Louisville QB Will Gardner decides to transfer
Will Gardner is leaving Louisville.
Gardner was the Cardinals’ starting quarterback for much of the 2014 season, but after not playing at all in 2015, his father told The Courier-Journal that Gardner is moving on.
“He’s just looking for a new home for next year, a new place to play,” Glenn Gardner told the paper. “He’s just going to transfer, going to move on in life.”
Gardner is scheduled to graduate on Dec. 18, his father said, so he will pursue a graduate transfer at the FBS level, meaning he won’t have to sit out for a season.
Gardner, a redshirt junior, started seven games for the Cardinals in 2014 before going down with an ACL tear – the third of his football career dating back to high school. In that season he threw for 1,669 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions while completing 58 percent of his passes.
Gardner previously served as Teddy Bridgewater’s backup in 2013 and redshirted the 2012 season while rehabbing a previous ACL injury.
Three different quarterbacks – freshman Lamar Jackson and sophomores Kyle Bolin and Reggie Bonnafon – saw action in 2015 for the Cardinals ahead of Gardner. With all three expected to return (though Bonnafon was moved to running back late in the season), the position would be crowded again, so Gardner decided to pursue another opportunity.
Glenn Gardner said his son has no preference about where he may transfer. He also said Will is “100 percent” health-wise.
Louisville shook off a 2-4 start and won five of its last six games to finish 7-5 headed into a bowl game.
For more Louisville news, visit CardinalSports.com.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
