UCF signs former James Madison quarterback Alonza Barnett III
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UCF made its first big splash of the 2026 transfer window with the signing of former James Madison quarterback Alonza Barnett III.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel was the first to report the news, which the Sentinel later confirmed from a team source.
The 6-foot, 217-pound Barnett recently completed his fourth season with the Dukes, finishing with 5,433 total passing yards and 49 total touchdowns with 13 interceptions while adding 1,075 total rushing yards and 23 touchdowns.
He was named the 2025 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year after accounting for 3,395 yards of total offense and 38 total touchdowns. He also earned first-team honors for the first time in his career.
Barnett, 22, is the prototypical quarterback for coach Scott Frost and quarterbacks coach McKenzie Milton.
He’s a dual-threat option with tremendous speed and a quick-release that gives him the ability to make explosive plays in the passing game. Barnett led James Madison to a 21-6 record while also guiding the team to the College Football Playoff this season.
He finished 23 of 48 for 273 yards with 2 touchdowns, while also rushing for 45 yards and a score in a 51-34 loss at Oregon in the first round of the Playoffs.
UCF was in desperate need of an explosive playmaker at quarterback after the Knights finished last season ranked 10th out of 16 teams in the Big 12 in passing offense. Quarterbacks Tayven Jackson, Cam Fancher and Jacurri Brown all missed time with various injuries last year and eventually, all three players entered the transfer portal following this season.
That left redshirt sophomore Davi Belfort as the only returning quarterback on the roster.
The Knights signed a pair of 3-star quarterbacks in Rocco Marriott and Dante Carr as part of their 2026 recruiting class. Those players will join Belfort and Barnett to fill out the room in 2026.
Barnett was a 3-star prospect from Grimsley High School in Greensboro, N.C., when he signed with James Madison as part of its 2022 recruiting class. He was the No. 179 overall quarterback in the class according to 247Sports’ composite rankings.
It was a busy Sunday for UCF, with the Knights also signing Wayne State defensive back Kahmel Johnson.
Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com. Sign up for the Sentinel’s Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.
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