The transfer portal just got a new big name.
Houston quarterback D'Eriq King took to Twitter on Monday night during the College Football Playoff National Championship Game to announce that he's entering the transfer portal.
I’ve entered the portal I think it’s best for me and my family!
— King (@DeriqKing_) January 14, 2020
Depending on your default level of cynicism, this either comes as a significant surprise or has been expected for months. King began the 2019 season as Houston's starting QB and started the team's first four games. The Cougars lost three of those games (against Oklahoma, Washington State, and Tulane), and it was then announced that he would be redshirting the rest of the season.
NCAA rules allow players to redshirt a season as long as they don't play in more than four games. When King originally announced his decision, both he and Houston coach Dana Holgorsen said King was doing it to come back for one more year as a starter at Houston in 2020. Skeptics felt that King was doing it so he could transfer after the season and have another year of eligibility without having to sit out a season.
The skeptics were correct.
King is likely to be a popular target in the portal. He threw for 2,982 yards, 36 touchdowns, and only six interceptions in 2018. He also rushed for 674 yards and an additional 14 touchdowns. He's a dual-threat quarterback in the purest form, and he's a dynamic player. With Jamie Newman already announcing a commitment to Georgia, it's not unreasonable to think King could become the most highly sought after quarterback on the transfer market.
