First-year Maryland coach Mike Locksley has been in the market for a graduate transfer quarterback this offseason, and he has landed one with significant FBS starting experience. Former Virginia Tech signal-caller Josh Jackson announced on Twitter on Monday night his intent to transfer to the Terrapins.
COMMITTED #TerpNation pic.twitter.com/KXihdGWYsj
— Josh Jackson (@joshiejack17) February 19, 2019
As a rising redshirt junior, Jackson -- a 6-foot-1, 215-pounder with the ability to make plays through the air and on the ground -- will have two years of eligibility remaining in College Park. He is on pace to graduate from Virginia Tech this spring, which will make him eligible to play for the Terrapins in 2019.
Jackson earned the starting quarterback job for the Hokies prior to the 2017 season and immediately found success. He threw for 235 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for 101 yards and another score in the season-opening win over West Virginia. He finished the season with 2,991 passing yards and 20 touchdowns while adding 324 rushing yards and six scores en route to a berth in the Camping World Bowl against Oklahoma State and a 9-4 overall record.
His sophomore season didn't go according to plan, though. He started the first three games of the season, tossing five touchdown passes, but suffered a broken leg late in the stunning Week 3 loss at Old Dominion which ended his season. Rising senior Ryan Willis took over for Jackson and threw for 2,716 yards and 24 touchdowns in a pinch.
Jackson will join Tyrrell Pigrome and Max Bortenschlager, both of whom have starts on their resumes, in the quarterback room for Locksley's Terrapins. Freshman Kasim Hill led the Terrapins in passing last year but was injured last November and has entered his name in the NCAA transfer portal in order to explore his own options. In addition to quarterbacks already on the roster, Maryland won a recruiting battle over Florida State for four-star class of 2019 quarterback Lance LeGendre.
