First Duke lost its head coach. Now the Blue Devils are losing their star quarterback.
Just two days after Mike Elko was introduced as the new head coach at Texas A&M, Riley Leonard dropped the news that he is entering the transfer portal.
Riley has been the Duke starter much of the past two seasons, accounting for more than 4,400 passing yards and 24 touchdowns. He directed this year’s season’s opening win over Clemson and nearly bagged a victory over visiting Notre Dame on a September Saturday when ESPN’s College GameDay was in town. An injury at the end of the Notre Dame contest limited Leonard’s playing time over the back half of the season.
Will Leonard follow his coach to College Station? Or will he follow former Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman’s path and end up at Notre Dame?
Regardless of where Leonard ends up, his time at Duke seems to have left a bold imprint on the Fairhope, Alabama product. Leonard left a heartfelt announcement on social media: “To the Duke community — I hope I was able to make a positive impact on you as a person, and not just as an athlete. You definitely have left your mark on me and have had my back…even when I didn’t turn my homework in on time. This is a place I will bring my kids to one day, that my family and I will always be grateful to call home.”
Former A&M Aggie joins Heels
Former LSU and Texas A&M quarterback Max Johnson is transferring to North Carolina. “Excited to be a Tar Heel! Let’s Go!” he posted Wednesday on X.
Johnson announced he was entering the transfer portal on Sunday. He is a graduate transfer with two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Texas A&M fired Jimbo Fisher and hired former Duke head coach Mike Elko to lead the program after a 7-5 season in 2023.
As a redshirt sophomore for the Aggies in 2023, he passed for 1,452 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions in eight games.
Johnson has thrown for 5,853 yards, 47 TDs and 12 picks over parts of four seasons at LSU (2020-21) and Texas A&M (2022-23).
–Field Level Media
Indian Trail’s Grayson McCall enters portal
Coastal Carolina starting quarterback Grayson McCall has entered his name in the transfer portal for the second year in a row. Last year, McCall opted to pull his name out and stay at the Conway, S.C. school.
McCall, from Indian Trail, N.C. (Porter Ridge HS), had injury issues this season. The preseason Sun Belt Conference offensive player of the year holds the Coastal Carolina record for most touchdown passes and most total touchdowns.
McCall went 19-of-28 for 373 yards and two touchdowns in Coastal’s win at Appalachian State on Oct. 10. For the season, he threw for 1,919 yards and recorded 10 TDs.
McCall’s career numbers include better than 10,000 passing yards and 88 TD passes (against 14 interceptions).
