Austin Kendall officially enters transfer portal
Oklahoma quarterback Austin Kendall has entered the NCAA transfer portal, a source confirmed to SoonerScoop.com on Friday afternoon.
This move does not guarantee Kendall will transfer from the Sooners, but it now gives him the option to talk to other schools and decide what is best for his future.
The Tulsa World was the first to confirm the development.
Despite only being a redshirt sophomore in 2018, Kendall did graduate in December, needing just three years, and would be a graduate transfer and immediately eligible for the 2019 season if he chooses to leave OU.
Kendall was a four-star quarterback out of Waxhaw (N.C.) Cuthbertson, ranked No. 77 in the Rivals 100 for the 2016 class, but has run into a string of bad luck since arriving in Norman.
Kendall was a backup for Baker Mayfield as a true freshman for the 2016 season. He redshirted for the 2017 season and watched Mayfield win the Heisman Trophy Award. Following what was described as an intense battle by head coach Lincoln Riley, it was Kyler Murray who won the quarterback competition last August.
Kendall once again was on the sidelines the majority of the time as he watched Murray put up ridiculous numbers of his own in earning another Heisman award for the school.
If Kendall does indeed transfer, then that would leave OU with potentially just one scholarship quarterback heading into spring 2019.
Tanner Mordecai will be a redshirt freshman, while the status of Murray remains up in the air. Reports have said Murray will declare for the NFL Draft, but Murray has yet to make an announcement. The deadline to do so is Monday.
Phoenix Pinnacle five-star quarterback Spencer Rattler has signed with OU for the 2019 class but will not arrive on campus until the summer.
SoonerScoop.com can confirm the mutual interest between former Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts and the Sooners as well. Hurts, like Kendall, is a graduate transfer and would be immediately eligible for 2019.
Although a bunch of schools are gunning for Hurts, sources believe this will be a showdown between OU and Miami.
If Hurts doesn’t end up with the Sooners, it’s still unclear whether or not Kendall would transfer from the program or stick around. Again, being in the database doesn’t necessarily mean he is definitely leaving the school.
In very limited time in two seasons, Kendall has completed 28 of 39 passes for 265 yards and three touchdowns. He started one game last season.