Former Auburn, Kentucky QB Joey Gatewood likely transferring to UCF

Gus Malzahn could soon be reuniting with one of his former Auburn quarterbacks.

Sources tell On3 that UCF has emerged as the likely landing spot for Joey Gatewood, the ex-Auburn and Kentucky quarterback who entered the NCAA transfer portal on Monday.

In addition to the connection with Malzahn and others on the UCF staff, it would also represent a return for Gatewood to his home state of Florida. He grew up about two hours away in Jacksonville.

Gatewood started one game for Kentucky last season (during the team’s loss to highly ranked Georgia) but the Wildcats recently named Penn State transfer Will Levis as their starting QB for 2021.

A former top-50 overall, Gatewood was the top-ranked player in Malzahn’s 2018 recruiting class at Auburn. He was Bo Nix’s backup in 2019 prior to leaving the program and transferring to Kentucky.

Gatewood, who still has three years of eligibility remaining, would be the fifth ex-Auburn player to transfer to UCF since the hire of Malzahn in February. Defensive lineman Big Kat Bryant, wide receiver Nate Craig-Myers, cornerback Marco Domio and running back Mark-Antony Richards are the former Auburn players who have already joined the Knights roster.