We have reached the point in the off-season where spring football has concluded and fans are starting to have a better understanding of what their team’s depth chart may look like. Now, we are going to start taking a look at specific position groups across the PAC 12 and Mountain West. With our coverage shifting to two different conferences, it will be impossible to cover all 18 teams in one article each week. For that reason, we will focus on a couple of teams that fit the bill in each category.
To start off our new series, we are going to take a look at the quarterback position.
The Good
Hawaii
If you asked me which starting quarterback I would want from the PAC 12 or Mountain West, my answer would be Micah Alejado. Alejado is already a Rainbow Warrior legend after spurning Power Five offers in favor of staying on Oahu. Last season’s Freshman of the Year will have lofty expectations and championship goals heading into his sophomore year. Despite battling injuries over the course of the season, Alejado still passed for over 3,000 yards and had 24 touchdown passes. Alejado will likely enter the 2026 season as the pick for Conference Player of the Year. Can he live up to those expectations?
Washington State
I’m sure a lot of you think I’m crazy for this, but I really like UC Davis transfer Caden Pinnick, and I think there is a good chance he could be one of the best quarterbacks in the PAC 12. Pinnick was one of the best quarterbacks in the FCS ranks last year, and new head coach Kirby Moore is an offensive savant. Pinnick is going to thrive in Moore’s system and it wouldn’t shock me if he ends up leading the PAC 12 in passing yards next season.
Boise State
Boise State fans have high expectations, and if we are being honest, third-year starter Maddux Madsen has fallen short of meeting those expectations. However, most teams in the Group of Five would trade their quarterback situations for Boise’s in a heartbeat. While Madsen may not put up crazy numbers and his struggles against Power Five teams are well documented, he gets it done in conference play. This year, Madsen will be looking to cement his legacy in Boise as one of the greats. The only way he can do that is getting the Broncos to the College Football Playoff.
The Bad
San Jose State
There is a lot of uncertainty at the quarterback position for the Spartans and that has me feeling a little nervous about their chances of competing this fall. They picked up Hawaii transfer Luke Weaver who looked solid in his limited action last season, and they also picked up UCLA transfer Robert McDaniel who is coming off of a redshirt season. Weaver is a serviceable option, but I’m not sure he has what it takes to make the Spartans a contender.
San Diego State
Denegal and Emanuel Jr. are both back, but it looks like Kentucky transfer Stone Saunders has an excellent shot to land the starting position. Saunders did not play as a true freshman but was a highly sought after recruit coming out of high school. Regardless of who lands the job, the Aztecs need to be more consistent passing the ball this fall. Last season, they won games despite having an inconsistent passing attack. This team has championship aspirations. If they are going to meet those goals, they will need better play at the quarterback position.
Nevada
I’m going to operate under the assumption that Carter Jones is going to be the guy for the Wolf Pack. Jones took over the starting job as a true freshman late last season and he very much looked like a freshman. While Jones has plenty of raw talent, he will have a lot to prove this fall. The Wolf Pack also brought in a transfer in UCLA’s Luke Duncan. Choate and his staff are hoping Duncan can push Jones and be a serviceable option if he struggles or gets injured. The growth of this team will likely rest in the hands of its quarterback.
The Ugly
Wyoming
Whether it is William & Mary transfer Tyler Hughes or Wyoming native Mason Drube, there are a lot of reasons to be skeptical about this quarterback group. Wyoming has had significant issues at the quarterback position since the departure of Josh Allen. Some of the blame falls on the players, but the majority of the blame falls on the coaching staff. Personally, I think Drube has more upside than Hughes and it would be a great story if the Wyoming native has a successful season. However, this coaching staff is firmly on the hot seat and that may lead to them going with the more experienced option in Hughes.
Northern Illinois
Most depth charts I have seen have junior quarterback Jalen Macon as the starter. I’m assuming Charleston transfer Ean Hamric will also be competing for playing time. Regardless of who wins the starting spot, there will be a lot to prove. In his limited playing time, Macon appeared to struggle with accuracy issues. Expectations are low for the Huskies as they enter their first season in the Mountain West; questions at the quarterback position certainly are not helping their odds of having a successful season.
Fresno State
Similar to San Diego State, inconsistency at the quarterback position kept this very good team from being great last season. Unfortunately, I’m not feeling much better about the quarterback position for the Bulldogs this fall. Maryland transfer Khristian Martin is the presumed starter. Martin only has 17 career passing attempts, so there isn’t a lot to judge him on. Maybe he will exceed expectations, but there are also plenty of questions behind him with Jayden Mandal only having nine career passing attempts.
How do you feel about the quarterback position for your team? Does he have what it takes to lead your team to a championship? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
