One of the quarterbacks competing for the starting job in West Lafayette will no longer be in the running. Redshirt freshman quarterback EJ Colson intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal, a source confirmed to Boiler Upload.

Colson came to Purdue this off-season after spending one year at UCF. As a redshirt-freshman under Darin Hinshaw with the Knights, Colson played in two games, completing 56% of his passes for 64 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Colson then followed his offensive coordinator from Central Florida to West Lafayette and was in competition to become the Boilermakers' QB1 this spring.

Purdue now sees one of its four contenders for that role hit the portal, which leaves Malachi Singleton, Evans Chuba, Bennett Meredith, and true freshman Garyt Odom as the four scholarship quarterbacks on the roster at this time. The former two in that quartet joined the program through the portal in December, just as Colson did, but remain on the roster for the time being.

Colson's departure now opens the door for Purdue to bring in another signal caller via the transfer portal during the spring window, as Barry Odom and offensive coordinator Josh Henson search for answers at the position. That addition could be North Carolina transfer Ryan Browne, who will be on campus for a visit today.

The former three-star recruit out of high school will now be searching for his third school in the span of five months, having four years of eligibility remaining.