ECU QB Katin Houser Set to Enter Transfer Portal, Opt Out of Military Bowl

East Carolina quarterback Katin Houser will not play in the Military Bowl and is expected to enter the transfer portal for his final season of eligibility, multiple sources confirmed Monday morning. Brian Bailey of WNCT was the first to report the news.

Houser’s decision closes the book on a two-year run in Greenville that played a major role in one of the most important turnarounds in recent ECU football history.

A former Michigan State transfer, Houser arrived at East Carolina ahead of the 2024 season and eventually became the steadying force the program needed. After taking over as the starting quarterback midway through that year, Houser helped guide the Pirates to an 8–5 finish, capped by a Military Bowl victory over NC State. He followed that up by leading ECU to an 8–4 regular season record this fall.

Across his two seasons in Greenville, Houser flourished in John David Baker’s offense, completing 64 percent of his passes for 5,306 yards, while throwing 37 touchdowns against 17 interceptions. His impact went beyond the air, as Houser consistently used his legs to extend plays and finish drives in the red zone.

This past season, Houser had his best statistical year. As a redshirt junior, he threw for 3,300 yards and 19 touchdowns, limiting mistakes with just six interceptions. He also emerged as ECU’s most reliable short-yardage runner, leading the team with nine rushing touchdowns while adding 193 yards on the ground.

Houser’s road to ECU and now the portal has been anything but straightforward.

Originally from Las Vegas, Houser began his high school career at Liberty High School before transferring to St. John Bosco in California, one of the nation’s premier prep programs. His family now resides in Anaheim, Calif.

Houser is also set to graduate from East Carolina this December with a degree in economics, leaving Greenville with his education complete.

A former four-star recruit, Houser originally signed with Michigan State, where he spent two seasons in the Big Ten. After redshirting in 2022, he appeared in 11 games during the 2023 season, completing 59 percent of his passes for 1,130 yards, with six touchdowns and five interceptions.

Following that season, Houser entered the transfer portal and ultimately chose ECU over interest from Boise State, among others.

His ECU career didn’t begin as planned. Houser lost the preseason quarterback competition to Jake Garcia ahead of the 2024 season, with then-head coach Mike Houston starting Garcia for the first six games. ECU’s 3–4 start led to Houston’s dismissal, and Houser was inserted as the starter for the remainder of the season.

From that point on, the Pirates stabilized quickly. Houser went 5–2 as the starter to close the 2024 campaign, re-energizing the offense and setting the foundation for ECU’s strong 2025 season.

Now, with one year of eligibility remaining, Houser will look for his third college stop and will immediately become one of the more experienced quarterbacks available in the portal.

His departure marks another significant offseason change for East Carolina, following the recent exits of both coordinators, and leaves ECU searching for its next answer at the most important position on the field.