UConn Football: Will Departure of QB Cole Welliver Hurt the Huskies?

On Tuesday, UConn quarterback Cole Welliver took to Instagram, addressing that he has entered the NCAA transfer portal.

“I’m forever grateful for my time at the University of Connecticut,” Welliver wrote in a recent story. “[However], I’ve decided to enter my name into the NCAA transfer portal.” After careful consideration, the redshirted freshman is capitalizing on the spring transfer window. He’ll now have until April 25th to find a new home. After one season at Connecticut, where Welliver didn’t receive much playing time, he will decide to take his talents elsewhere.

A four-star recruit and star high school quarterback in Texas, this ends the very hyped tenure for Welliver in Storrs.

Yet with Welliver now gone, what are UConn’s options going forward? And, what led up to the four-star prospect transferring to begin with? Let’s dive in.

Welliver’s Initial Commitment to UConn Football

When Welliver initially made his commitment to UConn, it caught some eyeballs. As a four-star recruit from Liberty Christian High School, he became the highest-rated quarterback commit in UConn history. While playing under former NFL tight end Jason Witten at Liberty Christian, Welliver was First Team All-State and District MVP in his undefeated senior season, ranking as the 35th best quarterback in his class per ESPN.

Although Cole had offers from Colorado, Colorado State, Western Kentucky and Arizona State at his disposal, Welliver selected Connecticut, hoping to resurrect a program who, at time of his commitment, was desperate for elite quarterback play. Welliver chose the program just months after their bowl-qualifying season in 2022. However, when he got to Storrs, he would later learn that the quarterback position wasn’t his.

For years, UConn used true freshman quarterbacks in their first season and found little success doing so. Instead, they wanted Welliver to sit on the bench behind Nick Evers, Joe Fagnano, and sometimes even Tucker McDonald. The strategy was to “sit out a year, learn and get bigger and not have to go in as a true freshman and try to figure things out,” UConn Sports Network’s Adam Giardino explained to The League Winners before 2024.

Welliver and the Huskies program hoped that he could learn, mature, and then become “this outstanding kid that lives up to everything that is being said about him as a stud quarterback in Texas,” Giardino continued. Though that strategy didn’t resonate with Welliver, who’s finding a new home after just one season. 

Did 2024 spell disaster for Cole Welliver and UConn?

With an elite offensive line and a prominent rushing attack, UConn’s offense had just one glaring red flag entering 2024: Who’s the quarterback?

The Huskies landed Evers in the portal, who was then later given the starting nod. A former recruit from Oklahoma and Wisconsin, he was finally being given his first starting opportunity. Right behind him, however, was Fagnano, who played a majority of the season due to Evers’ injuries. He also closed out the season as the starter for Connecticut’s 27-14 Fenway Bowl win over North Carolina.

So, where did Welliver fit in? He didn’t. The conservative, developmental strategy came as a shock, though was evident early in the season. With multiple opportunities for backup quarterback play, Welliver was never used in important situations. His only playing time consisted of four pass attempts and two completions for 10 yards in the final minutes of a 63-17 annihilation over FCS’ Merrimack. Nevertheless, the possibility of Welliver becoming Connecticut’s “stud” quarterback began to diminish.

Evers left a lot to be desired during his stint as the starting quarterback. Yet when UConn had a quarterback opening, but didn’t go to Welliver. Instead, they turned to Fagnano, a transfer from Maine the year prior who lost the job due to injury. Returning as the lead signal-caller, Fagnano started five games and led wins mid-game in two others. This included going 16-for-23 for 151 yards and two touchdowns against North Carolina in the Fenway Bowl. He finished with over 1600 yards, 20 touchdowns and four interceptions for the season.

So, with Evers and Fagnano staying put in Storrs, and McDonald sitting behind them, where was the room for Welliver? That’s likely why he’s entered the spring transfer window, hoping to be able to compete for a starting position elsewhere.

What Does the Future of UConn’s Quarterback Room Look Like?

While the success last season at the quarterback position didn’t exactly match elite play, it was a significant improvement from previous seasons. Evers was an asset on the ground, and Fagnano had compiled a 152.9 passer rating. Both have eligibility remaining this year, though. The long-term hope was for Welliver to take the starting nod this coming season.

With Welliver moving elsewhere, Jim Mora will have a challenging process choosing between his two candidates. Fagnano has played more years, took better care of the football, and throws a much prettier deep ball.

Evers, however, fits UConn’s system; very run-heavy with once again three dynamic running backs in the backfield. Four times last season the former Oklahoma and Wisconsin product ran 10+ times. Schematically, he is the answer, though Fagnano has more proven success.

Nevertheless, the Huskies offensive success in 2025 will once again be dependent on its rushing attack, one that ran for over 190 yards per game a year ago. With two returning runners and the addition of MJ Flowers in the transfer portal, UConn’s rushing game is set and primed for success next season.

However, “college football is a quarterback sport,” Giardino shared. “So, you can be a great defensive mind, you can have this great run game, but if you don’t have a guy that defenses can worry can go for 350-400 yards against you on any given week, it’s tough.”

Now without Cole Welliver, UConn still searches for its generational quarterback to continue to build off of the recent strides the program has made in the Jim Mora-era.