Why FBS Quarterbacks Are Turning to HBCUs For a Second Act

There’s a quiet revolution happening under center and it’s unfolding at HBCUs.

Long considered an afterthought for elite quarterback talent, historically Black colleges and universities are fast becoming a new frontier for former FBS signal-callers in search of opportunity and redemption. In today’s transfer-portal era, it’s no longer just about where you start. It’s about where you reset. Four former FBS quarterbacks transferred to HBCU programs this spring, each betting on themselves in a system that’s been too often overlooked.

Jack Brandon, a 6'3", 209-pound Boston College transfer, heads to Tennessee State. While he never saw the field in the ACC, Brandon was a standout at Cheshire Academy. Now, he joins a TSU program coming off a 9–4 campaign and an OVC/Big South co-championship. Under new head coach Reggie Barlow, Brandon brings size, pedigree, and a chance to lead a post–Eddie George era in Nashville.

Champ Long, formerly of Maryland, joins North Carolina A&T. The Aggies are trying to bounce back from a 1–11 season, and with injuries piling up in the QB room, Long, whose high school resume includes 4,500+ passing season and a USA Today All-New Jersey nod, may quickly go from benchwarmer to focal point in Shawn Gibbs’ rebuilding project.

Amari Jones has taken the scenic route. FIU to South Carolina State to Bethune-Cookman. Now, he’s the presumptive starter for a Wildcats team that finished near the bottom of the SWAC in every offensive category. His debut? A revenge game against FIU on August 29. You couldn’t script it better.

And then there’s Lawrence Wright IV at Florida A&M, where the quarterback room resembles a revolving door. JUCO standouts, FBS transfers, and sudden de-commitments have created chaos but also opportunity. Wright, an untested walk-on with a storied football lineage, could emerge as the answer for a Rattlers team chasing a return to the Celebration Bowl under new coach James Colzie III.

HBCUs are offering each of them something bigger than depth chart mobility. A clearer path to development than the Power Five ever could. The impact is mutual. Programs gain seasoned competitors. Locker rooms deepen. And young quarterbacks learn that HBCUs are no longer a last resort, they’re a launchpad. A realignment or just overdue recognition?

Either way, the quarterback landscape in college football is shifting. And with the 2025 season looming, don’t be surprised if some of the game’s most electric arms aren’t lighting it up in Tuscaloosa or Columbus—but in Daytona Beach, Tallahassee, Greensboro, and Nashville.