The quarterback landscape around college football comes into focus in phases: transfer portal movement, national signing day, NFL draft decisions and then spring football.
Spring ball -- already underway in a few places -- will provide the first meaningful on-field glimpse at how quarterback situations could unfold for the season. National award winners are being replaced, key transfers and recruits have arrived, and holdovers are geared up to compete for higher-profile roles. There are also coaching changes to consider, including at three of the four College Football Playoff teams from 2023.
The time has come to examine the most interesting quarterback situations in spring practice. That's right: situations, not battles. Although a few true quarterback battles appear below, the unknowns that will come from the next portal window beginning May 1 will kick a lot of the drama to the summer, or even early fall. There are also several teams that know their likely starters, but still have interesting layers in the quarterback room, based on the winter movement. Look at Ohio State, which added Kansas State's Will Howard to compete with Devin Brown, only to pick up a second decorated incoming freshman, Alabama signee Julian Sayin, who joins Air Noland.
Here are 12 quarterback situations with spring intrigue, along with projections for Week 1 starters based on what we know before spring practices are in full swing.
Ohio State Buckeyes
QB room: Will Howard, senior (Kansas State transfer); Devin Brown, redshirt sophomore; Lincoln Kienholz, redshirt freshman; Air Noland, freshman; Julian Sayin, freshman (Alabama transfer)
No high-profile quarterback situation has changed more since the end of the regular season than Ohio State's. Starter Kyle McCord entered the transfer portal and landed at Syracuse. Brown sustained an injury in the first half of the Cotton Bowl and was replaced by Kienholz in a 14-3 loss that included only 10 completions and 106 passing yards. The Buckeyes initially seemed like they would avoid a portal quarterback, but ended up adding Howard, who helped Kansas State to a Big 12 championship in 2022 and set career highs for passing yards (2,643), passing touchdowns (24) and completion percentage (61.3) last season. Ohio State also capitalized on the fallout from Nick Saban's retirement at Alabama and landed Sayin, ESPN's No. 9 recruit for 2024, who joined Noland (No. 52) in the freshman class.
Ohio State also went through a coaching shakeup, as quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis was reassigned (and ultimately left the program) and head coach Ryan Day reluctantly stepped away from playcalling duties. Day initially hired Bill O'Brien as offensive coordinator, but then pivoted to UCLA coach Chip Kelly -- Day's longtime mentor and college coach at New Hampshire -- after O'Brien left for the head-coaching job at Boston College. Kelly has coached two college teams and two NFL teams since he last served as a coordinator in 2008 at Oregon. He will oversee a spring competition, likely with Howard and Brown as the primary candidates, as Ohio State prepares for a season in which expectations could not be higher.
Week 1 starter prediction: Howard. Brown pushed McCord for the job last offseason and will force Howard to earn the job, but it's hard to see Ohio State going away from an accomplished dual-threat QB with a league title under his belt. Howard, who had 19 rushing touchdowns at Kansas State, should be a good fit for Kelly's system.
Michigan Wolverines
QB room: Jack Tuttle, senior; Alex Orji, junior; Jayden Denegal, sophomore; Jadyn Davis, freshman; Davis Warren, redshirt junior; transfer TBA
Michigan's post-championship transition includes a new head coach in Sherrone Moore, a revamped defensive staff now led by NFL veteran Wink Martindale, key staff promotions and other changes. But the team's biggest uncertainty comes at quarterback after the departure of two-year starter J.J. McCarthy to the NFL. Michigan recently got a nice boost when backup Tuttle received a seventh year of eligibility from the NCAA. Tuttle played well in limited action last fall, completing 15 of 17 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown. Orji was used as a changeup quarterback in 2023 and averaged 5.7 yards per carry with a touchdown in six games. But the 6-foot-3, 236-pound junior did not attempt any passes and will have to show he can execute throws in games for Moore and new offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell.
Denegal showed behind-the-scenes improvement in 2023 and completed 4 of 5 passes for 50 yards and a touchdown. He has the size (6-foot-5, 235 pounds) and seemingly the accuracy to give Michigan what it needs. Davis is ESPN's No. 166 recruit in the 2024 class and comes to Ann Arbor pegged as possibly Michigan's quarterback of the future. He enrolled early and participated in Michigan's bowl preparation, which gives him a better chance than most true freshmen to see the field right away. At 6-foot-1, Davis isn't as big as the other contenders but displays strong footwork and passing precision. Michigan didn't add a transfer in the winter portal but likely will be aggressive in the spring window, as the lack of experience in the group stands out.
Week 1 starter prediction: Transfer TBA. Michigan has to aggressively monitor the portal and can offer a lot to experienced transfers who fit Campbell and Moore's vision on offense. Perhaps Tuttle takes a significant step -- he has appeared in games in each of the past five seasons for Indiana or Michigan -- or the team gets a surge from Denegal or Orji. But I suspect Michigan's QB1 for 2024 isn't on campus yet.
Auburn Tigers
QB room: Payton Thorne, senior; Holden Geriner, redshirt sophomore; Hank Brown, redshirt freshman; Walker White, freshman; transfer TBD
Auburn will be looking for a major quarterback upgrade in Year 2 under coach Hugh Freeze, either from a holdover or a late transfer. Thorne, who started two seasons at Michigan State before joining the Tigers, had an uneven first season on the Plains. He finished with only 1,755 passing yards -- failing to reach 100 yards in the final two games and in five contests overall -- along with 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Thorne showed promise as a runner, recording career bests in both carries (134) and rushing yards (515). He has had 10 or more interceptions in all three seasons as an FBS starter but displayed more passing production at Michigan State, especially in 2021. Geriner appeared in five games last season, completing 5 of 15 pass attempts with an interception. Brown completed 7 of 9 pass attempts in his lone appearance. White is ESPN's No. 161 recruit in the 2024 class.
After Robby Ashford's departure to South Carolina, Auburn's most significant change of the offseason happened at coordinator, as Freeze fired Philip Montgomery and brought in Derrick Nix. Nix, who spent the past 16 seasons at Ole Miss, is Auburn's seventh OC in as many years. He hasn't been a playcaller, though, and Freeze is expected to have a more direct role in the scheme, along with new quarterbacks coach Kent Austin, a veteran assistant who was co-offensive coordinator under Freeze at Liberty. The looming question is whether Auburn will pursue a quarterback in the spring portal.
Week 1 starter prediction: Thorne. As long as he shows progress this spring under Nix and Austin, Thorne should be in line to start for his final college season. Although he hasn't been the most efficient passer, there is potential for growth in his game, especially after his first full offseason in the program.
UCLA Bruins
QB room: Ethan Garbers, senior; Collin Schlee, senior; Henry Hasselbeck, freshman; Karson Gordon, freshman; transfer TBA
A year ago, UCLA's path on offense seemed set with coach Chip Kelly and quarterback Dante Moore, ESPN's No. 2 overall recruit in 2023 and by far the most decorated prospect in Kelly's tenure. Both are gone, and UCLA's offensive trajectory will be shaped by new coach DeShaun Foster and coordinator Eric Bieniemy. UCLA hired Foster in part to maintain continuity, and the experience Garbers and Schlee bring should give both quarterbacks an edge throughout the offseason. Garbers helped UCLA to a signature win at rival USC, passing for 155 yards and three touchdowns. He also replaced an injured Schlee against Boise State in the LA Bowl, completing 9 of 12 passes for 152 yards and two scores despite not feeling well and telling the coaches to start Schlee. Garbers battled through injuries to make six starts for the Bruins, finishing with 1,136 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.
Schlee, a transfer from Kent State, was primarily used as a runner before seeing more passing work later in the season. He had six carries for 80 yards in a midseason loss to Oregon State and shined in the LA Bowl before his injury, recording 127 rushing yards on seven carries and completing 11 of 16 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. Schlee has played just one full season as a starter, in 2022 for Kent State, but has 917 rushing yards and seven touchdowns during the past two seasons. Hasselbeck, the son of former NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, picked UCLA over Michigan State. Both he and Gordon are ESPN three-star recruits. UCLA also could be in the spring QB transfer market.
Projected Week 1 starter: Garbers. Although UCLA could look to the portal this spring for another option, Garbers brings the experience and leadership skills to guide the team, especially with such a late coaching change. He has displayed strong accuracy over the past two seasons.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
QB room: Dylan Raiola, freshman; Heinrich Haarberg, redshirt junior; Daniel Kaelin, freshman
Quarterback transfer moves are now overshadowing most high school signings, but Raiola's flip from Georgia to Nebraska generated buzz around the sport. His announcement featured a poem that is sure to be cited frequently during his Huskers career. Raiola, son of a Rimington Trophy winner at Nebraska (Dominic) and nephew of the Huskers' offensive line coach (Donovan), might be the most anticipated Nebraska freshman ever, given the program's recent struggles and the need for a jolt at quarterback. He is ESPN's top-ranked pocket passer and No. 11 overall recruit in the 2024 class. But he will need to win the job over Haarberg, who started in all five of Nebraska's wins last season and displayed strong dual-threat ability, eclipsing 70 rushing yards four times, twice in Big Ten play. Haarberg failed to reach 200 passing yards in a game last fall, though, and must show significant improvement in the throw game to push Raiola.
Another interesting element for Nebraska is the hiring of Glenn Thomas as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Thomas coached with Matt Rhule at Temple and Baylor and has coordinator experience at four stops, as well as eight seasons as an NFL assistant. His ability to fast-track Raiola will be under the microscope this spring. Kaelin, an ESPN three-star recruit from the state, shined in the Elite 11 finals last year and could be an interesting contender as the offseason unfolds. He has enrolled early, along with Raiola and 14 others.
Projected Week 1 starter: Raiola. The setup couldn't be more ideal for the true freshman to become QB1 right away for the Huskers. Nebraska can ride the ups and downs with a young quarterback because of his incredible potential. Unless Haarberg or Kaelin really wows the coaches, Raiola will usher in a new era immediately.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
QB room: Riley Leonard, senior (Duke transfer); Steve Angeli, redshirt sophomore; Kenny Minchey, redshirt freshman; CJ Carr, freshman
Notre Dame added a veteran ACC quarterback for the second consecutive winter, hoping to spark a passing game that, while improved in 2023, still barely cracked the top 50 and struggled against better defenses. Leonard had a breakout 2022 season for Duke, passing for nearly 3,000 yards with 20 touchdowns, and adding 699 rushing yards and 13 scores. He had a solid start to the 2023 season before sustaining an ankle sprain in the final minute of a Sept. 30 loss to Notre Dame. He underwent tightrope ankle surgery this winter but said he will be ready for spring practice. Still, he's coming off an injury and struggled after his return last season, completing just 16 of 39 passes with no touchdowns and two interceptions. Leonard also must adjust to a new team and system, now under the direction of Mike Denbrock, who returned to Notre Dame after coordinating the nation's No. 1 offense in 2023 at LSU.
Is the door open, at least a little bit, for another contender to emerge? Angeli has been at Notre Dame since early 2022 and shined in the Sun Bowl against Oregon State, completing 15 of 19 passes for 232 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He would need to make a significant push this spring but could give Denbrock and coach Marcus Freeman something to think about. Minchey, a former ESPN 300 recruit, completed his only two pass attempts last season. Carr, the grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, is ESPN's No. 2 pocket passer and No. 36 overall recruit in the 2024 class. He has enrolled and will be on the field this spring alongside Leonard and the other quarterbacks.
Week 1 starter prediction: Leonard. Notre Dame brought in Leonard to be an even better version of Sam Hartman, the record-setting Wake Forest transfer who led the Irish offense in 2023. Although Leonard's health is worth watching, he has the talent and experience to distance himself from the group.
North Carolina Tar Heels
QB room: Max Johnson, senior (Texas A&M transfer); Conner Harrell, sophomore; Tad Hudson, redshirt freshman
Johnson kicked off the quarterback transfer cycle in late November -- before the portal opened for non-graduates -- by making his second move in college, from Texas A&M to North Carolina. He will compete with Harrell this spring as UNC looks to replace record-setting quarterback Drake Maye, a projected top-three pick in the NFL draft. Johnson brings 22 career starts from LSU and Texas A&M, where he started five games last fall and appeared in eight, passing for 1,452 yards and nine touchdowns, while connecting on 62% of his attempts. His most productive season came in 2021 at LSU, when he threw 27 touchdown passes. Johnson's accuracy numbers could go up a tick, though, especially for a UNC offense used to Maye's efficiency from the pocket.
Harrell started in UNC's bowl game and completed two-thirds of his pass attempts for 270 yards with 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions and 25 rushing yards. He lacks Johnson's experience but has been in the system with coordinator Chip Lindsey for a season. Harrell also has the mobility UNC often asks of its quarterbacks, as Maye led the team in rushing in 2022. Hudson was ESPN's 150th overall recruit in the 2023 class but did not see the field as a freshman. He likely would need a huge offseason to enter the QB1 mix with Johnson and Harrell.
Projected Week 1 starter: Johnson. North Carolina is one of few ACC teams with at least the appearance of a quarterback competition this offseason. Johnson will need to win over his new teammates and coaches, beginning this spring. He has the ingredients to do so, both mentally and physically, and his experience should provide the edge when UNC kicks off Aug. 29 at Minnesota.
Texas A&M Aggies
QB room: Conner Weigman, redshirt sophomore; Jaylen Henderson, redshirt junior; Marcel Reed, redshirt freshman; Miles O'Neill, freshman
Many things could be different in Aggieland if Weigman had stayed healthy throughout the 2023 season. He had 909 pass yards and eight touchdowns in his first three games with new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, before sustaining a foot injury that would sideline him for the rest of the fall. Petrino has now returned to Arkansas, and Texas A&M fired coach Jimbo Fisher and brought back Mike Elko as his replacement. Elko brought in Collin Klein from Kansas State as coordinator, hoping to spark an offense that ranks 64th nationally in passing average and 71st in net yards per attempt since 2021. Klein was a 2012 Heisman finalist as a dual-threat quarterback at Kansas State, and typically wants his quarterbacks to show good mobility. Weigman's adjustment to Klein, while coming off his injury, will be an interesting subplot of the offseason. He has 16 touchdown passes and only two interceptions with the Aggies.
Henderson, a transfer from Fresno State, performed well in relief last season. He displayed strong accuracy, completing 53 of 79 pass attempts with 715 yards and six touchdowns, while adding 104 rushing yards and two scores. Reed, who had just three pass attempts during the regular season, replaced Henderson following an injury in the Texas Bowl, and had 361 passing yards, as well as 29 rushing yards and a touchdown against Oklahoma State. O'Neill, an ESPN three-star recruit from New Jersey, will likely take on a developmental role in his first college season, especially since he doesn't enroll until the summer.
Projected Week 1 starter: Weigman. He has looked the part in limited action the past two seasons, but he must show he can stay healthy and adjust to Klein and the new coordinator's primary objectives. If that happens, Weigman has a chance to have a breakthrough season for an Aggies team starting a new phase under Elko.
TCU Horned Frogs
QB room: Josh Hoover, redshirt sophomore; Ken Seals, junior (Vanderbilt transfer); Hauss Hejny, freshman
The Horned Frogs slipped from national runner-up in 2022 to missing a bowl in 2023, so everyone and everything is being reevaluated. Hoover generally performed well in relief of Chandler Morris, recording 2,209 passing yards with 15 touchdowns and 9 interceptions, while starting the second half of the season. He eclipsed 300 pass yards in five of his final six games, and exceeded 400 yards in wins over BYU and Baylor. But Hoover also had an interception in seven of the eight games he played, and his accuracy totals fluttered a bit. He understands coordinator Kendal Briles' system and certainly could retain the top job this fall, but TCU decided to push him by adding Vanderbilt transfer Ken Seals, a 22-game starter for the Commodores.
Seals, a Texas native, brings 4,292 career passing yards with 28 touchdowns and 22 interceptions to TCU. Although Vanderbilt struggled overall in 2023, Seals had some good moments as a part-time starter, completing 65.5% of his passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns against Georgia and adding 259 pass yards and two scores against Missouri. His ability to absorb Briles' offense and show he can match or exceed Hoover's production will be key. Hejny, an ESPN 300 recruit from Aledo, Texas, could be the team's quarterback of the future. He's undersized at 6-foot, 190 pounds but brings a strong dual-threat element to the offense. TCU struggled with quarterback depth last season and might need a younger player like Hejny to emerge.
Projected Week 1 starter: Hoover. Although Hoover didn't lead TCU to many wins in 2023, he provided a bright spot down the stretch and could be poised for a breakthrough season this fall. The key is limiting interceptions and showing a bit more accuracy, which he displayed in the Baylor and BYU wins, and even a narrow loss to eventual Big 12 champion Texas. Seals should provide genuine competition during the offseason, but Hoover will get the first shot.
Iowa Hawkeyes
QB room: Cade McNamara, senior; Deacon Hill, junior; Marco Lainez, redshirt freshman; James Resar, freshman
No list of offseason quarterback intrigue would be complete without Iowa, which has been scrutinized for its offensive futility the past few seasons. Since 2022, Iowa ranks last in the FBS in points per game (16.5) and 130th in passing -- ahead of only the three service academies -- despite going 18-9 overall during the span. The key newcomer isn't a quarterback but a playcaller in Tim Lester, hired to replace Brian Ferentz. Lester, who coached Western Michigan from 2017 to 2022, last served as a college coordinator in 2015 at Syracuse. He inherits a veteran in McNamara but also a quarterback who has dealt with injuries throughout his time at Iowa and in his final season at Michigan in 2022. McNamara, limited by a quad injury during preseason camp, sustained a torn ACL in a Week 5 win against Michigan State. He finished the season with only 505 passing yards on 51.1% completions with 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.
McNamara is still the QB who in 2021 helped Michigan to its first CFP appearance and the team's first outright Big Ten title since 2003. He was very efficient that season, completing 64.2% of his passes for 2,576 yards with 15 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. But he has barely played the past two seasons and now must pick up a new system under Lester. Hill replaced McNamara last fall and had a solid stretch in early-to-mid November before faltering in postseason play. He would need to show significantly more consistency as a passer to unseat McNamara. The young quarterbacks are worth tracking, especially given McNamara's injury history. Lainez had 51 rushing yards in an otherwise miserable Citrus Bowl loss to Tennessee. Resar, a high three-star prospect from Florida, provides both size and dual-threat skills to an offense that could use both at quarterback.
Projected Week 1 starter: McNamara. Lester might be new, but this is still coach Kirk Ferentz's program. McNamara will get every opportunity to secure the top job. The bigger question is whether his health holds up and, if not, whether Hill or another contender can seize the opportunity.
Arkansas Razorbacks
QB room: Taylen Green, redshirt junior (Boise State transfer); Jacolby Criswell, redshirt junior; Malachi Singleton, redshirt freshman; K.J. Jackson, freshman
Arkansas has two notable quarterback transfers in Green and Criswell, but the man in the front of the QB room will generate by far the most buzz. Bobby Petrino is back in Fayetteville as Arkansas' offensive coordinator, one of the most notable hires of the offseason. Petrino, who coached Arkansas from 2008 to 2011 and finished No. 5 nationally with his final Razorbacks team, spent 2023 as Texas A&M's offensive coordinator. He returns to boost a passing offense that slipped to 62nd nationally last season and must replace multiyear starter KJ Jefferson, who transferred to UCF. Green could be a sneaky good addition, after he helped Boise State to a Mountain West championship last fall. At 6-foot-6, Green has excellent size as well as mobility, as he rushed for 1,022 yards and 19 touchdowns over the past two seasons. The next steps under Petrino will be improving his accuracy (59.4%) and limiting interceptions (15 over the past two seasons). If he does that, he will give Arkansas a bona fide SEC starter.
Criswell competed with Drake Maye for North Carolina's starting spot throughout the 2022 offseason, only to lose out and spend most of the season watching. He did the same behind Jefferson last year, but now he gets a chance to claim the top job. Criswell saw his most extensive playing time in Arkansas' 2023 finale, passing for 90 yards and a touchdown. He lacks Green's experience but has been in the program for a year and also can provide some mobility from the pocket. Singleton and Jackson also will have a chance to impress Petrino this spring. Jackson, an Alabama native, is an ESPN three-star recruit who enrolled early. Singleton was an ESPN four-star recruit in 2023 who didn't see the field last fall.
Projected Week 1 starter: Green. He has the highest ceiling of Arkansas' quarterback candidates and could become a major steal if he irons out a few elements of his game under Petrino. Perhaps Criswell finally wins a competition, but Green is a likelier choice to lead the Hogs' offense.
Duke Blue Devils
QB room: Henry Belin IV, redshirt sophomore; Grayson Loftis, sophomore; Maalik Murphy, redshirt sophomore (Texas transfer)
One of the biggest moves in the quarterback portal came from a backup who left his team before its CFP appearance in order to secure a solid destination for the 2024 season. Murphy's transfer experience reflects how dramatically the sport has changed, but he's a major addition for Duke, which must replace Leonard and welcomes in a new coaching staff led by Manny Diaz and offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer. They will assess a quarterback group that includes two players who started for Duke last season as well as Murphy, a former ESPN 300 recruit who appeared in seven games with Texas, starting two in 2023. Murphy had 418 passing yards with 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions in the two starts, completing 35 of 62 pass attempts. He did not play as a true freshman in 2022.
He will need to beat out Loftis and Belin, who both saw time because of Leonard's injuries last season. Loftis led Duke's offense in the final five games as a freshman, finishing the season with 1,006 passing yards, 8 touchdowns, 4 interceptions and 55.8% completions. He had 7 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in Duke's final three regular-season games, then helped the Blue Devils to a Birmingham Bowl win over Troy. Belin also dealt with injury last fall and finished with 232 pass yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception. Both he and Loftis are former ESPN three-star recruits.
Projected Week 1 starter: Murphy. He had options after the buzz he generated at Texas and picked Duke because of the opportunity to start right away. Although both Loftis and Belin deserve a fair evaluation by Diaz and the staff, Murphy brings a distinct skill set that could truly energize Duke's offense under the new regime.