Former Penn halfback Malachi Hosley has committed to Georgia Tech
In his sophomore season with the Quakers, Hosley rushed for 1,192 yards and nine touchdowns, becoming Penn’s first running back to rush for 1,000 yards since 2019.
Former Penn star running back Malachi Hosley is transferring to Georgia Tech.
The announcement, first reported by CBS Sports, comes after Hosley received 15 offers from other FBS programs, most notably Houston, Syracuse, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, and Cincinnati.
This past season, Hosley rushed for 1,192 yards and nine touchdowns, becoming Penn’s first running back to rush for 1,000 yards since 2019. The sophomore halfback led the Ivy League in total rushing yards by a wide margin — outgaining Yale’s Josh Pitsenberger by 396 yards.
For his efforts, he was named the conference’s offensive player of the year. He became the first Quaker to earn offensive player of the year honors since the Asa S. Bushnell Cup was established in 2011.
The initial announcement of Hosley’s transfer came just minutes after Penn (4-6, 2-5 Ivy) ended its season with a road loss to Princeton.
“I just wanted to better my chances at going to the [NFL] and prove to myself I can play against any level of competition,” Hosley wrote to The Inquirer when he initially announced his transfer.
In a subsequent interview with The Inquirer, Hosley expanded upon his departure.
“[I want to] let people know I’m not leaving for the wrong reasons,” he wrote. “Yes, I love Penn so it’s nothing to do with Penn.”
He also cited possible name, image, and likeness deals at larger programs as a factor in his decision, though he did not fault the Ivy League for a lack of NIL opportunities. He pointed out that Penn was attempting to facilitate partnerships between local businesses and players.
“We are seeing the best athletes leave [the Ivy League] because we’re all chasing that better opportunity that we can’t get here,” Hosley said.
Hosley was named the conference’s Offensive Rookie of the Year in his freshman season after rushing for 723 yards and seven touchdowns. He also broke Penn’s single-game freshman rushing record with 261 yards against Cornell. He scored a 96-yard rushing touchdown — the longest offensive play in program history — in that game.
However, Hosley’s favorite memory as a Quaker came in a different matchup against Cornell. This past season, Penn defeated the Big Red, 67-49. Junior quarterback Liam O’Brien, making his second career start, set a program record with seven total touchdowns.
What Hosley will remember the most is head coach Ray Priore, who’s generally calm and reserved, elated after the game’s final whistle.
“Coach P dancing after the Cornell win, that’ll always be up there,” Hosley said of his favorite memory with Penn football. “That’s probably No. 1. Coach P dancing, just happy to see him happy.”
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