Duke QB Riley Leonard enters transfer portal after injury-shortened year along with Coastal's McCall
Duke quarterback Riley Leonard entered the transfer portal on Wednesday, signaling his departure from the Blue Devils after two seasons as a starter.
Leonard immediately becomes one of — if not the — most talented quarterback available in college football's transfer market. The move comes two days after Duke lost its head coach, Mike Elko, to Texas A&M.
Also on Wednesday, Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall, a three-time Sun Belt Conference player of the year, entered the portal, and former Texas A&M quarterback Max Johnson committed to North Carolina as a transfer.
Leonard's 2023 season was cut short by ankle and foot injuries, but he helped lead the Blue Devils to a 4-0 start before being hurt on Duke's final offensive play of its 21-14 loss to Notre Dame.
He finished this season throwing for 1,102 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions in seven games. He also ran for 352 yards and four TDs. Last year, Leonard threw for 2,967 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions and he ran for 699 yards and 13 scores as Duke went 9-4.
This is the second straight season McCall announced his intention to leave Coastal Carolina. However, he returned last year after the school hired coach Tim Beck to replace Jamey Chadwell, who had left for Liberty after the 2022 season.
McCall's post on social media Wednesday thanked the school for his five years before saying he had entered the portal as a graduate transfer with a final year of eligibility remaining.
Johnson announced his commitment to North Carolina with a social media post. He has started games for LSU and Texas A&M over his four-year career. Having graduated, he was eligible to transfer again and be eligible immediately.
Johnson stepped in as the starter for Texas A&M this season after Conner Weigman went down with an injury. Johnson started seven games before a rib injury ended his season in early November.
He threw 1,452 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions.
With Drake Maye expected to declare for the NFL draft, North Carolina's starting quarterback job will be open heading into the 2024 season.
McCall, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound fifth-year senior, missed his team's final five games with a head injury suffered at Arkansas State on Oct. 21. He was knocked unconscious, carted off the field and spent the night in a hospital before returning to campus.
McCall dressed for Coastal Carolina's 56-14 loss to No. 24 James Madison last week, but he did not see action.
He has thrown for 10,005 yards with 88 touchdowns and 14 interceptions the past five years. He set the NCAA single-season mark for pass efficiency rating (207.6) in 2021.
Among the other notable players to enter the transfer portal Wednesday:
— Cincinnati safety/linebacker Deshawn Pace, who led the team in tackles with 80
— North Texas receiver Ja'Mori Maclin, who had 1,004 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns
— Clemson offensive lineman Mitchell Mayes, a former four-star recruit who made five starts in four years with the Tigers
— Arizona State tight end Jalin Conyers, who had 30 catches for 362 yards and filled in at quarterback late in the season for the injury-riddled Sun Devils, posted on social media that he was entering the portal.
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
