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Arkansas quarterback Jacolby Criswell, a key contender for the starting quarterback job, has entered the transfer portal according to 247Sports. Criswell’s departure clears the way for Boise State transfer Taylen Green solidify himself in the QB1 role.

Criswell was a blue-chip recruit when he enrolled at North Carolina and played a key role backing up future NFL players Sam Howell and Drake Maye. He transferred to Arkansas in search of opportunity while serving as backup for another season, this time to KJ Jefferson.

After Jefferson opted to transfer to UCF for the 2024 season, Criswell was in line for the starting job before the staff ultimately added Green as a transfer to compete.

Green impressed during spring practices, so Criswell re-enters the transfer portal in search of playing time. Green is listed as a redshirt senior for the upcoming season but could play up to two more years thanks to his unused waiver from the COVID year. In a light quarterback transfer class, Criswell ranks among the top players available in search of playing time. He could compete for a starting job at the Group of Five level, or even provide some depth.

Across four seasons, Criswell has completed 60.3% of his passes for 347 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. In a 48-14 loss to Missouri, he threw 20 passes but only mustered 96 yards.

With the battle all but decided, eyes turn to Green, a former two-year starter at Boise State. The Lewisville, Texas, native threw for 3,794 yards and 25 touchdowns over the past two seasons. He also adds a dynamic component as a runner, posting 1,024 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns over the past two seasons alone. As a sophomore, Green led Boise State to its first Mountain West championship since 2019.

Now, Green steps into an Arkansas offense that desperately needs improvement. The Razorbacks hired former coach Bobby Petrino as offensive coordinator, a risk for the program that fired him in disgrace barely more than a decade ago. Through spring camp, Green looks like a perfect fit for the Petrino offense. During the spring game, Green completed 17 of 22 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns in one half of play. He added 15 yards on the ground.

Arkansas enters a critical 2024 season under fifth-year coach Sam Pittman. The Razorbacks went 1-7 in SEC play and ranked No. 116 nationally in yards per play, which ranked worst in the SEC. Pittman has a 23-25 record in four seasons but is only 11-23 in the SEC.

April 16th marks the beginning of the spring transfer window for college football players. Many programs have conducted their spring scrimmages, which gives players a glimpse into what kind of role they can project to have in the upcoming season. One player who did not seem overly enthusiastic about his role is Arkansas quarterback Jacolby Criswell. Criswell’s locker was reportedly cleared out, foretelling his plans to find a new home.

Jacolby Criswell needs to find a spot where he can just play. He has been around the block, but still doesn’t have many reps under his belt. Criswell initially enrolled at the University of North Carolina, but was the backup to Sam Howell and Drake Maye for three seasons. He then transferred to the University of Arkansas, his home-state school, but backed up KJ Jefferson in Fayetteville.

Criswell is embarking on his fifth season of college football but has just 58 pass attempts to his name. He has talent. Criswell was the 10th-best quarterback prospect in the 2020 recruiting class. He just hasn’t been able to get on the field. That needs to change with his next stop. Criswell has to find somewhere he knows he will be the guy, even if it means going to a lesser power conference school or a group of five school. Football programs like Vanderbilt, Maryland, and Toledo could give him what he’s looking for.

Vanderbilt Commodores
Criswell did look poised to take over as the starting quarterback of the Arkansas Razorbacks after the 2023 season concluded. But, after they snagged Taylen Green from the transfer portal and fellow former four-star quarterback Malachi Singleton leapfrogged him on the depth chart, he went looking for options. His only other option for starting at an SEC school might be Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt is not exactly known for its football prowess, but they do play in the SEC. Criswell would almost definitely be a better option than what they have at their disposal at the moment. AJ Swann, Ken Seals, and Walter Taylor split the quarterback duties for Vanderbilt last season. It didn’t go super well for them. They completed just 55.6% of their passes and averaged 6.9 yards per attempt. That’s not great.

Criswell would surely start at Vanderbilt football, a program that could use as much talent that it can get. This might be the best possible landing spot for the Morrilton product.

Maryland Terrapins
If Criswell wants to stay in the power five and doesn’t go to Vanderbilt, Maryland football could be his last hope. Taulia Tagovailoa played very well for the Terps during his time there under head coach Mike Locksley, but he is out of eligibility. Maryland hasn’t really done a whole lot at the position to find a replacement for him either.

The Maryland football program did land former NC State quarterback MJ Morris out of the portal, but he had a QBR of 31.6 last season. He has completed only 57.8% of his passes for his career too. Former four-star quarterback Jayden Sauray and Cameron Edge are also on the roster, but they have nine college pass attempts between them.