will be a clear favorite to win the starting role.
He’s an excellent fit in Oregon’s system.
John O'Korn
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Graduate transfer Jake Rudock was one of the biggest keys to Michigan’s turnaround in Jim Harbaugh’s first season. The Iowa transfer was a steadying force, helping the Wolverines to a 10-3 record. But Rudock was a senior, and now Harbaugh must find a new starter.
Don’t be surprised if John O’Korn excels in the role.
O’Korn stands 6’4”, 220 pounds and is an excellent match for Harbaugh’s preferred pro-style attack. As a freshman at Houston, he was the American Athletic Conference’s Freshman of the Year, throwing for 3,117 yards with 28 touchdowns against 10 interceptions.
But when Doug Meacham moved on to TCU, O’Korn didn’t mesh in the new system, throwing six touchdowns against eight interceptions and losing his job after five games to mobile quarterback Greg Ward. He transferred to Michigan and spent 2015 soaking up Harbaugh’s system as a redshirt.
Patrick Towles
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Sometimes, you just need a fresh start. That appears to be the case with Patrick Towles.
Towles had a very respectable first season as a starter at Kentucky in 2014, throwing for 2,718 yards with 14 touchdowns against nine interceptions. But he regressed badly under new offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson in 2015, throwing nine touchdowns against 14 picks and seeing his yardage drop to 2,148 yards.
Towles opted to move on as a graduate transfer and found a home with Boston College. The Eagles were awful offensively in 2015. They averaged 20.8 points per game, No. 115 nationally, and four quarterbacks combined to throw eight touchdowns against nine interceptions.
In other words, there’s opportunity. Towles will compete against Darius Wade, who is returning from injury, and recruit Anthony Brown. But he clearly has a chance to start and thrive in his lone season on The Hill.
Chad Voytik
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If you’re looking for an experienced quarterback who’ll be able to step in immediately, you could do a lot worse than Chad Voytik.
Voytik had a very acceptable season as Pitt’s starter as a sophomore, throwing for 2,233 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and seven interceptions for a Panther team that finished 6-7 with an Armed Forces Bowl loss to Houston.
Voytik lost his starting role to Tennessee transfer Nathan Peterman, throwing for 112 yards, one touchdown and an interception as a junior. He announced his plans to move on as a graduate transfer and would be a great fit with a smaller program in need of stability.
Davis Webb
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Sometimes, you just get beaten out by a better player. That’s what happened to Davis Webb at Texas Tech. Webb had a very promising freshman season with the Red Raiders, throwing for 2,718 yards with 20 touchdowns against nine interceptions and adding 2,513 yards with 24 touchdowns against 13 interceptions as a sophomore.
However, he missed multiple games both seasons with injuries and ultimately lost his job as a junior to Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes was highly productive, throwing for 4,653 yards with 36 touchdowns against 15 interceptions and leading Tech back to a bowl game.
Webb wasn’t going to unseat Mahomes, so it’s smart for him to move on as a graduate transfer. He hasn’t announced a landing spot, but his chances of succeeding as a senior are excellent, given his track record.
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