James Madison QB Alonza Barnett III commits to transfer to UCF

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James Madison Dukes quarterback Alonza Barnett III has committed to transfer to the UCF Knights, On3’s Pete Nakos confirms. This comes on the heels of Barnett taking James Madison to the College Football Playoff in 2025.

Alonza Barnett III played his high school football at Grimsley in Greensboro, North Carolina. There, he was a three-star recruit in the Class of 2022. He had been the 1,786th-ranked recruit overall and the 116th-ranked quarterback in that cycle. He would choose to go to James Madison over Old Dominion and Georgia State, among others.

At the time Barnett first got to James Madison, the Dukes were coached by Curt Cignetti. He was replaced by Bob Chesney ahead of the 2024 season after leaving for Indiana. Now, James Madison is set to undergo another coaching change, with Billy Napier replacing Chesney after he moved on to take the UCLA job.

There had been some thought that Barnett could follow Chesney to UCLA. That didn’t happen, though, with the Bruins re-signing starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava.

In 2022, Barnett appeared in two games. In the process, he would use his redshirt and the year did not count toward his eligibility. By 2023, he would add his first start, but still only played in two total games. Then, in 2024, he would break out as the full-time starter at James Madison. A season later, in 2025, the honors began rolling in. Barnett was named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and First-Team All-Sun Belt quarterback. In the process, he helped James Madison win the Sun Belt and make the College Football Playoff field.

For his career, Alonza Barnett III has completed 58.8 percent of his passes for 5,433 yards and 49 touchdowns to 13 interceptions. A dual-threat, Barnett has plenty of ability to run the ball. In 30 games, he has 1,075 yards and another23 touchdowns on the ground.

UCF, meanwhile, is coming off its second season in a row missing a bowl game. This comes as the program is looking to get its footing in the Big 12.

UCF head coach Scott Frost was hired going into the 2025 season for his second stint with the program. In his previous tenure, he had led the Knights to new heights for the program. That didn’t happen in his first year back, though, going 5-7. A major reason for those issues, of course, comes down to quarterback issues. Cam Fancher and Tayven Jackson were the team’s primary starters throughout the season. Meanwhile, Davi Belfort and Jacurri Brown also saw action for UCF.

Now, Fancher, Jackson, and Brown have all entered the Transfer Portal. This is just part of what is looking like a very active offseason in the Transfer Portal for Scott Frost. 29 players have already hit the portal for the Knights. At least it looks like the Knights have their quarterback for 2026 in Alonza Barnett III.

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