Washington backup quarterback Dylan Morris is transferring to James Madison, he told 247Sports. Morris will end a four-year career with the Huskies and JMU program, but not before he serves as the team's primary backup one last time in the College Football Playoff National Championship against Michigan.
Morris entered the transfer portal last month, but elected to stay with the Huskies through the remainder of the season to serve as a backup to star signal caller Michael Penix Jr. Morris is a former four-star prospect from the 2019 recruiting cycle. He ranked as the No. 3 overall player from the state of Washington.
After playing in four games his true freshman year, Morris earned the Huskies' full-time starting quarterback job in 2021. He was an honorable mention All Pac 12 selection after throwing for 2,458 yards and 15 touchdowns. Following the season, the Huskies hired Indiana offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer. DeBoer brought Penix -- his standout quarterback with the Hoosiers -- over with him.
Morris stayed on with the team after losing his job to Penix going into 2022. He served as the team's primary backup for two full seasons. Even after he decided to test the transfer portal waters earlier this month, he elected to remain with the team through bowl season, giving Washington an experienced backup for its College Football Playoff run.
"It (the decision to stay on through bowl season) was very mutual between me and the coaches," Morris told the Seattle Times. "They wanted me to stay, and I wanted to stay. It just comes back to the loyalty I have for these guys. I didn't want to be a distraction. I was very hesitant to get in the portal, honestly. I didn't know if I should wait until we're done playing. But with how things are moving, it's best for me to get into the portal and try to find somewhere new to play."
What it means for Washington
Yes, the Huskies certainly hope they won't have to use him in meaningful snaps, but Morris' presence on the sideline gives DeBoer and his staff an unbelievable luxury. In the transfer portal era, most teams fill out their quarterback depth chart with either journeymen career backups or young up-and-comers who have far more potential than experience. If needed, the Huskies can turn to an all-conference caliber backup who has a full season of Power Five football under his belt -- not to mention two full years of experience in DeBoer's system.
"Ever since we've been here, he (Morris) has been front and center," DeBoer said at a media availability prior to the Huskies' 37-31 win over Texas in the Sugar Bowl. "He's helped lead this team to where we are today. He's battled. Our entire team, our coaching staff absolutely loves him. We respect him with the utmost respect that you can have. I talked to the team a little bit when this was kind of going down, and every single guy on the team was nodding their head when I was sharing how we were going to approach this with Dylan. It's because we all love him. We know he loves us."
As for the future, this Monday marks the last ride for both Penix and Morris for the Huskies. Washington brought in former Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers to serve as the presumptive starter for a 2024 season that will serve as the beginning of a new era in more ways than one. The Huskies signed former four-star quarterback Austin Mack from the 2023 recruiting cycle after he reclassified up one year to join UW this past season.
