The UTEP football program is unequivocally leveling up when it joins the Mountain West Conference, but one area where the conference hasn’t been distinguished in recent years is at the highest profile position — quarterback.
After producing Josh Allen in 2018 and Jordan Love in 2020, the league has produced just one drafted quarterback, Fresno State’s Jake Haener in the fourth round in 2023, and the current crop of starting quarterbacks isn’t projected to add to that.
There are four players who count as returning starters at their position, as six other teams are trying out someone new. Here is a list of how they rank entering the 2026 season.
1. Micah Alejado, So., Hawaii
The preseason all-conference offensive player of the year threw for 3,106 yards in his freshman season with 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions. That earned him conference freshman of the year honors and the 24 touchdown passes was a league conference record.
At 5-foot-10 he isn’t a NFL prospect right now, but he makes Hawaii go.
2. Jackson Arnold, Sr., UNLV
A former five-star recruit, Arnold started games at Oklahoma and Auburn before joining UNLV this year. He appeared in 27 games between Auburn and Oklahoma, throwing for 3,293 yards with 22 touchdowns against eight interceptions. He’s also rushed for 871 yards and 12 touchdowns in his career.
3. Liam Szarka, Jr., Air Force
A returning starter, Szarka is the engine behind the Falcons’ triple-option offense. Szarka rushed for 922 yards and a Mountain West-leading 13 touchdowns last season while throwing for 1,294 yards and nine touchdowns against five interceptions. He was honorable mention all conference last season.
4. Jack Layne, Sr., New Mexico
In his first year with the Lobos after transferring with his coach Jason Eck from Idaho, Layne lead New Mexico to nine wins. His numbers weren’t exceptional, as he completed 65.1 percent of his passes for 2,486 yards with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, but he won.
5. EJ Colson, So., UTEP
A former four-star recruit who began at UCF as a redshirt freshman, he was a star at Incarnate Word last season. He completed 71% of his passes for 2,142 yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also rushed for 287 yards and three touchdowns. He was declared the starter for the Miners after spring football.
6. Tyler Hughes, Sr., Wyoming
Hughes was the starter at FCS’ William & Mary last season, his fourth year with that program. He threw for 2,330 yards with 20 touchdowns and three interceptions and also rushed for 670 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was honorable mention all-Patriot League.
7. Carter Jones, So., Nevada
He didn’t have much around him last year as a freshman and predictably struggled, throwing for 1,019 yards and six touchdowns with eight interceptions. He won the starting job in October and held it the rest of the season, with seven starts and 10 appearances.
8. Luke Weaver, Sr.., San Jose State, Sr.
Weaver was the backup at Hawaii last year after spending the three previous years at Modesto College. His highlight was throwing a game-winning touchdown pass in the Hawaii Bowl. He appeared in five games, completing 60% of his passes with six touchdowns and three interceptions.
9. Nathan Hayes, Sr., North Dakota State
Hayes is one of three projected Mountain West starters who played in the FCS last year, but he isn’t changing schools, North Dakota State is changing divisions. This is his fifth year in the program but this will be his first to start. In 21 games with the Bison, he has completed 59% of his passes for 595 yards with seven touchdowns and one interception.
10. Jalen Macon, Sr., Northern Illinois
This is Macon’s sixth year of college football after playing three years at Arkansas-Pine Bluff and two at Northern Illinois. Primarily a runner, he started three games last season and rushed for 216 yards and five touchdowns. He was 9-of-21 passing for 105 yards.
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: ‘Climb higher’: Ranking the Mountain West quarterbacks from one to 10
Reporting by Bret Bloomquist, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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By Bret Bloomquist, El Paso Times | USA TODAY Network
