Temple quarterback E.J. Warner will transfer to Rice

Temple transfer E.J. Warner will remain a member of the Owls.

The Rice Owls.

The sophomore quarterback announced Wednesday that he will transfer to Rice University, which also plays in the American Athletic Conference. The dueling Owls are not scheduled to play each other in 2024.

Warner, who played two seasons at Temple, announced in late November his intent to hit the transfer portal. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

Warner, the son of NFL great Kurt Warner, leaves Temple as one of the better quarterbacks in program history. He set single-season records this year in passing touchdowns (23) and 300-yard games (four). He also became the first Owl to have two 3,000-yard seasons. Warner became the starting quarterback as a freshman two games into his first season.

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But with Temple completing another 3-9 season, its third straight, and with a lack of major NIL support, Warner’s decision to transfer came as no surprise.

With Warner gone, Temple was left with an inexperienced quarterback room. The Owls received a commitment last week from Rutgers transfer Evan Simon, a Manheim (Pa.) Central High grad who was a three-star recruit in the class of 2020. Like Warner, Simon has two years of eligibility remaining.