Former Arizona Wildcats dual-threat quarterback Brandon Dawkins will transfer to Indiana, per ESPN's Adam Rittenberg.
Dawkins became a graduate transfer after the 2017 season, and selected the Hoosiers after visiting Florida Atlantic over the weekend. He will be eligible to play immediately, but only for the 2018 season.ย
"I didn't see a better fit for me," Dawkins told ESPN. " I could have committed there two weeks ago. There were other schools, but at the end of the day, Indiana definitely showed that they're interested and they wanted me, they made that clear and apparent. I really respect that about them. They weren't going to dance around. They genuinely wanted me."
Dawkins was Arizona's starting quarterback for 10 games in the 2016 season after then-starter Anu Solomon sustained a knee injury during practice in Week 2. The only other game Dawkins missed in 2016 was the USC home game.
In 2017, Solomon transferred to Baylor and Dawkins won the starting role over Khalil Tate. He played the entire nonconference slate and Arizona's Pac-12 opening loss to Utah. The following week against Colorado, Dawkins took a late hit on the sidelines and left the game with an injury. Tate was installed into the offense, and set the single-game rushing record for a quarterback in FBS history with 327 yards.ย
Dawkins played in his last game as a Wildcat against rival Arizona State in 2017, leading a second-half comeback which ultimately came up short. Dawkins went 4 of 8 passing for 62 yards along with 72 rushing yards and a touchdown. For his career: 2,418 passing yards, 1,512 rushing yards, 12 interceptions and 32 all-purpose touchdowns.ย
Dawkins transfers to an Indiana team that finished 12th in the Big Ten in rushing, but third in the conference in passing. Dawkins will again have to compete for the starting position. This time with redshirt sophomore Peyton Ramsey, who threw for 1,252 yards in eight games for the Hoosiers.ย
His new offensive coordinator will be Mike DeBord, a former Michigan offensive coordinator in the late '90s.ย
"Coach DeBord, some of the quarterbacks he's had, he had Tom Brady, Brian Griese, just to name a few," Dawkins said. "Everything's there from a mental standpoint. I know I'm not going to be able to walk in and start, but i'm fired up to get in a new competition with a new group of guys.ย I'm fired up to learn a new offense and go win some games."
