Troy transfer QB Matthew Caldwell signs with Texas Longhorns

Former Troy quarterback Matthew Caldwell has committed to Texas via the NCAA Transfer Portal. He was the No. 246 quarterback in On3’s 2025 Transfer Player Rankings.

Caldwell transferred to Troy last season after spending two years at Gardner-Webb. He played his true freshman season at Jacksonville State.

In the 2024 campaign, Caldwell started the final five games of the season. He completed 63.2% of his pass attempts for 1,608 yards and 13 touchdowns compared to eight interceptions. He also recorded five rushing TDs.

Caldwell was named the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week and Manning Star of the Week for his performance in Troy’s 28-20 win over Georgia Southern. In the victory, he completed 26-of-32 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns while tallying two scores in the ground game as well.

In his two seasons at Gardner-Webb, Caldwell served as a backup, completing 114-of-183 passes for 1,083 yards and six touchdowns. He played in just three games at Jacksonville State before ultimately redshirting. He has one year of eligibility remaining.

Matthew Caldwell is the 11th player Texas has added via the NCAA Transfer Portal this offseason. In contrast, the Longhorns have lost 16 players to the portal. Texas is currently ranked No. 16 in On3’s 2025 Team Transfer Portal Rankings.

Caldwell will be a quality backup for Arch Manning this season. While Caldwell could ultimately find some playing time for the Longhorns, he shouldn’t expect to swipe the QB1 title from the budding star. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian hasn’t hesitated to shower Manning with praise.

“I’m excited for him,” Sarkisian said on the Clean Pocket podcast. “He’s been patient. How many people have come after him from other schools to get him to transfer? He’s stayed the course and stayed true to his word, so we’re pumped about him.

“… This guy has got a charismatic, some ‘it’ about him,” Sarkisian added. “You can feel it. That’s not a knock against Quinn. Everybody leads differently. He’s got something about him that guys gravitate to. That’s always a great thing to have as a quarterback.”

Texas is coming off a 13-3 season. The Longhorns advanced to the College Football Playoff semifinals for the second consecutive season before falling to Ohio State.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.