East Carolina loses starting QB to transfer portal ahead of Military Bowl vs. Pitt

Whatever elation surrounded the East Carolina football program after the Pirates were invited to the Military Bowl to face Pitt on Dec. 27 has been followed by multiple doses of dejection.

It began with back-to-back gut punches Dec. 8 and 9, when defensive coordinator Josh Aldridge and his offensive counterpart, John David Baker, departed coach Blake Harrell’s staff for new gigs.

Aldridge left for South Florida, while Baker headed to Ole Miss to join Pete Golding’s new staff.

Then, on Monday, starting quarterback Katin Houser announced he is opting out of the Military Bowl and entering the transfer portal when it opens Jan. 2.

Both coordinators oversaw solid group performances, as the Pirates (8-4, 6-2 American) finished 14th nationally in total offense (464.7 yards per game) and 48th in total defense (348.9).

“The reality is, when you’re 14th in the country in offense or you’re really good defensively, these big programs, as they make changes, the first thing they’re doing is going to the total offense stats and looking at who’s good, what kind of system do they run — all those things,” ECU athletic director Jon Gilbert said Monday on 94.3 FM.

While USF and Ole Miss have both officially announced the hirings of Aldridge and Baker, it has not officially been clarified as to whether they’ll coach in the Military Bowl.

However, with Harrell actively leading searches for their replacements, it seems likely that the Pirates will be without both.

Houser, in his second season at East Carolina, threw for 3,300 yards and 19 touchdowns this season, completing 65.9% of his passes (269 for 408) with six picks.

He was the Pirates’ starting quarterback last year for a team that rallied around Harrell, then interim coach following Mike Houston’s mid-season firing, en route to a 26-21 win over N.C. State in the Military Bowl.

In 2025, Houser ranked 11th nationally in passing yards, 12th in passing yards per game (275), 38th in completion percentage and tied for 39th in touchdowns.

Now he emerges as one of the most attractive Group of Five quarterbacks likely to make the jump to a Power Four institution.

“When you have the exposure and success we’ve had, a lot of people notice,” Gilbert said. “With this roster, we’ve had a lot of people and programs notice. Obviously, I’m disappointed because I’d love to retain all our key players and let’s run it back one more year. I also know that based on the rules and landscape as they sit today, we’re kind of in this pattern where this type of thing is going to happen.”

With Houser gone, two fellow ECU quarterbacks have taken reps this season and could be in line to start the Military Bowl: redshirt senior Mike Wright and true freshman Chaston Ditta.

Wright is in his sixth collegiate campaign and formerly played for Vanderbilt (2020-22), Mississippi State (2023) and Northwestern (2024).

Ditta has seen limited action in four games this year.

Pitt (8-4, 6-2 ACC) has not yet had to deal with any transfer portal announcements after wrapping up the regular-season, but the Panthers did lose special teams coordinator/tight ends coach Jacob Bronowski, who left for a job at Auburn on Dec. 8.