UCF Transfer QB/WR Joey Gatewood Commits to Louisville
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville football program has landed another offensive talent from out of the transfer portal.
Joey Gatewood, a quarterback who spent the last two seasons of his collegiate career with UCF, announced Monday that he has committed to play his final season of collegiate eligibility with the Cardinals. According to 247Sports' Jody Demling, Gatewood is expected to "play a tight end role" for Louisville.
Louisville will be the fourth stop for Gatewood. The Jacksonville, Fla. native spent the first two seasons of his career at Auburn, followed by a one-year stint at Kentucky. He spent his first season at UCF as a quarterback, but made the transition to wide receiver in the 2022 offseason. He didn't log a single snap last season, and eventually entered the portal this past December.
Coming out of high school as the No. 1 athlete and No. 49 overall prospect in the Class of 2018, the 6-foot-5, 220-pound pass catcher was mostly a reserve during his time as a quarterback. In 24 career games, he is 24-for-51 for 180 yards and three touchdown, along with 85 rushes for 390 yards and four scores. In the lone start of his career, coming against Georgia on Halloween of 2020 while at Kentucky, he went 15-for-25 for 91 yards, with 23 rushing yards on 16 attempts.
At the bare minimum, Gatewood at least adds depth to the tight end room. With Marshon Ford graduating, Francis Sherman and Dez Melton entering the portal plus Vic Mullen medically retiring, the only scholarship returners are Duane Martin and Nate Kurisky. True freshman Jamari Johnson is the only other scholarship tight end currently on the roster.
Louisville has been incredibly active in the transfer portal since head coach Jeff Brohm was hired in December. While the Cardinals have lost 21 players via the portal since the end of the 2022 regular season, Gatewood is now the 23rd to transfer in over the offseason, and the ninth since spring ball ended.
The Cardinals finished their 2022 season with an overall mark of 8-5 (4-4 in ACC), including a 24-7 win in the Fenway Bowl over Cincinnati. They'll kick off their 2023 season against Georgia Tech in the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. on Friday, Sept. 1.
(Photo of Joey Gatewood: Mike Watters - USA TODAY Sports)
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