SEATTLE — The Washington Huskies are losing another talented player to the transfer portal.
Quarterback Sam Huard said he is entering the portal, calling it a tough decision but one he felt like he had to make in an effort to gain more playing time.
Huard held an impromptu press conference Tuesday, saying he made his decision two nights ago.
"I was definitely back and forth," said Huard. "I tried to take the emotion side out of it and just look at it from a business standpoint and just kind of feeling what I have to do, what's best for me and my life right now and for my future in college football."
Huard appeared in five games during his two years with the Huskies, completing 24 of 44 passes for 265 yards and a touchdown. With Michael Penix Junior coming back next season, Huard would have likely had to wait at least one more season to get a shot at the starting job. Huard said that was a key factor in his decision.
"I know how big he is for this program and how great of a player he is," said Huard. "He'll be the starter next year. It's his team right now."
Huard realizes he's leaving a strong program with one of the best offenses in the country. He said he learned a lot since DeBoer and his coaching staff took over.
"I think that was the hardest part about it. I know I'm in a great situation right now with great players and great coaches around me," said Huard. "Coach (Ryan) Grubb really pushed me and helped me develop, but given the circumstances and where I'm at right now, the most important thing for me is to find an opportunity for me to go compete and play, wherever that may be.
"Coach DeBoer and coach Grubb really spent a lot of time with me these last couple of weeks. We've had multiple meetings and throughout all of it, they were just extremely supportive. You know, they get the situation and how much this place means to me, but they also know how bad I want to play right now. I can't thank them enough for all their support. That's what I really appreciate about them, how much they care about all the guys on the team, not just me. They really want what's best for us. It definitely meant the world to me."
Huard was a five-star recruit coming out of Kennedy Catholic High School. At 6 feet 2 inches tall and 195 pounds, he has all the tools to become a productive quarterback at the highest level, but he admits he's entering a great unknown.
"There's a lot of schools out there, but it's kind of late in the portal process," Huard said. "A lot of quarterbacks have gotten in the portal and found new spots, so there's a lot of schools that already have their guy right now. Ultimately, I'm just going to look at it as what's the best situation for me right now. I don't care what level it is right now, I just want to find the best spot for me to have an opportunity to compete, go play and grow as a football player and a person."
Huard's dad, Damon, built his own legacy at Washington in the early 90s, leading the Huskies to one of the most notable victories in program history when they snapped Miami's 58-game home winning streak. Sam asked his dad for advice on his decision to transfer.
"He said, we didn't have a transfer portal back in those days. We just had to tough it out."
Either way, Huard is thankful for all the support he's received from family and friends.
"It means the world to me, just to know how many people I'm blessed to have around me supporting me throughout this process.
"College football is not easy, especially at the quarterback position. Going through this process has been a grind and there's been a lot of adversity. I've grown a lot these past few years. There's no way I could have gone through this process by myself, and I'm just very blessed to have not just my family, but so many people in support of me and helping me make some big decisions such as this one."