Backup QB Coleman Key transferring from Colorado State

Coleman Key, the backup quarterback for the CSU football team this season, will finish his college football career elsewhere.

Key, who played in six games for the Rams this season, asked for and was granted a release to transfer Monday, Colorado State University announced.

Key wasn’t made available for interviews on a day other players also were not available, but Bobo said the quarterback is parting on good terms and will remain the primary backup to sophomore starter Nick Stevens through the Dec. 29 Arizona Bowl.

“He’s still part of this team,” Bobo said after an evening practice. “We still love Coleman. He’s going to finish out his finals and go through the bowl with his football team.”

Bobo said CSU announced the decision Monday in an effort to allow as many schools as possible to know Key is available. The NCAA’s early signing period for mid-year transfers starts Wednesday, and Bobo said his release contains no restrictions.

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“It’s not like he’s trying to transfer, and we don’t know, so I’m going to help the kid let as many people know as possible, so if they have any questions, they can call and he can start to look for another school.”

Key, a 6-foot-4, 220-pounder from Broken Arrow, redshirted at CSU in 2014 under former coach Jim McElwain. He lost a tight battle with Stevens for the starting job this season that began in spring practices and lasted into fall camp.

He played in six of the Rams’ first eight games this season, completing 21 of 44 passes for 477 yards and three touchdowns with three interceptions.

Key has given no indication of where he might go. He would have two years of eligibility remaining at another Football Bowl Subdivision school after sitting out a year under NCAA transfer rules, or he could play three seasons at the Football Championship Subdivision or lower.

He also had offers from Arkansas State, Houston, Illinois, North Texas, Toledo and Western Michigan when he signed with CSU, according to Rivals.com.

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“We’re family here, and we wish him the best and hope things work out for him wherever he decides to go,” offensive coordinator Will Friend said.

CSU had five quarterbacks this season, and Bobo said he’ll have five again next season even after losing Key and Craig Leonard, a junior who is graduating early and foregoing his senior season.

The other quarterbacks on the Rams’ roster are J.C. Robles and walk-on Chandler Drachslin, both true freshmen who redshirted this fall. Collin Hill, an incoming freshman from Spartanburg, South Carolina, is graduating early from high school and hopes to enroll at CSU for the spring semester.

The Rams could also add another quarterback as a mid-year transfer. The Rams had a top junior-college prospect on campus two weeks ago who committed elsewhere and reportedly had Faton Bauta, a potential graduate transfer from Georgia with one season of eligibility remaining, on campus this past weekend.

Follow reporter Kelly Lyell at twitter.com/KellyLyell and facebook.com/KellyLyell.news