| BYU Cougars – No. 3 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Quarterback |
| Class |  |
| Major | Business |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | August 25, 2004[1][2] |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College |
|
| High school | Skyridge (Lehi, Utah) |
McCae Hillstead (born August 25, 2004)[1][2] is an American football quarterback for the BYU Cougars. He previously played for the Utah State Aggies.
Early life and high school
[edit]Hillstead attended Skyridge High School located in Lehi, Utah. Coming out of high school, he was rated as a three star recruit and the top quarterback in the State of Utah, where he committed to play college football for the Utah State Aggies.[3]
College career
[edit]Utah State
[edit]In week three of the 2023 season, he entered the game after starter Cooper Legas was benched, where he completed 18 of his 27 pass attempts for 202 yards and three touchdowns in a loss to Air Force.[4] In week four, Hillstead made his first collegiate start completing 25 of his 47 passes for 399 yards and four touchdowns versus James Madison.[5] He finished the 2023 season completing 59.5% of his passes for 1,062 yards and 11 touchdowns along with eight interceptions.[6] After the conclusion of the 2023 season, Hillstead decided to enter his name into the NCAA transfer portal.[7]
BYU
[edit]Hillstead transferred to play for the BYU Cougars.[8] During his first season with the Cougars in 2024, he used the season to redshirt.[9] Heading into the 2025 season, after starting quarterback Jake Retzlaff was suspended and entered the transfer portal, Hillstead is the favorite to start for the Cougars.[10][11]
References
[edit]- ^ a b @USUFootball (August 25, 2023). "Happy Birthday @mccaehillstead #AggiesAllTheWay" (Tweet). Retrieved July 22, 2025 – via Twitter.
- ^ a b Walker, Sean (August 21, 2020). "'There's no ceiling for him': Skyridge sophomore QB Hillstead helps Falcons roll Bingham". KSL News. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ Judd, Brandon (May 5, 2022). "The top quarterback prospect in Utah just committed to Utah State". Deseret News. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
- ^ Walker, Jason. "Monday Cooldown: Why McCae Hillstead is now the starting QB, and the one play USU couldn't stop". Cache Valley Daily. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
- ^ Dickson, Darnell (May 1, 2024). "Top of his game: Hillstead's high school coach says he's ready for intense BYU quarterback competition". Daily Herald. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
- ^ Drew, Jay (May 3, 2024). "'I knew I wanted to go up a level': McCae Hillstead on why he left Utah State for BYU". Deseret News. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
- ^ Holt, Chandler. "QB McCae Hillstead Enters NCAA Transfer Portal, Sends Thanks To Utah State". KSL Sports. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
- ^ Reynolds, Kevin. "Here's the real reason QB McCae Hillstead says he left Utah State for BYU". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
- ^ Lundquist, Casey. "Career Review of BYU Quarterback McCae Hillstead". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
- ^ Preece, Brian. "McCae Hillstead Brings 'Unique' Traits To BYU QB Room". KSL Sports. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
- ^ Lundquist, Casey. "BYU Quarterback Battle: Every Quarterback's Odds to Win the Job". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved July 6, 2025.