Former 5-Star Quarterback Is Transferring To Clemson

Hunter Johnson in the pocket to throw for Northwestern football.
Hunter Johnson in the pocket to throw for Northwestern football.

Who says you can’t go home? Northwestern quarterback transfer Hunter Johnson is heading back to where he began his college career five years ago.

Johnson will transfer to Clemson, 247Sports’ Steve Wiltfong reported on Monday. The former five-star recruit spent his freshman year at Clemson in 2017 before transferring to Northwestern.

After sitting out the 2018 campaign as a redshirt, Johnson appeared in 11 games over the next three seasons. A team captain in 2021, he finished his Wildcat tenure with 856 passing yards, five touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Johnson told Wiltfong he originally reached out to Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney to see if he had any grad assistant spots open. It was then that Swinney asked if Johnson had an extra year of eligibility left and would he like to use it with the Tigers.

“It was pretty exciting and I took a day or so to think over things and it felt like it was a great situation for me and [my girlfriend] all around and just being able to go finish my sixth year and play at a place I’ve grown to love over the years and be part of the room,” Johnson said. “That’s what he [Swinney] told me, he wants to have somebody in the room who’s older who’s had some experience in college football and the fact I already been there and been in the system and know the system helps even more. He thought it would be a really really cool situation.”

In his lone season at Clemson in 2017, Johnson backed up Kelly Bryant, along with Zerrick Cooper. He appeared in seven games, completing 21-of-27 passes for 234 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

Now, Johnson will be part of a quarterback group that includes incumbent starter D.J. Uiagalelei, five-star incoming freshman Cade Klubnik and walk-on Hunter Helms, who has played sparingly the last two seasons.

The post Former 5-Star Quarterback Is Transferring To Clemson appeared first on The Spun.

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