Miami football transfer QB outgoing versus incoming production

The additions of Cam Ward from Washington State and Reese Poffenbarger from Albany provide the Miami football program with more production than the lost quarterbacks through the 2024 transfer portal. Former Miami starter Tyler Van Dyke transferred to Wisconsin and Jacurri Brown has moved on to Central Florida.

Poffenbarger and Ward were all-conference players with their former programs, who will add more experience and production for Miami in 2024. Ward is the 14th-ranked transfer and fourth QB in the 2024 portal. Poffenbarger is the 767th-ranked 2024 transfer and 67th QB in the portal.

Ward was recently ranked first in the "ACC football quarterback rankings: Post-spring projections ahead of 2024 season" by Brad Crawford of 247Sports. Ward started all 25 games he played for Washington State and earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention in 2023.

Poffenbarger led the Football Championship Subdivision in passing touchdowns and yards in 2023 while leading Albany to the national semifinals. Poffenbarger has appeared to secure second-team QB behind Ward. Miami will have big game experience behind Ward with Poffenbarger.

Tyler VanDyke had a breakout season as a redshirt freshman in 2021. Van Dyke completed 62.3 percent of his passes for 2,931 yards, 25 touchdowns and six interceptions earning ACC Rookie of the Year and ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2021. Van Dyke was never able to recapture his 2021 production.

After Miami offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee left following the 2021 season to become the head coach at SMU, Van Dyke struggled significantly under his successor Josh Gattis in 2022. Van Dyke completed 63.2 percent of his pass attempts for 1,835 yards, 10 TDs and five interceptions in one season under Gattis.

Injury problems also plagued Van Dyke during his final two seasons with Miami. Van Dyke missed five games in his final two seasons with the Hurricanes. In 2023, Van Dyke completed 65.8 percent of his pass attempts for 2.703 yards, 19 TDs and 12 interceptions. Freshman Emory Williams passed Van Dyke as the starter in 2023.

Jacurri Brown signed with Miami in 2022 as a dual-threat QB with a high upside. Brown started three games in two seasons with Miami, including the Pinstripe Bowl loss to Rutgers in December. Brown was the only scholarship QB available for Miami versus Rutgers. Van Dyke entered the transfer portal and Williams was out with an injury.

Brown had his best game in 2022 with 136 passing yards, three TDs and 19 carries for 87 yards in a 35-14 win at Georgia Tech. Brown did not play a regular season game in 2023 before the start versus Rutgers. Against Rutgers, Brown was 20-31 for 181 yards, one TD, one interception and ran 15 times for 57 yards and two TDs.

Brown returned for spring practice. With Ward as the clear first-team QB, Brown, Poffenbarger and Williams competed for second-team snaps this spring. Poffenbarger seemed to emerge as the number-two Miami QB, with Williams third. Buried on the depth chart, Brown chose to transfer to UCF.

Ward provides Miami with an elite QB for one season. Poffenbarger has two years of eligibility remaining. If Ward and Poffenbarger stay healthy, expect Williams to redshirt in 2023. Miami signed three-star QB Judd Anderson in the class of 2024 and has Luke Nickel committed for 2025.

It would not be surprising for Miami to target another transfer QB for the 2025 season. Depending on how Ward plays in 2024, playing for Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson could become a destination for QBs. This is a pivotal season for Miami for multiple reasons.