Florida’s current starting quarterback discusses the college transfer portal.
The NCAA transfer portal has transformed the collegiate sports landscape in unexpected ways, creating a de facto free agency system that has upended both major and minor sports. This shift has introduced a new environment for programs to navigate in building their rosters.
The Athletic’s Larry Holder recently interviewed some of the top quarterbacks in college football at the Manning Passing Academy, all of whom had transferred at least once since high school. Florida’s starting QB Graham Mertz was among those who shared their thoughts with Holder on the changes over the past five years.
The challenge of leaving the first program
“You never want to turn your back on a place that you committed to out of high school,” Mertz begins.
“And I’m in a little bit of a different area because I came into college before NIL and the transfer portal. So I kind of saw it like in the old days. For me, going through and seeing the changes is interesting because you see guys enter the portal for various reasons. I think if that’s your decision, it needs to be the best for your career.”
The redshirt senior continued, highlighting the complexity of the decision.
“You never want to see somebody leave your team. But it always comes down to fit—how they fit in the offense or defense. There are many layers that make it really complicated.”
Mertz on leaving Wisconsin
“It wasn’t fun to leave. I never wanted to leave Wisconsin. But with a coaching change and nearing the end of my college career, I wanted to find out who my offensive coordinator would be. That’s what led me to the decision, but it wasn’t easy. And now, with the portal, you’ve got 18 days to decide. So yeah, that’s becoming the norm.”
Florida’s 2024 season opener
Florida and Miami will open their schedules on Aug. 31 in Gainesville, Florida. Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ABC Sports.
