SPRINGFIELD — Skyler Locklear will be Missouri State’s starting quarterback to start the season.
According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, Locklear will be the team's signal caller for its Week 1 game against Texas A&M on Sept. 5.
A Missouri State representative confirmed the news to the News-Leader.
“We move the ball when he is in the game," Missouri State head coach Casey Woods said last week. "I think our guys rally around him and they believe in him."
Locklear arrived in Springfield after two years at UTEP. The fifth-year senior threw for 1,418 yards and completed 55.5% of his passes while tossing
13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
The 5-foot-11 quarterback also provides speed and agility at the position. During practice, the Bears have been working on read-options and triple-option play calls with Locklear leading the charge.
"You can see why he's been a starter in certain times," Woods said last week.
Locklear beat out Henry Belin IV for the starting role. Belin is a fifth-year senior from New York. He transferred from Duke, where he was a back-up player for the majority of his four year career.
Across his Duke career, Belin attempted just 82 passes, but the experience that he gained at a power four school is extremely additive. He earned a start in the Gator Bowl during the 2024-25 season. Belin threw for 236 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in a loss to Ole Miss.
Woods shared that Belin was suffering from 'arm soreness', which limited his reps during last week's scrimmage.
Liam Keating covers high school sports and Missouri State athletics for The Springfield News-Leader. Send stats or information to him at Lkeating@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Skyler Locklear named Missouri State starting quarterback
