West Florida transfer Marcus Stokes will start at quarterback for Memphis football in theseason opener against UNLV, according to an announcement on Memphis' pregame radio show.
Stokes beat out South Carolina transfer Air Noland for the starting job.
A standout at the Division II level, Stokes caught the eye of Memphis offensive coordinator Kevin Decker when Decker was at Old Dominion. Decker continued recruiting Stokes after joining the Memphis staff late last year, and Stokes looks like an ideal fit for Decker's high-tempo offense.
Stokes threw for 3,297 yards, 30 touchdowns and 13 interceptions and was named Gulf South Conference offensive player of the year in 2025. He was also named as a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, known as the Division
II Heisman.
He also rushed for 367 yards and 10 touchdowns.
A former four-star recruit out of Nease High School in Ponte Vedra, Florida, Stokes was originally committed to Penn State before flipping to Florida. 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 in 2024 before breaking out during the 2025 season.
Memphis kicks off its 2026 season on the road at UNLV on Aug. 29 (9 p.m., FOX).
Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: West Florida transfer Marcus Stokes to start at QB for Memphis football vs UNLV
