During spring camp, the message from Utah State head coach Bronco Mendenhall was that McCae Hillstead was the clear favorite to win the starting job for the fall.

The Aggies confirmed Monday afternoon that Hillstead will be the program’s starting quarterback in its first year in the Pac-12.

Your new Aggie QB1⃣: @mccaehillstead✍️ ➡️https://t.co/z39VhzJuXx pic.twitter.com/GaQoBYHzCh

“After a thorough evaluation of our quarterback room, it became clear that McCae has earned the opportunity to lead this program,” said Mendenhall. “Throughout the spring, McCae demonstrated consistency, poise and a command of the offense that aligns with our expectations for that position.

“He’s a competitor, he’s resilient, and he’s earned the trust of his teammates. We’re excited about his development and confident in his ability to lead our team into the 2026 season.”

Mendenhall previously said that the QB room had him and offensive coordinator Robert Anae very excited.

While Hillstead was the favorite, Virginia transfer Grady Brosterhous also impressed the coaching staff. However, Hillstead was looked to as the leader during spring camp because of his experience.

“With McCae Hillstead, there’s age, and there is experience being older and some college starts and being a backup, and there’s value in that,” Mendenhall said during spring camp.

In eight games in his freshman year, Hillstead threw for 1,062 yards, scoring 11 touchdowns on a 59.5 completion percentage.

After transferring to BYU, he redshirted in 2024. Last year, he appeared in five games for the Cougars.

Utah State opens the 2026 season at home against Idaho State on Sept. 5.