North Texas redshirt sophomore quarterback Cade Pearson will transfer from the program, according to a source within the organization.

Pearson only appeared in one game at UNT. He completed all four passes for 17 yards in a 58-16 win over Incarnate Word on Sept. 8, 2018, after being inserted as the third-string quarterback. However, he quickly fell down the depth chart against a pair of talented true freshmen.

When starting quarterback Mason Fine went out with injuries in the New Mexico Bowl, and senior Quinn Shanbour struggled, head coach Seth Littrell turned to true freshmen Jason Bean and Kason Martin. Despite a blowout loss, Pearson didn’t get an opportunity.

Pearson was a two-star prospect in the class of 2017 out of Texarkana Texas High. He led the program to a 10-1 record and playoff appearance as a senior, while completing 63.7 percent of his passes for 2,400 yards and 24 touchdowns with only three interceptions.

North Texas and Wyoming were Pearson’s only FBS offers. He also had sub-FBS offers from Incarnate Word, McNeese State, Northwestern State and Stephen F. Austin.

After Pearson’s departure, UNT is down to three returning scholarship quarterbacks on the roster: Fine, Bean and Martin. Fine, the leading passer in UNT history, continued his dominant career with 3,793 yards, 27 touchdowns and just five interceptions in a standout junior year. 

The Mean Green also add 2019 Owasso (Okla.) quarterback Will Kuehne, who signed with the Mean Green over offers from Arkansas State, Maryland and New Mexico. Additionally, redshirt freshman walk-on quarterback Austin Aune originally signed with TCU as a three-star recruit out of high school. He spent six years in the New York Yankees organization after throwing for 3,411 yards and 33 touchdowns as a senior at Argyle.