One outstanding quarterback remained uncommitted until the last few days of February, despite the fact that the majority of transfer portal activity was finished in December and January.
Jordan McCloud, who had just won Sun Belt Player of the Year at James Madison, was one of the more sought-after quarterbacks in the country. Last fall, the First Team All-Sun Belt quarterback guided the Dukes to an 11-2 record that, had James Madison been eligible, would have qualified them for a conference title game. However, many important players on that Dukes squad went for other positions when James Madison head coach Curt Cignetti took a job in Indiana in late November.
One day after Cignetti’s departure, McCloud announced entry into the transfer portal. But now, the Sun Belt’s top player finally knows his destination and he is sticking in the conference that housed his success. The former James Madison quarterback is Texas State bound.
A quarterback from Texas State enters the game with 3,657 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in 2023. McCloud established himself as one of the nation’s best gunslingers, ranking fourth in passing touchdowns and tenth overall in passing yards. He accomplished those numbers with a 68.2 percent completion percentage, all the while making a substantial contribution as a runner with eight touchdowns on the ground.
McCloud will make his fourth FBS visit at Texas State. The Tampa native began his career with South Florida, the team from his birthplace. In 2019 and 2020, he started 17 games for the Bulls. He traveled west to Arizona in 2021, where he made two starts in Pac-12 play. McCloud did not play for the Wildcats in 2022, but as soon as he arrived to James Madison in 2023, he saw a breakthrough. The 6’0″, 199-pound veteran quarterback, who made 12 starts in the previous season, walks into San Marcos, Texas with 31 career starts under his belt.
The quarterback room at Texas State, where the seventh-year senior is joining, had a turbulent offseason. Jayden de Laura, a former quarterback for Washington State and Arizona, was signed by the Bobcats in January. However, a week or so after committing, de Laura withdrew from the university due to legal problems. The Bobcats lost their 2023 starter after current starting quarterback TJ Finley signed to Western Kentucky through the portal shortly after de Laura announced his transfer to Texas State. Finley, who led Texas State to its first-ever bowl appearance and bowl victory, was undoubtedly a huge loss despite throwing for 3,439 yards and 24 touchdowns.
McCloud will now assume control of the role in the hopes of maintaining its success. After a remarkably successful first season that included an 8-5 record and a First Responder Bowl victory against Rice, Texas State is getting ready for the second year of the GJ Kinne era. Kinne largely used the transfer site to assemble the Bobcats, and he has once again struck gold there by bringing in the Sun Belt Player of the Year winner.
On August 31, McCloud is anticipated to play in his first Texas State game against FCS school Lamar. Although the Sun Belt schedule is still pending, he will not be playing for James Madison, his previous program, this season.
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