LAS VEGAS — Memphis football has a new quarterback for the 2026 season.
West Florida transfer Marcus Stokes will start for Memphis against UNLV on Aug. 28 (9 p.m., CT FOX). Stokes beat out South Carolina transfer Air Noland for the Tigers' starting job.
The team has undergone massive change since last season ended. Coach Ryan Silverfield left for Arkansas and was replaced by Charles Huff. Huff put together a new roster made up mostly of transfers, and Stokes was one of the first marquee additions to the roster.
Throughout the offseason, Huff continued to stress that Stokes and Noland were in a competition and there would not be a resolution until the first game. But Stokes always had the experience advantage in the competition and will now get
to start at the FBS level for the first time.
Here's what to know about Stokes.
Marcus Stokes' path to Memphis
Stokes was a four-star recruit out of Nease High School in Ponte Vedra, Florida, and was ranked the No. 33 quarterback prospect in his class, according to the 247Sports Composite. He was committed to Florida before his scholarship was pulled after a video appeared online of him using a racial slur while singing along to a rap song. He ultimately went to West Florida, redshirted in 2023 and became the starting quarterback during the 2024 season.
After entering the transfer portal, Stokes visited Appalachian State and Syracuse before committing to the Tigers.
In April, Stokes told The Commercial Appeal he believed his maturity was the main thing he has improved the past few years.
"Definitely gotten a little more mature. Actually a lot more mature," he said. "When I made that mistake I was 17 years old, I was dumb. Made a dumb decision. Decided to post it, whatnot. And now because I was able to learn from it — I'm not going to forget about my mistake, because I can never forget about it — but all I can do is just learn from it moving forward. I'm just grateful for the opportunity."
Marcus Stokes stats at West Florida
The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Stokes threw for 3,297 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2025 and also ran for 367 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, known as the Division II Heisman, and was the Gulf South Conference Offensive Player of the Year.
New Memphis offensive coordinator Kevin Decker was at Old Dominion in 2025 and was already recruiting Stokes before he moved to Memphis. Stokes looks like an ideal fit in Decker's high-tempo offensive system.
"It's deadly, by the way," Stokes said about Decker's offense. "That offense that he runs, and he's brought here to Memphis, it's deadly. I've watched videos on it and clips on it for years. I know what he's all about and I know what he wants to get out of this offense. And that's score touchdowns. And that's what I love to do."
Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: What to know about Marcus Stokes, new starting QB for Memphis football
