UConn Loses Talented QB to Transfer Portal
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The UConn Huskies' bleeding just doesn’t seem to come to a stop, even a month after Jim Mora’s departure to Colorado State. While Jason Candle is doing his best to do the damage repair, another brick has fallen.
Tucker McDonald's tenure at the University of Connecticut came to an end on December 30 as the redshirt freshman quarterback announced his decision to enter the transfer portal. 247Sports’ Allen Triu broke the news on X.
“UConn quarterback Tucker McDonald will enter the transfer portal. Redshirt freshman who will have at least three years of eligibility left.” Triu wrote.
UConn quarterback Tucker McDonald will enter the transfer portal.
— Allen Trieu (@AllenTrieu) December 30, 2025
Redshirt freshman who will have at least three years of eligibility left.https://t.co/DvU5snhSJh pic.twitter.com/FGO5QRAneo
A 6-foot-2, 200-pound dual-threat signal-caller from Holden, Massachusetts, McDonald committed to UConn on June 23, 2022, during his recruitment from Wachusett Regional High School, where he played under head coach Mike Dubzinski.
He will have at least three years of eligibility remaining. He is the third quarterback to leave the Huskies within weeks of the coaching change that has upended the entire roster.
After redshirting during his freshman season in 2023, McDonald appeared in limited action during his redshirt freshman campaign in 2024. He saw action in just two games that season, completing three of five passes for 20 yards while adding nine rushing yards across three carries.
Against Merrimack on September 7, he completed two passes for eight yards while rushing twice for nine yards. In the victory over Buffalo on September 28, he completed one pass for 12 yards.
The 2025 season proved particularly challenging for McDonald. A hand injury sidelined him for most of the campaign. He made two brief appearances, throwing for just 45 yards total, maintaining an extremely limited role in an offense dominated by senior Joe Fagnano, whose consensus All-American season was one of the most prolific in program history.
When the Fenway Bowl arrived in late December, McDonald remained unavailable due to the lingering hand injury.
UConn’s Misery After Jim Mora’s Exit
UConn faced significant roster changes in the month following Jim Mora’s departure to Colorado State, losing nine key players to the transfer portal and watching much of its 2026 recruiting class unravel.
Linebacker Oumar Diomande, the Huskies’ defensive anchor in 2025 with 111 tackles and five sacks, entered the portal on November 27. Defensive back Cam Chadwick followed on November 26 after leading the team with four interceptions and adding 63 tackles. Running back Victor Rosa, who finished his UConn career with 1,405 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns, also departed the same day.
Additional losses included wide receiver John Neider (24 catches, 395 yards, two touchdowns), running back MJ Flowers, cornerbacks Kolubah Pewee Jr. and Osiris Gilbert, defensive back Chris Hudson, and left tackle Ben Murawski. Murawski started all 12 games and ranked third nationally among run-blocking tackles with over 400 snaps.
Recruiting losses added to the damage. The Huskies lost eight commitments in the 2026 class, including quarterback Carter Emanuel and linebacker Westen Ard, who decommitted amid coaching uncertainty. Safety Kallen Martinez, Jayden Fox (UNLV), Quayd Hendryx (Minnesota), Jacquey Ferguson Jr., Javion Romer, and Cason Dash also reopened their recruitments.
Nishant is a sports writer with over four years of experience covering major leagues such as the NBA, NFL, and soccer. He has bylines in several reputable digital media platforms, including Sportskeeda, Athlon Sports, Pro Football & Sports Network, and PinkVilla. He's known for delivering insightful and engaging coverage on everything, turning game-day grit into punchy storytelling.