College football transfer portal opens as Oklahoma’s Arnold, other top players look for a move
Ohio State quarterback Devin Brown, right, scrambles away from Purdue defensive lineman Jireh Ojata during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Jay LaPrete]
The college football transfer portal opened on Monday, a day after the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff field was released.
The portal period closes on Dec. 28.
Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold, Texas State running back Ismail Mahdi, Miami (Ohio) wide receiver Reggie Virgil and Georgia Tech wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. were among the players who entered the portal on opening day. Ohio State quarterback Devin Brown announced his transfer intentions on Sunday.
The sophomore Arnold passed for 1,984 yards with 16 touchdowns and six interceptions and ran for 560 yards and four scores at Oklahoma.
Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold (11) passes in the second half an NCAA college football game against LSU in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. LSU won 37-17. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Gerald Herbert
The former five-star recruit took over as the starter before last season’s bowl game after Dillon Gabriel announced he would transfer. Arnold passed for 361 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions in the Alamo Bowl loss to Arizona.
Arnold entered this season as the starter, but he struggled to move the team as Oklahoma dealt with major injuries on the offensive line and at receiver. Michael Hawkins Jr. replaced him during a loss to Tennessee, then led the Sooners to a win at Auburn.
Hawkins committed three early turnovers in a loss to South Carolina, opening the door for Arnold to regain the job. Arnold had more success after offensive coordinator Seth Littrell was fired midseason and Joe Jon Finley stepped in as the play-caller.
In a stunning 24-3 win over Alabama, Arnold ran 25 times for 131 yards and completed 9 of 11 passes.
Mahdi has announced on social media he will enter the transfer portal.
Mahdi ran for 991 yards and four touchdowns and caught 24 passes for 195 yards and two TDs this season. He also gained 184 yards on kickoff returns.
Last season, Mahdi led the nation with 2,169 all-purpose yards. He ran for 1,331 yards and 10 touchdowns and had 275 yards receiving and 563 kick return yards.
Virgil, a 6-foot-4 junior, played little his first two years with the RedHawks. He broke out and caught 41 passes for 816 yards and nine touchdowns this season.
“This decision was not easy, but I believe it is the best step for my future,” he said in a social media post. “I am excited for what lies ahead and I’ll remain forever thankful for the support I’ve received.”
Singleton retweeted an On3.com social media post that said he had entered the portal.
The 5-11 sophomore had 104 catches for 1,468 yards and nine touchdowns in two seasons with the Yellow Jackets. He has not used a redshirt year.
Brown entered the transfer portal after three years as a backup. He announced his intention in a social media post, saying he intends to stay with the Buckeyes through the College Football Playoff.
Brown lost a close quarterback competition to Kyle McCord in 2023 and was relegated to a back seat again when the Buckeyes brought in Kansas State transfer Will Howard for 2024.
For 2025, Ohio State has a crowded quarterback room that includes Julian Sayin, who was the top-rated recruit nationally in the 2024 class.
Brown, from Gilbert, Arizona, has thrown for 325 yards and three touchdowns in the past two seasons, mostly in mop-up duty.
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