It’s hard to find anyone in college football history who had a better first play to start their career than Cooper Legas. The former Utah State quarterback threw an absolute dime to get his career started, and now he finds himself looking for a new home after entering the transfer portal during the spring window.
Where could Legas be playing college football in 2024?
Landing Spots for Cooper Legas
Legas has appealing arm talent, but he’s looking to start immediately, significantly reducing his options. While the list of programs still looking for a starter isn’t long, he’ll have a few schools close to home that will give him a shot. Where are the top landing spots for the former Utah State quarterback?
BYU Cougars
Kedon Slovis departs for the NFL, and the Cougars offense needs a jolt in their passing attack. They finished 92nd last year and don’t have any proven options waiting in line.
They already added Gerry Bohanon and Treyson Bourguet to challenge Jake Retzlaff, and Legas would add an elevated element to that competition.
The Cougars faced Legas in 2022, where he threw for 188 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 52 yards and another score. The former Aggie would give them a big arm who can stretch the field, but he needs to stay healthy and have options downfield.
Last year, he threw for 1,815 yards and 19 touchdowns in just nine games, and a healthy Legas would upgrade the Cougars’ offense in 2024.
Oregon State Beavers
Trent Bray inherits a tough challenge by taking over the Oregon State Beavers program. Not only is he a first-time college football head coach, but he must also navigate an uncertain conference future while trying to find a new starting quarterback.
Legas brings multiple years of experience with him, something the Beavers’ other options at the position don’t possess. He should fit well in the new system, and Legas gives them an edge because he’ll be familiar with many of the Mountain West teams that the Beavers face this year.
UNLV Rebels
Jayden Maiava’s departure put the UNLV Rebels in the quarterback market, and they grabbed former Holy Cross standout Matt Sluka despite many expecting him to follow his former head coach to the James Madison Dukes.
Legas would join the Rebels to compete with Sluka and Doug Brumfield for the starting spot. Brumfield was the starter before an injury thrust Maiava into the starting role, so it might be tough for Legas to overthrow him or Sluka.
That said, both options on the Rebels roster have question marks, and this is still a great fit for Legas’ arm. He could work under offensive coordinator Brennan Marion, a rising star in the coaching world, and would run an explosive offense. He’d also throw to one of the best receivers in the country, Ricky White.
Washington State Cougars
Again, Legas’ familiarity with Washington State’s Mountain West opponents this year could prove to be valuable. He’d just have to condition his arm to throw the ball a lot more than usual.
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Former Cougars quarterback Cam Ward threw 485 times last season, while Legas only has 454 attempts in his entire career.
UCLA Bruins
Ethan Garbers is penciled in as the starter at UCLA, but that doesn’t mean DeShaun Foster isn’t looking to add competition. Former NFL offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy takes over the Bruins offense, so Legas learning from someone with that experience should be a bonus.
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