After electing to transfer to Arkansas for a season, Jacolby Criswell found his way back to Chapel Hill.
While he transferred back with the intention of competing for the starting quarterback job, Criswell ended up being the third-string quarterback on opening night. However, that role didn't last long, as Max Johnson suffered a season-ending injury in the Tar Heels first game, thrusting Conner Harrell into the mix.
Harrell struggled, leading Mack Brown to turn to the veteran Criswell. He would hold on to the job, finishing the season with 2,459 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Unfortunately, his season ended early in the Fenway Bowl as he suffered an injury that kept him from returning to the game.
Now, with the coaching change in Chapel Hill, Criswell is once again entering the NCAA transfer portal.
Veteran UNC/Arkansas QB Jacolby Criswell tells ESPN he’s entering the NCAA transfer portal. He’s started 10 games over his two different stints at UNC. He’ll have one year of eligibility remaining. pic.twitter.com/35mg9KN4mY
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 15, 2025
With Bill Belichick bringing in a Class of 2025 quarterback in Bryce Baker and a transfer quarterback from Purdue in Ryan Browne, the team's depth chart was expected to look a lot different next season. Harrell was the first to depart, committing to Charlotte, while Criswell now makes it two signal-callers to leave Chapel Hill this offseason.
Make no mistake: Criswell was thrown into a tough situation and for the most part did a solid job of leading the UNC football program's offense. Seeing that playing time was likely not in the cards moving forward, Criswell is heading elsewhere to finish out his collegiate career.