FAYETTEVILLE -- University of Arkansas quarterback Jacolby Criswell is expected to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, which opens today in college football, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. 247Sports first reported the news.
Criswell was expected to compete for the starting quarterback job with junior transfer Taylen Green, redshirt freshman Malachi Singleton and true freshman KJ Jackson this spring, but he wound up in a battle with the latter two for the backup role. Green took all his spring reps with the starting unit, while Criswell and Singleton largely split the snaps with the second unit, including in Saturday's Red-White game.
Criswell went 3 for 8 for 33 yards against the starting defense in the Red-White game based on unofficial stats.
The portal will be open for 15 days, until April 30, for undergraduates and until May 1 for graduate students.
A redshirt senior from Morrilton, Criswell was the primary backup to KJ Jefferson last season. The 6-1, 232-pounder played in four games and completed 17 of 27 passes (63%) for 96 yards and 3 touchdowns. Criswell also had a 60-yard run against Auburn.
His most extensive playing time came after Jefferson was injured in the season-ending 48-14 home loss to Missouri. Criswell completed 12 of 20 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown in that game.
Coach Sam Pittman said on Saturday he expected the backup quarterback battle to last into the fall, but now Singleton would be the favorite to land that job.
Criswell and tailback Isaiah Augustave are the first-known Razorbacks who are planning to enter the portal. Augustave announced his intention on Saturday night after the spring game.
Pittman said he told the team on Saturday he hoped no players would leave.
"I want to say this first, No. 1, with the portal, we don't want to lose any of our players," Pittman said. "I had a talk with our team, and I said, 'Hey, if we just don't lose anybody that we have and don't add anybody, we're going to have us a fine football team.'
"So the No. 1 thing is, I don't want to lose anybody we have. ... Inevitably, we're going to [lose some players]. I hope not, but we could. I don't know why you're going to leave this team. We're a good football team. But I understand the landscape of football."