Devin Brown Leaves Ohio State for Cal After Quarterback’s Disappointing Tenure
Devin Brown, the backup quarterback for Ohio State, has announced that he will be transferring to the University of California, Berkeley. The move comes after Brown entered the transfer portal in December and stayed with the Buckeyes through their run to the national championship. Despite being the backup to two quarterbacks in as many seasons, Brown appeared in nine games this year, mostly seeing action in garbage time.
Brown’s lone start for the Buckeyes came in the 2023 Cotton Bowl Classic, where he left the game with an injury. His decision to leave Ohio State comes after Will Howard, the team’s quarterback last season, won the starting job and led the Buckeyes to a national championship. Howard has since graduated and will not be returning to the team.
At Cal, Brown is expected to compete with freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele for the starting job. He has two years of eligibility remaining. Brown’s departure from Ohio State may be attributed to the presence of former five-star recruit Julian Sayin, who is expected to start in 2025. Under Sayin’s leadership, Howard may have become expendable, leading Brown to seek opportunities elsewhere.
The move marks a fresh start for Brown, who was ranked No. 81 in ESPN’s Top 300 recruits for the class of 2022. Cal went 6-7 in its first season in the ACC, and Brown will be looking to improve the team’s fortunes.
