Eastern Washington quarterback Kekoa Visperas enters transfer portal
Eastern Washington’s offense thrived this season while rotating two – and sometimes even three – quarterbacks, as the Eagles were one of the most effective groups in the FCS.
Heading into this offseason, it was clear the trio would become a duo with the graduation of Michael Wortham.
But as of Monday, when the transfer portal opened, that trio’s down to one.
That’s when Kekoa Visperas, who started 21 games as EWU’s quarterback the last two seasons, announced his intention to transfer with one year of eligibility remaining.
The move leaves the Eagles with a new de facto starter in Jared Taylor, who became a battering ram in the team’s rushing attack. As a redshirt junior he ran 137 times for 708 yards, second-most on the team behind running back Tuna Altahir (who had 718 rushing yards), taking direct snaps and following blockers behind a senior-heavy offensive line.
Taylor wasn’t asked to throw the ball much, but he was effective when he did, completing 38 of 51 passes for 320 yards last season, throwing six touchdowns and one interception.
Still, the departure of Visperas leaves the Eagles with a considerable void in their passing attack – and even in the rushing game. Visperas completed 202 of 272 passing attempts last season, the best competition percentage (74.3) in the FCS. He threw 17 touchdowns and three interceptions while also rushing 95 times for 375 yards and nine touchdowns.
But Visperas’ 2,171 passing yards, while accrued efficiently, ranked sixth in the Big Sky, a reflection of the Eagles’ play-to-their-strengths approach under third-year offensive coordinator Jim Chapin.
The Eagles still return three other quarterbacks: Nate Bell and Aidan Carter were both redshirt freshmen last season, and Jake Schakel, a three-star recruit from Emerald Ridge High School who signed with the Eagles at this time last season, who redshirted in 2024.
Eastern also signed quarterback Anthony Quinones, a two-star high school recruit from Murrieta, California, in the draft class announced last week.
Visperas was joined in the portal on Monday by EWU tight end Jett Carpenter, wide receivers Marcellus Honeycutt Jr., Luke Womack and Jaylen Garrison, offensive lineman Bret Fullington, defensive end Anthony James II, linebacker Bishop Blakely and kickoff specialist Jackson Cleaver.
The departures of Carpenter and Cleaver are most immediately significant. Cleaver, who has one year of eligibility remaining, booted 37 touchbacks last season and succeeded on 1 of 3 surprise onside kick attempts. Carpenter has two years remaining and is coming off an eight-catch season; he was an honorable mention all-Big Sky selection.
Honeycutt just finished his redshirt freshman season, his second in Cheney; he never recorded a catch for the Eagles. Womack was coming off a true freshman season in which he redshirted. Garrison transferred to Eastern from Fresno City College last season but appeared in only one game this year.
Blakely was mainly a special teams contributor who appeared in six games over the last two seasons. James II, who transferred to EWU from the University of Washington during last offseason, never played a snap for the Eagles. Fullington, in three seasons in Cheney, appeared in two games.
Aside from Visperas, a couple other notable Big Sky quarterbacks entered the portal Monday as well. Logan Fife is leaving Montana after one year in Missoula with one year of eligibility remaining. He threw for 1,890 yards and 14 touchdowns while splitting snaps with Keali’i Ah Yat.
Richie Munoz is leaving Weber State after his sophomore season. He threw for 2,568 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2024 and still has two years left to play, plus a redshirt.
The transfer portal is open until Dec. 28.