QBs aren’t taking no for an answer
Beaten out as No. 1, they opt to transfer
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The day after Adrian Martinez was pronounced the winner of Nebraska’s quarterback competition, the runner-up left school.
At Clemson, the arrival of celebrated freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence sent three other quarterbacks — one a former fivestar recruit who signed just last year — looking for new teams.
At Ohio State, Joe Burrow saw his path to playing time looking bleak after spring practice and decided to transfer as a graduate student, making him immediately eligible to play. Now at LSU, Burrow won a starting job — and sent two more quarterbacks into the transfer market.
College quarterbacks are transferring with dizzying frequency, looking for playing time and chasing NFL dreams. It’s become the new normal.
“I’d like to say that you’re going to see a change,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said Tuesday. “When you’re recruiting you’re going to have to have it in your mind that if you’re No. 2 doesn’t feel like he’s going to get a shot you may lose him. I’ve come to grips with it a couple years ago. I don’t see it changing.”
He speaks from experience: Everett Golson, who led Notre Dame to the BCS championship game in 2012, transferred to Florida State in 2015 and Malik Zaire made a similar graduate transfer move last year to Florida.
No. 12 Notre Dame’s quarterback situation has been stable this offseason, but that’s becoming increasingly unusual in college football. This offseason, No. 14 Michigan, Notre Dame’s opponent in Saturday’s opener, landed Shea Patterson as a transfer from Mississippi — and had two quarterbacks, Wilton Speight (UCLA) and Alex Malzone (Miami, Ohio) leave.
Michigan is one of at least 11 Power Five teams heading into the season with a transfer atop the depth chart at quarterback.
OHIO STATE: Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer’s current suspension and previous paid leave have restricted him from talking football with his staff and athletes during August with one exception — a team meeting the day after the suspension was announced.
Meyer and athletic director Gene Smith were allowed to meet with the players and coaches for about 45 minutes last Thursday, according to emails sent to Meyer by the senior vice president for human resources, Susan Basso.
WISCONSIN: And then there were two.
Wisconsin’s Big Four of experienced receivers is down to A.J. Taylor and Kendric Pryor following the suspensions of Quintez Cephus and Danny Davis.
Cephus led the Badgers with six touchdown catches last year despite breaking his right leg in November. Prosecutors charged the 20-year-old Cephus last week with second- and third-degree sexual assault, which are both felonies. Cephus, who was suspended indefinitely after charges were filed, has denied any wrongdoing.
Davis emerged as a freshman to catch 26 passes for 418 yards and five touchdowns last year. Cephus’ roommate, Davis was suspended last week for two games . He has not been charged. Police say he was in the apartment at the time of the alleged assaults.
The Badgers, ranked No. 4 in the Associated Press preseason college poll, host New Mexico on Sept. 8.