Oregon QB Austin Novosad Enters Transfer Portal After Tumultuous Run in Eugene
Austin Novosad’s time in Eugene has come to a close. The Oregon quarterback has officially entered the transfer portal, setting the stage for a fresh start after three seasons that never quite took off.
Once a highly touted four-star recruit, Novosad arrived at Oregon with high expectations. But his journey with the Ducks never gained the momentum many had hoped for.
After spending his first two seasons behind Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel-two seasoned veterans who had the starting job locked down-Novosad entered this past fall in a battle with Dante Moore for the top spot. That competition didn’t go his way.
Things went from tough to tougher. A lat injury in September sidelined Novosad, and he never made it back onto the field.
He finished the 2025 season with just two pass attempts. One of them, though, was a beauty-a 50-yard completion that served as a glimpse of the arm talent that once made him a coveted prospect.
Across his career with the Ducks, Novosad completed 12 of 15 passes for 99 yards.
Now, he enters the portal as a redshirt junior with two years of eligibility remaining. Depending on how the medical hardship waiver process plays out, he could even have three years left to play. That’s a significant runway for a quarterback still looking to prove himself at the college level.
His departure adds to a growing list of Oregon players opting to move on. Novosad becomes the eighth Duck to hit the portal this cycle, joining defensive backs Jahlil Florence, Dakoda Fields, Solomon Davis, Sione Laulea, and Kingston Lopa, wide receiver Justius Low, and offensive lineman Lipe Moala.
Head coach Dan Lanning has been vocal about the importance of patience during this time of year, especially with the Ducks still very much in the hunt for a national title. Oregon’s College Football Playoff journey officially kicks off on December 20th at Autzen Stadium, where they’ll host No. 12 seed James Madison in the opening round.
“The reality is, the portal opens in January. It doesn't open now,” Lanning said earlier this season. “You've got time to evaluate those options for you, and each person has to evaluate those options for themselves.”
Lanning’s comments reflect the new landscape of college football’s transfer rules. Under the updated NCAA guidelines, FBS and FCS players can officially enter the portal starting January 2 and have until January 16 to make their move. That’s a shift from previous years, when the window opened in early December and lasted 30 days.
Also gone is the spring window for graduate transfers, who must now follow the same 15-day window as everyone else. And when it comes to coaching changes, the rules have tightened there too-players now only get a 15-day window to transfer if a new coach is hired after January 2. These changes are aimed at bringing more structure and predictability to what has often been a chaotic portal season.
For Novosad, the next chapter begins now. While his Oregon career didn’t unfold the way anyone expected, the tools are still there. He’ll be one of the more intriguing quarterback names to watch as the portal opens in full next month.