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Paolo UggettiESPN
Kent State quarterback Collin Schlee has announced that he’s committed to transfer to UCLA.
Schlee confirmed that commitment with a tweet Saturday night, as he posted an image of himself in UCLA gear with a “committed” graphic and a caption that reads, “UCLA football, class of 2023.”
Sources earlier told ESPN’s Pete Thamel that Schlee was expected to transfer to UCLA.
The junior, who entered the transfer portal Dec. 6, threw for 2,109 yards and 13 touchdowns this season while rushing for 492 yards and five touchdowns. The 2022 season was a breakout for Schlee who, until this year, had thrown only 36 passes over his first two seasons at Kent State.
On the same day that Schlee entered the transfer portal, Kent State coach Sean Lewis left to join new Colorado coach Deion Sanders as the Buffaloes’ offensive coordinator.
After a 9-3 season (the best in the Chip Kelly era), Kelly and the Bruins have been in the market for a quarterback. With UCLA’s longtime starter Dorian Thompson-Robinson departing for the NFL draft after five seasons and a career year in 2022, Schlee will immediately be in position to earn the starting QB spot.
Schlee will have big shoes to fill. Thompson-Robinson threw for 2,883 yards and 25 touchdowns and had 631 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns.
UCLA also has four-star quarterback Justyn Martin arriving as a freshman, as well as redshirt sophomore Ethan Garbers, who was Thompson-Robinson’s backup last season.