He left. He learned. He returned. In 2023, McCae Hillstead walked onto the field at Maverik Stadium as a true freshman and rewrote the Utah State record book — 1,062 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and a program freshman single-game record of 399 yards and 4 TDs against James Madison. Then he was gone. Two seasons at BYU. A redshirt year in 2024. Five appearances in 2025 — just 5 pass attempts and 33 yards as the Cougars went a different direction. No bitterness. No excuses. Just a quiet drive to find the right fit again. This January, Hillstead entered the portal and came home to Logan. He won a QB battle this spring, beating out a Virginia transfer and a four-star freshman. Bronco Mendenhall made it official: McCae Hillstead is QB1. 1,062 yards and 11 TDs as a freshman. 33 yards in two years away. One more chance to prove it all. The Pac-12. Maverik Stadium. His team. His time. 🔵⚪ #AggiesAllTheWay #UtahState #McCaeHillstead