Cam Ward, Will Howard and the game of quarterback musical chairs that could leave several marquee programs without a great option for 2024

After a flurry of portal entrees and commitments, the quarterback carousel has started to slow. Christmas jams are still playing in the background, but the songs are starting to fade. 

Soon enough, the music will stop and several marquee programs could be left without a guy for 2024. 

Oregon (Dillion Gabriel and Dante Moore), Notre Dame (Riley Leonard), Kentucky (Brock Vandagriff) and Michigan State (Aidan Chiles) all jumped into the market almost immediately to pluck their 2024 starter from the transfer portal. Others like North Carolina (Max Johnson), NC State (Grayson McCall) and Wisconsin (Tyler Van Dyke) pounced as well.

But two of the top quarterbacks to enter the transfer portal this offseason remain uncommitted, and the impending decisions by Cam Ward and Will Howard could have major reverberations for the sport in 2024. 

Ward and Howard, both among the Top 5 of On3’s QB Transfer Portal rankings, have been deliberately patient in evaluating their options. The NFL is still a possibility for both quarterbacks (Jan. 15 is the NFL Draft deadline), as is a potential major NIL package and the chance to play for one of the biggest brands in college football next fall. 

Ward, a Washington State transfer who had 3,900 yards with 33 total touchdowns last season, is down to the NFL or two Sunshine State schools — Florida State and Miami. The NFL is a legitimate avenue for the ex-Wazzu quarterback, but if either Miami or Florida State answers his “heavy asking price” then they would land one of the most impactful players to enter the portal for the entire 2024 cycle. 

Howard is less likely to go pro, but the former Wildcats QB, who led the program to a Big 12 Championship in 2022, is seen as a potential plus-veteran add for either USC, and Ohio State. Many had pegged Howard to the Trojans a week ago, but he’s yet to actually commit to Lincoln Riley. Ohio State is suddenly a major factor, while Miami, where Howard visited earlier this month, is no longer seen as a possible destination. 

It’s not difficult to do the math here

Spots are dwindling, yet some of the marquee programs in the country are battling over the same two guys with less-than-thrilling backup options. And that’s what makes both impeding decisions so interesting. 

If Ward goes pro, FSU could turn to DJ Uiagalelei, but it’s clear the Seminoles view the former Clemson and Oregon State transfer down the board as a contingency plan.

While Mike Norvell would probably prefer to not try to repeat as ACC Champions next fall with Uiagalelei at the helm, he may not have a choice. That is unless he wants to ride with freshman Brock Glenn. 

Miami’s board looks even murkier. Lose out on Ward — to FSU or the NFL — and where will Mario Cristobal turn? The Canes haven’t shown interest in Uiagalelei, and although former 5-star prospect Malachi Nelson is still available, it seems like they want a veteran with starting experience over handing the keys immediately to Emory Williams. 

They’ve been linked to KJ Jefferson, but the Arkansas quarterback could come off the board anytime, with UCF and TCU fighting for the sixth-year senior’s services. 

USC faces a similar sticky situation: The Trojans saw Nelson enter the portal and have just one scholarship quarterback on the roster for next season. Riley hopes to add Howard + a young transfer he can groom, too. 

But what happens if Howard opts to go throw passes to Emeka Ebuka, Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith? Ohio State at least has 5-star freshman Air Noland and Devin Brown, who will start the Cotton Bowl, in the fold for 2024, but Day would like another experienced option.

We could be looking at the real possibility of several programs — all of which hope to compete for a potential spot in a 12-team playoff in 2024 — exit the initial transfer portal window without a guy for 2024. 

Maybe they’ll land a top target during the spring window. But maybe they won’t. 

The music is starting to fade. Cam Ward and Will Howard are holding the AUX cord right now, and when both make their decisions and the plug gets pulled, a couple of programs might lose out big in this game of QB musical chairs.