Quarterbacks are leaving the Pac-12 at an eye-opening rate (but the conference is hardly alone)

The only surprise is that Washington quarterbacks Colson Yankoff and Jacob Sirmon have entered the transfer portal at precisely the same time. They arrived together last summer, entered the transfer portal this week and, it appears, will depart UW together.

That both are leaving the program, irregardless of the timing, is hardly a stunner.

Quarterbacks are as likely to depart for other pastures as they are to remain through the full sweep of their eligibility.

Sure, the transfer portal makes the process easier. But departures have been all-too-common for several seasons.

More than one-third of elite quarterback recruits have transferred out of the conference in the past four years, according to a Hotline roster analysis.

From 2015-18, Pac-12 schools signed 39 quarterbacks that were ranked in the top-50 nationally in the 247sports composite ratings.

Of those, 15 have transferred or left the program prior to the expiration of their eligibility for a reason other than entering the NFL Draft.

Yep, 15 out of 39.

Here’s the list, with 247 national ranking (transfers in italics):

*** Class of 2015No. 1 Josh Rosen (UCLA): Started three years, in NFL.No. 7 Brady White (Arizona State): Transferred to Memphis.No. 8 Jake Browning (Washington): Started four years.No. 9 Ricky Town (USC): Transferred to junior college, then Pitt.No. 11 Travis Jonsen (Oregon): Transferred to Montana State.No. 12 Sam Darnold (USC): Started two years, in NFL.No. 35 Ross Bowers (Cal): Transferred to Northern Illinois.No. 39 Bryce Perkins (Arizona State): Transferred to junior college, now at Virginia.No. 43 Tyler Hilinski (Washington State): Passed away Jan. ’18.Class total: 9Transfers: 5

*** Class of 2016No. 3 K.J. Costello (Stanford): Entering third year as starter.No. 20 Devon Modster (UCLA): Transferred to junior college, now at CalNo. 21 Dillon Sterling-Cole (Arizona State): Competing for starting job.No. 22 Max Gilliam (Cal): Transferred to junior college, now at UNLV.No. 23 Terry Wilson (Oregon): Transferred to junior college, now at KentuckyNo. 32 Matt Fink (USC): In transfer portalNo. 38 Tyler Huntley (Utah): Entering third year as starter.No. 43 Justin Herbert (Oregon): Entering fourth year as starterNo. 47 Matt Lynch (UCLA): Moved to tight endNo. 49 Mason Moran (Oregon State): Moved to defensive backClass total: 10Transfers: 4

*** Class of 2017No. 1 Davis Mills (Stanford): Backup, recovering from injuryNo. 6 Jack Sears (USC): Competing for starting jobNo. 21 Braxton Burmeister (Oregon): Transferred to Virginia TechNo. 22 Chase Garbers (Cal): Favorite to start this season.No. 25 Ryan Kelley (Arizona State): No longer with program (destination unknown)No. 32 Connor Neville (Washington State): In transfer portalNo. 37 Jake Haener (Washington): Presumptive No. 2 this seasonNo. 38 Tyler Lytle (Colorado): Reserve this seasonNo. 50 Jason Shelley (Utah): Presumptive No. 2 this seasonClass total: 9Transfers: 3

*** Class of 2018No. 3 JT Daniels (USC): Expected to start this seasonNo. 4 Dorian Thompson-Robinson (UCLA): Expected to start this seasonNo. 6 Tanner McKee (Stanford): On two-year church missionNo. 12 Colson Yankoff (Washington): In transfer portalNo. 13 Jacob Sirmon (Washington): In transfer portalNo. 15 Tyler Shough (Oregon): Presumptive No. 2 this seasonNo. 16 Jack Tuttle (Utah): Transferred to IndianaNo. 21 Jack West (Stanford): Backup this seasonNo. 33 Cammon Cooper (Washington State): Presumptive backup this seasonNo. 43 Kevin Doyle (Arizona): Reserve this seasonNo. 45 Jamarye Joiner (Arizona): Reserve this seasonClass total: 11Transfers: 3

Four year total: 39Transfers: 15

And that’s just from list of top-50 recruits. Numerous second-tier QBs (Oregon State’s Conor Blount, for instance) have departed as well.

In the intensity of the exodus, we should note, the Pac-12 is hardly alone.

Elite quarterback recruits not in position to start have left all the Power Five conferences.

(Alabama’s Jalen Hurts, Clemson’s Kelly Bryant and Ohio State’s Tate Martell are three of the 60+ quarterbacks who have entered the portal this cycle.)

In fact, the Pac-12 has benefitted from the player movement:

* Washington lost Yankoff and Sirmon largely because it gained Jacob Eason (from Georgia).

* Tristan Gebbia (Nebraska) is an important piece of Oregon State’s future.

* Utah lost Jack Tuttle but snared Cameron Rising (Texas).

But this much seems close to certain:

Any program that signs two high-level quarterbacks in the same year should assume at least one will leave in 12-18 months, unless their eligibility clocks are staggered (because of a church mission, for instance).

And if both leave, well, that doesn’t register as a surprise.

Why we need your support: Like so many other providers of local journalism across the country, the Hotline’s parent website, mercurynews.com, recently moved to a subscription model. A few Hotline stories will remain free each month (as will the newsletter), but for access to all content, you’ll need to subscribe. The good news for Hotline faithful: I’ve secured a discount: 12 cents per day for 12 months. Click here to subscribe. And thanks for your loyalty.

*** Send suggestions, comments and tips (confidentiality guaranteed) to pac12hotline@bayareanewsgroup.com or call 408-920-5716

*** Follow me on Twitter: @WilnerHotline

*** Pac-12 Hotline is not endorsed or sponsored by the Pac-12 Conference, and the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference.