The 2026 HBCU football season has offered an interesting reminder of how much a quarterback can change a program’s fortunes.

Several teams entered the season facing significant questions under center after losing their starting quarterbacks from a year ago. Some found answers through returning players, others turned to the transfer portal, and a few are still trying to figure out the right combination.

Let’s take a look at some specific cases.

Johnson C. Smith

Out: Andrew Attmore II
In: Parker McQuarrie (New Haven) and Damien Mazil (Wagner)

Johnson C. Smith entered the offseason with significant changes coming to its quarterback room. Attmore and Floyd both departed after a competitive spring, leaving coach Maurice Flowers with the task of rebuilding the position group.

The Golden Bulls responded by adding McQuarrie, a former four-star recruit who spent two seasons at UCLA before continuing his career at Independence Community College and New Haven. They also brought in Mazil, who previously started at Wagner.

McQuarrie initially won the starting job, but the competition wasn’t necessarily over. He opened the season against Benedict before Mazil eventually emerged as the primary starter.

Through nine games, Mazil had completed 106 of 176 passes for 1,691 yards, 16 touchdowns and three interceptions. McQuarrie contributed 149 passing yards and a touchdown in seven appearances.

The transition has worked out well for the Golden Bulls, who entered November with a 7-2 overall record and a 6-1 mark in CIAA play.

Johnson C. Smith’s experience shows how a program can use the transfer portal to rebuild its quarterback room without sacrificing its championship ambitions.

North Carolina Central

Out: Walker Harris
In: Joshua Jones, Nelson Layne and Cobey Thompkins

North Carolina Central entered the season with one of the biggest quarterback questions in the MEAC.

The Eagles were replacing Walker Harris, who was the MEAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2025 and faced the challenge of finding a new offensive leader while also replacing several other key contributors. Coach Trei Oliver had three quarterbacks competing for the job entering the season: Jones, Layne and Thompkins.

The competition has continued into the regular season.

Layne has received the most opportunities, completing 83 of 134 passes for 836 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions through eight appearances. Thompkins has added 427 yards and three touchdowns, while Jones has thrown for 285 yards and two touchdowns.

North Carolina Central entered November at 4-5 overall, although the Eagles remain unbeaten in MEAC play at 2-0.

The situation illustrates how difficult it can be to replace an established quarterback, but that hasn’t hurt the Eagles in MEAC play so far.

Prairie View A&M

Out: Cam Peters
In: Tevin Carter

Replacing a quarterback who helped deliver a conference championship is never easy.

Prairie View A&M found that out after Peters departed following the Panthers’ 2025 SWAC championship season. Peters was a key part of the program’s success, leaving coach Tremaine Jackson with an important decision heading into 2026.

Tevin Carter entered the season with an advantage because he had already started games within the program. He went 2-1 in relief of Peters last season.

The Panthers also brought in additional competition, including Smith and Brown, as Jackson evaluated his options.

Carter ultimately won the job and has remained the primary quarterback.

Through nine games, he had completed 152 of 233 passes for 1,516 yards, 13 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also contributed 455 rushing yards and six touchdowns.

There have been encouraging moments. Carter threw for 309 yards and a TD versus Tarleton State, four TDs versus Texas Southern accounted for four scores versus Alcorn State, demonstrating the kind of playmaking ability Prairie View needs from its quarterback. But there also has been lows, too in subpar performances against Southern, Mississippi Valley State and Stephen F. Austin.

Carter has shown that he can be a productive quarterback, and how he plays will determine whether Prairie View returns to the top of the SWAC.

South Carolina State

Out: Billy Atkins
In: Keely Watson

South Carolina State might have provided the best example of how to successfully replace a championship-winning quarterback.

Atkins entered the transfer portal after leading the Bulldogs to the 2025 MEAC championship and Celebration Bowl title. His departure created a significant vacancy for a program that had established itself as one of the top teams in HBCU football.

Watson has made the transition look relatively seamless.

The senior quarterback entered November with 1,647 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and just three interceptions. He had completed nearly 65 percent of his passes through nine games.

His performance against Morgan State on Oct. 29 was particularly impressive. Watson completed 27 of 36 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns without an interception in a 51-10 victory.

Robinson has also provided depth, throwing for 502 yards and three touchdowns.

The results speak for themselves. South Carolina State entered November with a 7-2 record, including a perfect 2-0 mark in MEAC play.

The Bulldogs are averaging 42 points per game and have continued to look like a legitimate contender for another conference championship.

Losing Atkins could have created a roster hole. Instead, Watson has helped keep South Carolina State’s championship window wide open.

Texas Southern

Out: KJ Cooper
In: Cam’Ron McCoy

Texas Southern entered the season looking for a new offensive identity and added McCoy, who previously played at Jackson State and Southern.

The experienced quarterback gave coach Cris Dishman another option as the Tigers attempted to improve their offensive production.

McCoy has had some encouraging performances, including a 319-yard outing against Alcorn State on Sept. 26. He also has demonstrated his ability to contribute as a runner as evidenced by his game-winning overtime scramble score to beat Grambling State.

Through eight games, McCoy had completed 92 of 166 passes for 1,264 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions. He had also rushed for 258 yards and five touchdowns.

However, the Tigers entered November at 3-5 overall and 2-3 in SWAC play, but still with a shot to win the SWAC West.

His experience in the SWAC should be valuable as the Tigers play for something down the strength.

Florida A&M

Out: Isaiah Knowles (season-ending thumb injury)
In: Armond Parker (third-string quarterback to starter)

Florida A&M’s quarterback situation took an unexpected turn before the Rattlers could get their season rolling. Isaiah Knowles, who transferred from Albany State and was named the team’s starting quarterback in August, suffered a season-ending thumb injury during the Orange Blossom Classic against South Carolina State on Sept. 6. Knowles was sidelined after completing 7 of 22 passes for 94 yards in the loss.

The injury opened the door for Dustin Fletcher, but his time as the starter was short-lived. After Fletcher was also injured, true freshman Armond Parker got his opportunity. Parker had opened the season third on the depth chart, but by Sept. 26, he was named the starter for the Rattlers’ SWAC opener against Alabama A&M.

Parker made the most of the opportunity, emerging as Florida A&M’s leading passer. Through six appearances in the available season statistics, he completed 80 of 142 passes for 1,244 yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Knowles finished with 284 passing yards, one touchdown and no interceptions in three appearances.

What began as a season built around a veteran transfer became a story of a freshman forced into the spotlight.