Backup Washington State quarterback Xavier Ward enters NCAA transfer portal
Dec. 5—PULLMAN — Quarterback Xavier Ward, who served as Washington State's third-stringer this season after losing a position battle for the backup job, has entered the NCAA's transfer portal.
Ward announced his decision via Twitter on Saturday.
A second-year Coug, Ward competed with two other QBs — true freshmen John Mateer and Emmett Brown — during fall camp for the No. 2 role behind Cameron Ward, who locked up starting duties immediately after transferring in from Incarnate Word.
Brown fell out of the race after a couple of weeks. Mateer separated from Xavier Ward later in the preseason.
Mateer led a few possessions in the fourth quarter of the Cougars' blowout win over Stanford last month. Ward never saw the field at WSU.
Ward sustained a season-ending shoulder injury during the 2021 preseason. He came to WSU out of Roosevelt High (Eastvale, California) as a three-star recruit and the No. 17 pro-style QB in the country, according to Rivals.com.
