Hillstead, Brosterhous, Garcia? Breaking down Utah State’s pending quarterback battle | Sports
Utah State will see a new starting quarterback for the 2026 season as fan-favorite Bryson Barnes has graduated and used up all of his eligibility. And the stage has now been set for an offseason quarterback competition. The actors in this drama are ready, and will consist of returning QB/WR Anthony Garcia, Virginia transfer Grady Brosterhous, BYU transfer/former Aggie McCae Hillstead, freshman Kaleb Maryland and freshman Brady Goodman. Returning QB/WR Anthony Garcia could theoretically be in the mix, but is not expected to compete for a spot on the quarterback depth chart (more on that later). As of now, the top two candidates are probably the two transfers from power conference teams, Hillstead and Brosterhous (though the former’s status as a P4 transfer is somewhat muddied by the fact that he started his career at Utah State). Theoretically, they’d have the highest potential. That will be put to the test this spring, summer and fall when all of these players do battle behind the scenes. Here, we’ll break down as in-depth as possible both of these transfers and what they can bring to the table as a potential starter. But we won’t completely neglect Garcia or the incoming freshmen entirely