Florida State quarterback Tate Rodemaker, who took over as the team’s starting QB after Jordan Travis’ season-ending injury, has informed the Seminoles’ staff that he plans to enter the transfer portal, a source close to the family tells 247Sports.
Rodemaker won’t be playing in FSU’s Orange Bowl matchup against Georgia.
The decision comes with the Seminoles in pursuit of adding a transfer quarterback. FSU recently hosted Washington State transfer Cam Ward and Oregon State transfer DJ Uiagalelei for visits.
“This decision to enter the portal was incredibly difficult,” the source close to the family told 247Sports. “However, with the unforgiving nature of the calendar relative to transfer portal players and bowl games and limited opportunities remaining for transfer quarterbacks, the family felt this move was in Tate’s best interest. Florida State has quite publicly recruited multiple quarterbacks in this transfer cycle, so Tate and his family reluctantly came to the decision that now was the time to move on.”
Rodemaker helped the Seminoles beat Florida in their regular season finale before missing the ACC championship game due to an injury.
Last year, Rodemaker threw two touchdown passes in leading FSU to a comeback victory over Louisville after stepping in for an injured Travis.
With Rodemaker not playing, Florida State is expected to lean on four-star freshman Brock Glenn against Georgia. In his one career start thus far, Glenn was 8 of 21 for 55 yards during FSU’s 16-6 win over Louisville in the ACC title game.
What is the NCAA transfer portal?
The portal is an online database that players will enter their name into if they decide to pursue a transfer. Players notify their current school’s compliance office that they wish to put their name into the portal — typically, players’ names show up within 48 hours. Coaches have access to the database and can contact any player who has entered.
Check out 247Sports’ ranking of the top college football transfers.
When will the transfer portal open?
Technically, players can enter the portal at any time. But unless they do so within their sport’s official “windows,” they will have to sit out one season. College football has two windows: one following the regular season and one following spring practice. The fall portal window opens Dec. 3, one day after conference championship games. It will remain open for 30 days, closing at the end of the day on Jan. 2, 2024. Players who compete in a postseason contest (the CFB Playoff or a bowl game) will be given an additional five-day window to transfer after their final contest.
Prior to this school year, players had 45 days to enter their name in the portal following the end of the regular season. The NCAA amended that rule this fall, cutting down the window to 30 days.
Is a player forced to leave his school after entering the portal?
No. In fact, players sometimes withdraw their names from the portal and end up staying with their respective programs.
Oftentimes, however, the decision to enter the portal comes with some amount of displeasure on either the player’s side or the program’s side. Most players who enter the portal do not return to their previous school, and they’re often removed from the team immediately upon entering.
