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34-touchdown college football quarterback enters transfer portal

Rowan Fisher Shotton|
Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Old Dominion Monarchs quarterback Colton Joseph (1) warms up before the game at Lane Stadium.
Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Old Dominion Monarchs quarterback Colton Joseph (1) warms up before the game at Lane Stadium. | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

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Old Dominion Monarchs

Old Dominion's sophomore quarterback Colton Joseph ended the 2025 season with 2,624 passing yards and 21 passing touchdowns while piling up 1,007 rushing yards and 13 rushing scores, producing 34 total touchdowns and averaging roughly 302.6 yards of total offense per game. 

Those numbers made him one of the nation’s most efficient multi-dimensional playmakers and a centerpiece of Old Dominion’s 9-3 season (6-2 Sun Belt).

Now, the engine that powered the Monarch's offense to one of its most productive seasons since returning to the FBS ranks has informed programs he will enter the NCAA transfer portal, he told ESPN on Tuesday. 

Joseph leaves Norfolk with two seasons of eligibility remaining and a stat line that will draw Power-Conference attention. 

The Monarchs leaned into Joseph’s strengths all season, with designed quarterback runs, read-option schemes, and play-action passing that turned ODU into a balanced attack capable of beating both Sun Belt and Group of Five non-conference opponents.

Joseph delivered multiple 300-yard passing efforts and several 100-yard rushing games, highlighted by a 315-yard, four-touchdown showing against Coastal Carolina and a 329-yard performance (140 passing, 189 rushing) in the late-season win over Georgia Southern.

Old Dominion Monarchs quarterback Colton Joseph.
Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Old Dominion Monarchs quarterback Colton Joseph (1) throws a pass during the first quarter at Lane Stadium. | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

A three-star recruit out of Newport Harbor High School, Joseph completed 209-of-344 passes for 4,150 yards and a school record 41 touchdowns as a senior, along with 508 rushing yards and five rushing TDs.

He led Newport Harbor to an 8-5 record and a state playoff berth, earning first-team all-conference honors, a performance that led to a scholarship to Old Dominion in January 2023.

Joseph held just a handful of offers in high school, but with his combination of experience, production, and two years of eligibility, he should garner significant interest from schools seeking an immediate upgrade under center. 

Speculation around major ACC, SEC, and Big 12 programs has already emerged, but those conversations will firm up as the official portal window opens.

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Rowan Fisher
ROWAN FISHER SHOTTON

Rowan Fisher-Shotton is a versatile journalist known for sharp analysis, player-driven storytelling, and quick-turn coverage across CFB, CBB, the NBA, WNBA, and NFL. A Wilfrid Laurier alum and lifelong athlete, he’s written for FanSided, Pro Football Network, Athlon Sports, and Newsweek, tackling every beat with both a reporter’s edge and a player’s eye.

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