Sooners Likely Losing One QB, Possibly Gaining Another
Carey Murdock of SoonerScoop.com broke the news Thursday that quarterback Trevor Knight is exploring a transfer. It didn't exactly catch anyone off-guard.
Although Knight could return to Norman, the fact that he has a full release from Bob Stoops suggests that he'll have his fair share of options as a free agent. Despite the spotty record of graduate transfer QBs, they have proven to be popular quick fixes for programs with holes behind center. Programs rarely have a chance to acquire one with a Sugar Bowl MVP in his portfolio.
The popular perception of Knight is that he's a one-hit wonder who had an out-of-body experience that night in New Orleans. Personally, you'll have a hard time convincing me that circumstance and mismanagement didn't do in Knight at OU. Between injuries, a muddled offensive identity and shoddy play by his receivers, Knight was constantly swimming upstream as a starter. When Stoops hired Lincoln Riley to bring the Air Raid back, it effectively meant Knight's time was up.
Knight could absolutely thrive in an offensive system tailored to his skill set. A spread-to-run scheme that gives him the freedom to use his mobility and make throws on the move sounds ideal.
I wouldn't be shocked if the Sooners see him on the other side of the field somewhere in the Big 12 next season.
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Meanwhile, sophomore QB Kyle Allen told Texas A&M sayonara on Thursday and opened the door to the possibility of a transfer to OU. The word coming out of A&M is that his departure has more to do with Allen's concerns about the direction of the program than his place on the depth chart.
Allen has had his ups and downs with the Aggies in his two years in College Station. The No. 1 high school QB in the 2014 recruiting class does possess undeniable talent, though. Not to mention, I suspect some of his struggles this season trace back to the reported rift in A&M's locker room.
Looking at the calendar, Baker Mayfield will be a senior in 2016. (To be fair, he could petition the NCAA for another year of eligibility.) If Allen did transfer to OU, he could sit next season and prepare to take the reins in 2017 with two years of eligibility remaining.
I have to imagine Stoops and Lincoln Riley would warm up to that idea pretty quickly–if they haven't already.