A new quarterback has announced his plans to enter the transfer portal when it officially opens up next month. James Madison quarterback Alonza Barnett III is entering the transfer portal after leading the Dukes to the College Football Playoffs, he announced on X Friday afternoon.
“After having conversations with Coach Napier and the staff, I truly believe the program will continue to elevate the way it always has,” Barnett wrote in a statement. “This has been a very difficult decision, but after a lot of prayer and contemplation, I’ve made the decision to enter the transfer portal.”
Barnett was a two-year starter at James Madison and spent his first four collegiate seasons Harrisonburg. He enters the transfer with just one year of eligibility remaining which could make him a solid fit at Tennessee.
The 6-foot signal caller did struggle with accuracy a bit at James Madison, completing 58.4% of his passes last season for 2,806 yards, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Barnett is a true dual-threat quarterback, rushing for 589 yards and 15 touchdowns last season.
Barnett helped lead James Madison to a 12-2 (8-0 SunBelt) record, a SunBelt Championship and a berth in the College Football Playoffs where the Dukes fell at Oregon 51-34. He completed 23-of-48 passes for 273 yards and two touchdowns against the Ducks. He also rushed 45 yards and a touchdown.
James Madison’s only other loss came in week two of the season at Louisville, 28-14. Barnett completed 15-of-25 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown.
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James Madison head coach Bob Chesney took the UCLA head coaching job earlier this month. However, UCLA re-signed former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava earlier this week so the Bruins are not a feasible option for Barnett.
The Dukes replaced Chesney with former Florida head coach Billy Napier. James Madison has been successful under multiple head coaches in recent years. Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti was the head coach at James Madison during Barnett’s first two collegiate seasons.
Tennessee’s need for a quarterback in the transfer portal is not entirely clear at this moment. As the current NCAA eligibility rules stand, Joey Aguilar is out of eligibility after this season.
However, Aguilar is a plaintiff on a lawsuit that is challenging NCAA eligibility rules as it relates to former junior college athletes. That lawsuit appears to have a real chance of changing the eligibility rules. But the timeline on when that will happen leaves Tennessee in flux.
Meeting with the media earlier this month, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel acknowledged that the Vols’ will need to add a quarterback in the transfer portal if Aguilar does not receiver another year of eligibility.
