Big Ten Football: 3 impactful transfers to know in 2023

The past two offseasons have been a whirlwind in Big Ten football.

When it comes to transferring, most student-athletes know midway through the season if they plan on leaving the program. Some transfer for a better opportunity to play, some transfer for a coaching change, and some transfer for more visibility, but when impact players transfer after making a huge impact on their previous program, that’s when fans start to scratch their heads and get in an uproar over the transfer rules.

High school recruiting is also affected by the transfer rules. For example, you’re a five-star running back, and you commit to a school wanting to make an instant impact as a freshman, then unexpectedly, you hear “Saquon Barkley” is transferring from Penn State to the school you committed to because of a coaching change. With transfers being eligible immediately, you’re more than likely not going to make the impact you’re hoping for. Now you have to open your recruitment back up and reengage all the coaches you said “no” to.

There are pros and cons to the transfer rules. In the Big Ten, there are a few teams who hope the transfer rules fall in their favor.

Here are a few impact Big Ten football transfers that you should know.

Quarterbacks and Wisconsin don’t typically go together unless you are talking about the Green Bay Packers. For Wisconsin’s only FBS college team, the Badgers now have their quarterback in SMU transfer Tanner Mordecai, Wisconsin’s best transfer since Russell Wilson.

Big Ten fans aren’t familiar with the 6-foot-2, 215-pound gunslinger, but if he duplicates his 2022 success, throwing for 3,524 yards and 33 touchdowns, he’ll be known throughout the country.

Wisconsin, with its potent rushing game and stout defense, would compete with the likes of Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan this season.