Former 5-Star QB Recruit’s Shocking Exit from South Carolina Sends Ripples Through SEC—Why Memphis Was the Unexpected Destination

Isn’t it wild how the transfer portal has become the ultimate game of musical chairs in college football? South Carolina’s Shane Beamer just saw Air Noland—once a highly-touted QB recruit—jet out the door after barely scratching the surface behind the Gamecocks’ depth chart. This guy’s journey from Ohio State’s crowded QB room, to a backup role in South Carolina, and now a fresh start at Memphis, has me wondering: will Memphis finally unlock the potential that’s left folks drooling since his Elite 11 days? At 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, with a gaudy high school resume, Noland could be the missing piece as Charles Huff gears up to rebrand the Tigers as serious Group of Five contenders. With Memphis shaking things up post-Silverfield, Air might just find himself the odds-on starter—and suddenly, the transfer portal’s latest scoop feels like a blockbuster in the making. LEARN MORE

The South Carolina football program and head coach Shane Beamer lost an intriguing quarterback to the transfer portal after he arrived from Ohio State. Air Noland has transferred for a second time from South Carolina after he transferred out of a crowded quarterback room at Ohio State. Noland has committed to Memphis from the transfer portal.

CBS Sports college football reporters Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer were among the first to report on the news that Noland is heading to Memphis. It immediately makes the Tigers one of the more intriguing teams in the Group of Five. The pickup is a major splash for head coach Charles Huff and signals that the Tigers mean business as a Group of Five contender.

Zenitz posted on X: “Memphis has signed ex-South Carolina and Ohio State QB Air Noland, @chris_hummer and I have learned. Former top recruit.”

Noland originally signed with Ohio State out of high school as a four-star recruit. However, due to a crowded quarterback room in 2024, he did not see any playing time. That led him to transfer to South Carolina for the following season. Then, with the Gamecocks, Noland sat behind LaNorris Sellers as the backup and barely saw playing time. When he got in, he went 2-of-3 for 13 passing yards.

The Georgia native has excellent physical tools, which have analysts loving his potential. He is 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 225 pounds. In high school, Noland was also an Elite 11 finalist, and he played in the 2024 All-American Bowl in San Antonio. He threw for 10,000 yards and 100 touchdowns, including 4,095 and 55 TDs as a junior in 2022. He led Langston Hughes to a 15-0 record and the Georgia Class 6-A state championship in 2022.

The Tigers are rebuilding on their own, with Huff being hired to replace Ryan Silverfield after Arkansas hired him away. Noland comes in and should be the odds-on favorite to start for the Tigers right away. Memphis also lost AJ Hill to the transfer portal after he followed Silverfield from Memphis to Arkansas. He has a chance to be a key player right away.

The post South Carolina football lost a former 5-star QB recruit to Memphis in transfer portal appeared first on ClutchPoints.