# Cole Pennington
**Cole Pennington** is an American college football quarterback who played at [Marshall University](https://www.edgepedia.org/marshall-university) from 2022 to 2024 before transferring to Gardner-Webb University, and who is the son of former Marshall star and NFL quarterback [Chad Pennington](https://www.edgepedia.org/chad-pennington).[1](https://herdzone.com/sports/football/roster/cole-pennington/9249) • [2](https://www.on3.com/rivals/cole-pennington-24823/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Position / teams | Quarterback; Marshall Thundering Herd (2022–2024), Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs (from 2025)[1](https://herdzone.com/sports/football/roster/cole-pennington/9249) • [2](https://www.on3.com/rivals/cole-pennington-24823/) |
| Family | Son of Chad Pennington, the former Marshall quarterback great and New York Jets NFL quarterback; mother is Robin[1](https://herdzone.com/sports/football/roster/cole-pennington/9249) • [3](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-football/news/cole-chad-pennington-related-marshall-qb-nfl-dad/3e110a93e6f205440ea97d74) |
| High school | Sayre School, Lexington, Kentucky; 16-4 record as a two-year starter under his father's coaching[4](https://www.sayreschool.org/cf_news/view.cfm?newsid=648) |
| Recruiting | Three-star prospect (ESPN, 247Sports); Sayre's first Division-1 football signee[1](https://herdzone.com/sports/football/roster/cole-pennington/9249) • [4](https://www.sayreschool.org/cf_news/view.cfm?newsid=648) |
| Best college game | Career-high 258 passing yards in the 2023 Frisco Bowl against UTSA[1](https://herdzone.com/sports/football/roster/cole-pennington/9249) |
| 2026 at Gardner-Webb | 4 games, 96 of 174 passing for 1,174 yards, 5 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 116.7 QBR[2](https://www.on3.com/rivals/cole-pennington-24823/) |
## Background and high school
Pennington grew up in Versailles, Kentucky, where his father, Chad Pennington, settled after an NFL career spent with the [New York Jets](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-york-jets) and [Miami Dolphins](https://www.edgepedia.org/miami-dolphins).[3](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-football/news/cole-chad-pennington-related-marshall-qb-nfl-dad/3e110a93e6f205440ea97d74) He played at the Sayre School in Lexington, where his father coached him. Sayre's football program had been dormant since 1977 and resumed play only in Cole's junior year; across those first two full varsity seasons he led the Spartans to a 16-4 record.[4](https://www.sayreschool.org/cf_news/view.cfm?newsid=648) He also played free safety and basketball at Sayre, and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.87 seconds with a 4.44 shuttle.[1](https://herdzone.com/sports/football/roster/cole-pennington/9249)
On National Signing Day he signed his National Letter of Intent to play Division I football at Marshall University, becoming Sayre's first Division-1 football signee.[4](https://www.sayreschool.org/cf_news/view.cfm?newsid=648) The choice followed his father's path: Chad Pennington had been a Marshall quarterback, and the school's own media guide calls him a Marshall quarterback great.[1](https://herdzone.com/sports/football/roster/cole-pennington/9249) • [5](https://herdzone.com/documents/download/2018/6/13/legends.pdf) Recruiting services rated him a three-star prospect, and he also held offers from Akron, Ball State, Eastern Kentucky, and Tennessee-Martin.[1](https://herdzone.com/sports/football/roster/cole-pennington/9249)
## Marshall career
**Redshirt year (2022).** Pennington redshirted as a freshman and saw action in two games.[1](https://herdzone.com/sports/football/roster/cole-pennington/9249)
**Redshirt freshman season (2023).** He appeared in four games with three starts, finishing 64 of 112 for 695 yards and six interceptions. In a win over Georgia Southern he was 15 of 20 for 201 yards, and he threw for a career-high 258 yards in the Frisco Bowl against UTSA.[1](https://herdzone.com/sports/football/roster/cole-pennington/9249)
**Redshirt sophomore season (2024).** He served as a reserve quarterback in three games, completing 5 of 7 passes for 57 yards and a touchdown, including 4 of 5 for 52 yards against Stony Brook.[1](https://herdzone.com/sports/football/roster/cole-pennington/9249)
Marshall listed him at 6 feet 3 inches and 209 pounds; the recruiting database On3 lists him at 6-2 and 197 pounds.[1](https://herdzone.com/sports/football/roster/cole-pennington/9249) • [2](https://www.on3.com/rivals/cole-pennington-24823/)
## Transfer to Gardner-Webb
Pennington transferred to Gardner-Webb University, an FCS program in the Big South, where he took over as the Runnin' Bulldogs' quarterback.[2](https://www.on3.com/rivals/cole-pennington-24823/) • [6](https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?DraftYear=2027&PlayerId=1060106) In the 2026 season opener stretch he started four games and completed 96 of 174 passes for 1,174 yards with 5 touchdowns and 4 interceptions, a 116.7 QBR, giving him substantially more passing volume in his first Gardner-Webb season than in his three Marshall seasons combined.[2](https://www.on3.com/rivals/cole-pennington-24823/)
## Distinction from other players
Cole Pennington should not be confused with **Cole Payton**, the left-handed North Dakota State quarterback selected by the [Philadelphia Eagles](https://www.edgepedia.org/philadelphia-eagles) in the fifth round (No. 178 overall) of the 2026 NFL Draft, a different player with a similar name.[7](https://www.nfl.com/players/cole-payton/) He is also distinct from his father, Chad Pennington, who was drafted 18th overall by the New York Jets in 2000, ahead of six other quarterbacks in that draft.[8](https://as.com/us/nfl/en-que-posicion-del-draft-fue-elegido-tom-brady-y-en-que-universidad-jugo-n/)
## References
1. [Cole Pennington, 2024 Football Roster, Marshall University Athletics (HerdZone)](https://herdzone.com/sports/football/roster/cole-pennington/9249)
2. [Cole Pennington, Marshall Thundering Herd QB, On3/Rivals](https://www.on3.com/rivals/cole-pennington-24823/)
3. [Is Cole Pennington related to Chad Pennington? Sporting News](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-football/news/cole-chad-pennington-related-marshall-qb-nfl-dad/3e110a93e6f205440ea97d74)
4. [Sayre School news post: Cole Pennington signs with Marshall](https://www.sayreschool.org/cf_news/view.cfm?newsid=648)
5. [Marshall Football Legends media guide (Chad Pennington section), HerdZone](https://herdzone.com/documents/download/2018/6/13/legends.pdf)
6. [Cole Pennington, QB, Gardner-Webb, 2027 Draft Scout player data](https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?DraftYear=2027&PlayerId=1060106)
7. [Cole Payton Stats, News and Video, QB, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/players/cole-payton/)
8. [¿En qué posición del draft fue elegido Tom Brady? AS USA](https://as.com/us/nfl/en-que-posicion-del-draft-fue-elegido-tom-brady-y-en-que-universidad-jugo-n/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › American football players, coaches, and executives › Quarterbacks*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license