(STATS) – FCS college football has long been a landing spot for FBS transfer quarterbacks seeking a new home and, usually, a better opportunity to become a starter.
The 2018 season was flooded with such standouts, including at Top 25 programs with Towson’s Tom Flacco (Rutgers), Jacksonville State’s Zerrick Cooper (Clemson), James Madison’s Ben DiNucci (Pittsburgh) and Southeast Missouri’s Daniel Santacaterina (Northern Illinois). There also were Montana’s Dalton Sneed (UNLV via Fort Scott Community College), Indiana State’s Ryan Boyle (Iowa), Illinois State’s Brady Davis (Memphis), Duquesne’s Daniel Parr (Florida Atlantic), Murray State’s Drew Anderson (Buffalo via Diablo Valley College) and Southeastern Louisiana’s Chason Virgil (Fresno State).
All are back for the 2019 season except for Anderson.
Plenty of new faces are about to introduce themselves as dropdown quarterbacks from the FBS level. One situation of note is at Samford, where junior transfer Chris Oladokun from South Florida is in the competition to replace Devlin Hodges, the 2018 STATS FCS Walter Payton Award winner.
“The quarterback race is still up in the air,” said Samford coach Chris Hatcher, whose squad returns two-year backup Liam Welch. “Both of them have had good days and bad days.
“I just want to see a guy that’s going to be consistent and be able to lead the team.”
Some of this year’s transfers are heavy favorites to be starting on opening day, while others will be waged in competition during preseason camp.
Following are key FBS transfer quarterbacks to know this season:
Bryant: Kory Curtis, Jr., 6-3, 228 (Ohio State) – Spent three semesters with the Buckeyes, serving as the scout team QB last season.
Central Connecticut State: Aaron Winchester, Gr., 6-2, 190 (Georgia State) – Passed for 721 yards in 15 career games at Georgia State and has running ability from the pocket.
Eastern Kentucky: Conor Blount, Jr., 6-1, 203 (Oregon State) – Will battle late-season starter Parker McKinney after playing in nine games with six starts at Oregon State last season (1,117 yards, seven touchdowns).
Furman: Luke Shiflett, So., 6-2, 205 (Middle Tennessee State) – The Paladins recruited Shiflett in high school to be a college quarterback, so even though he played wide receiver as a true freshman at MTSU, he’s back behind center after transferring to Furman.
Jackson State: Matt Little, Jr., 6-4, 225 (Western Michigan) – Big QB with a strong arm is a grandson of the late Minnie Minoso, the legendary baseball player.
Lamar: Will McBride, So., 6-1, 200 (Tennessee) – Dual-threat has transferred home to Texas to compete opposite returnee Jordan Hoy.
North Dakota State: Zeb Noland, Jr., 6-2, 222 (Iowa State) – One of five career starts was a 360-yard, two-touchdown performance against Oklahoma. He’s battling redshirt freshman Trey Lance.
Richmond: Beau English, So., 6-0, 200 (Air Force) – Didn’t see action in two seasons at Air Force, but has the running style that is conducive in Spiders offensive coordinator Jeff Durden’s system.
Samford: Chris Oladokun, Jr., 6-2, 184 (South Florida) – Dual-threat started three of USF’s final four games last season.
Southeastern Louisiana: Cole Kelley, Jr., 6-7, 260 (Arkansas) – One of the bigger Division I quarterbacks passed for 1,483 yards and accounted for 18 TDs in 18 career games, includes six starts, at Arkansas. SLU returns Virgil, a 3,000-yard passer.
Texas Southern: DeAndre Johnson, R-Jr., 6-0, 205 (Florida Atlantic) – Johnson was at three schools previously, dismissed at Florida State in 2015 after he punched a woman in a bar and later part of the second season of Netflix’s documentary series “Last Chance U” at East Mississippi Community College.
Wagner: Christian Alexander, Gr., 6-3, 225 (FIU) – Earned MVP honors at the 2018 Bahamas Bowl after leading FIU to a 35-32 victory over Toledo.
William & Mary: Kilton Anderson, Gr., 6-2, 205 (Coastal Carolina) – Well-traveled with five career starts at Fresno State and nine at Coastal Carolina with an injury-shortened season in between at New Mexico Military Institute.
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