Official: Oklahoma QB Enters Transfer Portal

Micah Bowens transferred after redshirting at Penn State, but he could never break into the Sooners' two-deep.

Oklahoma’s quarterback room got a little thinner on Tuesday.

Micah Bowens, who transferred to OU two years ago after redshirting at Penn State, reportedly has entered the transfer portal.

Crimson and cream forever…thank you. I will be entering the portal as a graduate transfer with 3 years if eligibility. pic.twitter.com/348mkzaarZ

— Micah Bowens II (@micah_bowens) January 24, 2023

Bowens posted his announcement on Twitter. The news was first reported by On3.

"The last two years of my life have been so amazing because of the people I met, relationships I made and the love I received from Sooner fans all around the world," Bowens wrote. "Being a part of this football team and living in Norman, Oklahoma was a dream come true and I cannot thank the Oklahoma family enough."

Bowens, a third-year sophomore from Las Vegas, added a new dimension to the Sooners’ offense with his mobility, but he could never translate that into playing time.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Bowens arrived in Norman in 2021, but never made it into a game.

"The hardest part about this decision is leaving from a place and from people that have meant so much to me and impacted my life so greatly," Bowens wrote. "All I could ever ask for is a place where I can compete and add value on and off the field and after many long nights and conversations between God, my loved ones and myself, I have decided that the best decision for me to reach my dreams would be to enter the transfer portal with 3 years of eligibility. Thank you Sooner Nation."

Bowens was allowed to showcase his dual-threat skills in the Sooners’ last two Red/White Games. In the 2021 spring game, he completed 4-of-5 passes for 26 yards and rushed three times for 25 yards. In the 2022 game, he completed one pass but it turned into a 95-yard touchdown to Jayden Gibson.

At Bishop Gorman High School, Bowens was a 4-star recruit by ESPN and rated 3-stars by 247 Sports and Rivals. ESPN rated him as the No. 8 dual-threat QB in the nation as he helped lead his team to two state championships.

In his final two seasons in 2018 and 2019, Bowens threw for 4,918 yards and 52 touchdowns and ran for 1,516 yards 28 touchdowns.

Many OU fans held out hope over the past two years that Bowens would break into the lineup if only as a change-of-pace threat. In the Sooners’ 49-0 loss to Texas, when starter Dillon Gabriel was out with a concussion, offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby tried two backups (Davis Beville and Nick Evers) and numerous iterations of the wildcat formation — all to no avail.

It's not clear if Bowens' transfer request was made before the Jan. 18 deadline (last Wednesday night at midnight) to be immediately eligible for next season. After formal requests are submitted by the athlete, schools have two business days to enter the athlete's name into the portal. After that happens, the NCAA notifies the athlete of their status by email.

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