Utah State Adds Familiar Face To QB Room
Jan 8, 2026, 5:36 PM
QB McCae Hillstead enters the 2026 season as Utah State's starter at QB. (Photo courtesy of Wade Denniston and Utah State Athletics)
(Photo courtesy of Wade Denniston and Utah State Athletics)
LOGAN, Utah – Former Skyridge star QB McCae Hillstead is heading back to Utah State after spending the previous two seasons with the BYU Cougars.
Utah State’s need for an experienced QB led them to reunite with their former signal-caller after Hillstead entered the transfer portal.
RELATED: Utah State Football 2026 Transfer Portal Tracker
McCae makes his return to Logan. Who says you can't go home again? https://t.co/xC9affFVHW
— Scott Garrard (@ScottyGZone) January 9, 2026
Hillstead redshirted for the Cougars in 2024.
He saw action in five games in 2025. The once and future Aggie completed four of five passes for 33 yards in a season-opening 69-0 win over Portland State. They were the only pass attempts in his BYU career.
About BYU’s McCae Hillstead
A three-year starter at nearby Skyridge High School, Hillstead amasses gaudy prep numbers while leading the Falcons to the 2022 6A state championship.
Hillstead threw for 6,898 yards and 73 touchdowns, while also running for 1,791 yards and 35 scores. He earned 6A All-State Second Team recognition as a senior.
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Hillstead signed with the Utah State Aggies and played himself into a starting role in Logan as a true freshman. Injuries limited the 5’10, 195-pound QB to eight games (four starts) with the Aggies.
The Lehi, Utah native completed 94 of 158 passes for 1,062 yards and 11 TDs against eight interceptions. Hilstead set a USU freshman single-game passing record when he threw for 399 yards and four touchdowns in a 45-38 loss to James Madison.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
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