Inside The Bears

This sensational former Baylor commit to transfer from playoff team

This native of the Lone Star State was a former four-star prospect in the highly-competitive Texas high school ranks
Anthony Thomas|
Oct 19, 2024; Lubbock, Texas, USA; A general view of a Baylor Bears helmet on the sidelines before the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images
Oct 19, 2024; Lubbock, Texas, USA; A general view of a Baylor Bears helmet on the sidelines before the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images | Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

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The 2025 campaign was the curtain call for Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson, who leaves his legacy on the field of McLane Stadium ranked No. 4 on the school’s all-time passing list with 7,616 yards.

According to On3, one former Texas high school signal caller who took his talents to the Pacific Northwest as part of the 2023 class now is looking to play elsewhere and announced his intention to transfer: Oregon quarterback Austin Novosad.

A former four-star QB, according to 247 Sports, Novosad committed to Baylor out of Dripping Springs (TX) High School, but flipped his pledge to the Oregon Ducks at the last minute. In his senior year at Dripping Springs, Novosad led his team to a 12-2 record and a deep run in the Texas 6A playoffs. Novosad passed for over 9,000 yards and 115 touchdowns in his Texas prep career,

Sentenced to depth chart purgatory and stuck behind Bo Nix, Dillon Gabriel and now Dante Moore for the last three seasons, Novosad passed for just 99 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions in only seven games during his time with the Ducks. So, Novosad is looking to sling the old pigskin for someone else. That someone else could be the Baylor Bears.

Novosad could thrive in the Baylor offense under offensive coordinator Jake Spavital, as did Robertson when he transferred to Baylor from Mississippi State.

Head coach Dave Aranda and the Bears have no experience at quarterback going into the 2026 season, so Aranda and his staff need to be hyper-focused on recruiting and developing quarterback talent, both on the current roster and in the transfer portal.

Baylor signed one quarterback during the early signing period, 3-star prospect and Liberty Christian gunslinger Quinn Murphy. Murphy ranks third all-time in Texas high school football history with 168 career touchdown passes.

The portal opens on January 2 and will remain open until January 16.

Social media has shown the constant exodus of starters and backups flowing away from Baylor and into the portal, but as of this writing, none are suggesting a move toward playing for Baylor. That needs to change quickly.

The Baylor coaching staff should have their meeting rooms already set up like a war room on draft day, scouring the portal for quality football players that can help the Bears win football games. It all starts with the quarterback position.

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Anthony Thomas
ANTHONY THOMAS

Tony comes to On SI with six years of experience writing about sports online. His work has been published on such sites as The Gridiron News, Mike Farrell Sports, YardBarker, Athlon Sports and College Football Backers. Tony is a U.S. Air Force veteran and is a member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).

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