The college football shopping season has resulted in a few quarterbacks plucked from the transfer portal by teams in the Sunshine State.
More movement could take place as teams solidify their depth chart ahead of spring drills. For now, here is a look at QBs who found new homes at UCF, Florida State, Miami and FAU.
KJ Jefferson, UCF (Arkansas)
Jefferson and former Knights quarterback John Rhys Plumlee have plenty in common. Both are Mississippi natives and dual-threat quarterbacks who played in the SEC. Before committing to his new team, Jefferson, who was recruited out of high school by UCF coach Gus Malzahn, spoke with Plumlee, an Ole Miss transfer who played two seasons with the Knights.
“He told me Orlando is going to be a great spot,” said Jefferson, during his media availability at UCF last week. “I know I can do great things here in (Malzahn’s) system and the main thing in going through my (transfer) process was that I can flourish in this system.”
Jefferson, listed at 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds, spent five seasons at Arkansas and saw his first significant action when he became the starter in 2021. He threw for 7,911 yards and 67 touchdowns with the Razorbacks while rushing for 1,876 yards and 21 TDs on the ground.
Jefferson joins an offense that returns running back R.J. Harvey and receivers Javon Baker, Kobe Hudson and Xavier Townsend. Timmy McClain, who began his career at USF, backed up Plumlee last season.
DJ Uiagalelei, Florida State (Oregon State)
With Jordan Travis’ college career over, Tate Rodemaker at Southern Miss and A.J. Duffy at San Diego State, the Seminoles were left with Brock Glenn as the only quarterback to have a thrown a pass in college.
Coach Mike Norvell needed an experienced leader in the huddle and got it in the person of Uiagalelei, who has 40 career starts. Uiagalelei has thrown for 8,319 yards and 57 touchdowns with 1,132 yards and 21 scores on the ground during his career with Clemson and Oregon State, where he spent the 2023 season. After Uiagalelei threw nine TD passes and 10 INTs in 2021, his first full season as a starter, he has since posted 43/14.
With Clemson, Uiagalelei threw for 392 yards and four touchdowns in two games, both wins, against the Seminoles. He threw touchdown three TD passes in the 2022 encounter at Doak Campbell while also running for a score.
Cameron Ward, Miami (Washington State)
It has been a revolving door at quarterback in Coral Gables since the Hurricanes’ all-time leader in passing yards, Brad Kaaya, departed following the 2016 season. True, Tyler Van Dyke started 28 games the past three seasons, though injuries disrupted what once appeared to be a star-studded career.
With Van Dyke having transferred to Wisconsin for his final season of eligibility, coach Mario Cristobal needed a quarterback. Ward, who declared for the NFL draft on New Year’s Day only to alter his course, threw for 6,968 yards and 48 touchdowns with 16 interceptions in two seasons with Washington State. He began his career at Incarnate Word of the FCS where he threw 71 TD passes in two years and was a Walter Payton Award (top offensive player in the FCS) finalist in 2021.
Ward joins a quarterback room that includes fellow transfer Reese Poffenbarger (below), Emory Williams, who should be ready for spring drills after fracturing his non-throwing arm against Florida State in November, and Jacurri Brown. Brown’s only action of 2023 was starting the Pinstripe Bowl loss to Rutgers. He appeared in eight games as a true freshman in 2022 and has thrown for 411 yards and three touchdowns in his career.
Reese Poffenbarger, Miami (Albany)
A week before landing Ward, Cristobal turned to Poffenbarger, a Maryland and who began his career with Old Dominion in 2021. He did not see any action with the Monarchs before transferring to Albany where, in two seasons, he threw for 5,969 yards and 56 touchdowns, including an FCS-best 3,603 yards in 2023.
Cam Fancher, FAU (Marshall)
With Casey Thompson on his way to Oklahoma following an injury-shortened season (three games) with the Owls and Daniel Richardson now at Florida A&M after stepping in for Thompson, the cupboard was rather bare in Boca. The situation was addressed by coach Tom Herman, who reeled in Fancher.
Fancher spent three seasons, the last two as the starter, with the Thundering Herd. He is coming off a season in which he completed 65.4 percent of his passes, but with 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 10 games. The Ohio native has 21 TD passes and 17 picks in his career.
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