Hitting the Portal: Programs that upgraded and downgraded with transfer QBs

The start of the college football season is right around the corner and there are plenty of old faces in new places. Some teams were expecting to have their starting quarterback back from last season but, thanks to the transfer portal, they’ll need to get familiar with a new quarterback.

Today we’re taking a look at programs that lost their expected starter to the transfer portal and determine whether the replacement they nabbed from the transfer portal will be an upgrade or downgrade.

MORE: How hot seat coaches are doing on the recruiting trail

Out: Jaden Rashada

In: Sam Leavitt, Jeff Sims

Kenny Dillingham and his program were dealt a blow when quarterback Jaden Rashada left his father’s alma mater this offseason. The promising young quarterback was thrown into the fire a bit earlier than expected last season but opted to transfer to Georgia instead.

Arizona State picked up transfers from Sam Leavitt and Jeff Sims to fill the void and it appears the battle will be won by one of these two newcomers.

Verdict: Downgrade

Out: KJ Jefferson

In: Taylen Green

The Razorbacks were hoping KJ Jefferson would continue improving last season but it just didn’t workout that way. Arkansas lost five games by one possession and Jefferson ended up transferring to UCF after the season.

Head coach Sam Pittman and new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino brought in transfer quarterback Taylen Green from Boise State to fill the void. They’re hoping Green is good enough to keep the Arkansas faithful from turning on them.

Verdict: Downgrade

Out: Blake Shapen

In: Dequan Finn

The 2022 season wasn’t great for Baylor and the 2023 season was even worse. Blake Shapen battled injuries all last season and ended up transferring to Mississippi State. To replace him, head coach Dave Aranda and his staff went out and signed Toledo transfer Dequan Finn. The former Rocket has passed for more than 2,000 yards in three straight seasons and hopes to continue to find success in Waco this fall.

Verdict: Upgrade

Out: Riley Leonard

In: Maalik MurphyLeonard was fantastic for Duke before he got hurt last season and he certainly would have been the starter for the Blue Devils this season if he were still in Durham. Instead, Leonard transferred to Notre Dame and new head coach Manny Diaz will have the pleasure of starting uber-talented but inexperienced Maalik Murphy.

The former Texas Longhorn is one of the most physically imposing quarterbacks in all of college football but he hasn’t gotten to see the field much during his college career. That should change this fall as Murphy suits up for the Blue Devils.

Verdict: Downgrade

Out: Tyler Van Dyke

In: Cam WardMiami fans are ecstatic about the arrival of Ward, who takes the place of Van Dyke. The Hurricanes had plenty of highs and lows in 2023 and the inconsistent pay of Van Dyke certainly contributed.

With Ward now at the helm, Mario Cristobal and staff hope the experienced and dynamic quarterback can lead the Hurricanes to the College Football Playoff.

Verdict: Upgrade

Out: Will Rogers and Mike Wright

In: Blake ShapenThe 2023 season was a mess for Mississippi State. Both Will Rogers and Mike Wright started games for the Bulldogs last year and both have since transferred. New head coach Jeff Lebby is changing things up in Starkville and he’s hoping Blake Shapen is able to effectively lead his wide open offense.

Shapen fought through injuries last season while at Baylor but now has his fresh start at Mississippi State. In addition to Shapen, Lebby and his staff signed an impressive transfer class this year and they could surprise some teams this fall.

Verdict: Neutral

Out: Kyle McCord

In: Will HowardExpectations for Ohio State were extremely high heading into the 2023 season but first-year starter Kyle McCord couldn’t meet those lofty standards. He wasn’t guaranteed the starting job this season so he transferred to Syracuse and the Buckeyes brought in Will Howard from Kansas State.

The former Wildcat now leads a team that is the betting favorite to win the national title. The stakes could not be higher for Ohio State this season and Howard is the quarterback head coach Ryan Day hand-selected for this squad.

Verdict: Upgrade