Report: East Carolina QB Jake Garcia expected to enter NCAA transfer portal after practice absence

East Carolina quarterback Jake Garcia is expected to enter the NCAA transfer portal after missing Tuesday’s practice, according to a report from Stephen Igoe. He started his career at Missouri and Miami.

Garcia spent two years at Miami to start his college career, notably appearing in eight games as a sophomore. During that time, he totaled 803 passing yards and five touchdowns before entering the portal and committing to Mizzou. However, he did not see the field for the Tigers and again hit the open market.

That took Garcia to Greenville, where he appeared in six games while splitting time with Katin Houser. He threw for 1,429 yards and eight touchdowns, and will now look for his fourth home once he officially enters the transfer portal.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. 

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

Jake Garcia played high school football at Loganville (Ga.) Grayson, where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 51 overall player from the 2021 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

At Miami, Garcia played in one game as a true freshman in 2021 before a season-ending injury cut things short. In 2022, he then served as the primary backup quarterback to Tyler Van Dyke, who had an up-and-down go in the first year of the Mario Cristobal era. Van Dyke threw for 1,835 yards and 10 touchdowns across nine games that year while Garcia made eight appearance while serving in the reserve role.

From there, Garcia headed to Mizzou, where he squared off in a quarterback competition with Brady Cook. Cook won out while Garcia didn’t suit up for the Tigers, which led him to enter the portal once again and eventually head to ECU. He has one year of eligibility remaining, but could have another if he receives a medical redshirt due to the injury suffered during his freshman year at Miami.

East Carolina went 8-5 in 2024 despite making a mid-season coaching change. The Pirates started the year 3-4 under Mike Houston before his departure and Blake Harrell’s elevation. Things quickly turned around as ECU finished the year 5-1 under Harrell’s watch as he earned the full-time job before the season even ended.