McCae Hillstead doesn’t look the part he’s been tasked to take on, and he’s well aware of that fact. The QB1 battle is officially underway as Treyson Bourguet, McCae Hillstead, and Bear Bachmeier will compete for the starting job at BYU Cougars. And for Hillstead, the story has flipped from watching Jake Retzlaff from the sidelines, to watching his “crazy departure”. Now, Hillstead is fighting for the starting spot.

But if you think that moment shook Hillstead’s foundation, you’d be wrong. The sophomore out of Skyridge High School is playing the long game. He’s undersized by most power-conference QB standards at 5-foot-10. But he’s built like a bulldog and prepped like a pro. “Yeah, you know, I think for me, just playing my game. I think that’s the same for all the other guys. You can’t try to be anybody else other than yourself. So, just put that all on tape, be your best self, and try to go get it,” Hillstead said on the first media day of fall camp. This was not a rehearsed answer. It’s just who he is. Calm. Measured.

A kid who isn’t buying into the circus. His journey to BYU came via Utah State, and with that came a steep learning curve. “Yeah, I mean, for me, it was just getting reps and just experience with the guys. Obviously, coming from a different offense at Utah State. We were RPO heavy. And not that we don’t do that here, it’s just a little bit more pro style. So, just figuring some of those things out and getting versed in some of that stuff and mastery of the offense has been big for me.” Hillstead is recalibrating his play to fit the Cougars’ playstyle.

The jump from an RPO-heavy scheme to BYU’s hybrid pro-style system demands more than just arm strength. It asks for pre-snap control, route anticipation, and full-field reads. Hillstead’s done the mental lifting. Now comes the execution. And the quarterback room? It got a lot quieter after Retzlaff’s surprise exit. A departure Hillstead called out with honest clarity.

“Yeah, obviously we love Jake. The situation was pretty crazy,” Hillstead admitted. “But I think when it comes down to it. Stay ready, soon enough to get ready is my thing. Even last season where I wasn’t going to see the field really, Gerry was the backup. I prepped like I was the starter regardless. You’re knowing all the coverages of the opposing team, knowing obviously what you have going in the install each week. And that’s just my mindset. Always stay ready so you don’t have to rush and be like, ‘Oh, what am I doing?’ It’s like, ‘No, I’ve known what I’m doing.’ So, it’s really just second nature when I get out there.” This is a man who is ready for his time in the spotlight.

There’s a quiet maturity there, the kind you usually only hear from a seasoned QB2 who’s been burned once or twice. But for McCae Hillstead, the mental reps are just his base layer. His size and resume may not jump off the page. But his conviction does. That showed at a recent fan meet-and-greet held at Meier’s Meats in Highland, where Hillstead stood under the summer sun signing autographs for a line of Cougars fans that wrapped around the lot.

When asked if Retzlaff’s departure impacted his grind, his answer was clear. “I’m always prepared,” said the 195-pound QB. “Watching the same amount of hours of film that I would be if I was a starter… There’s a lot more buzz and stuff that I don’t really pay attention to that all that much, to be honest with you. I think it’s a little bit of a distraction. But as far as my work ethic, it always stays the same.”

McCae Hillstead’s first fall camp reps show progress in motion

If McCae Hillstead’s mental game is already in midseason form, Fall Camp Day 1 gave Cougar fans a peek into how the physical side is shaping up. During the media viewing portion per SI, Hillstead was the second passer to take reps in the team period. He was lining up with the second-team offense and running through a rotation that showcased both promise and plenty of polish still to come.

His first pass was a simple swing out to Jovesa Damuni, which didn’t get far. No gain. Two run plays followed, and then came the defensive stop that cut the series short, prompting a rotation. Hillstead would come back after Bear Bachmeier’s turn with the first-team offense, looking more composed in Round 2. He started the second drive with some zip. Delivering a crisp out-route strike to Tiger Bachmeier. Then following it up by hitting freshman TE Cole Clement for a short gain. The ball came out fast, and Hillstead’s rhythm looked much smoother than the first go-round.

His final two throws told the tale of early-camp chemistry. First, a pressure roll-out forced a throwaway. Then on the last play of practice, he aimed deep for true freshman TE Tucker Kelleher, who had some separation. The ball sailed just overhead. Close, but not quite. We are yet to see if this preparation can put Hillstead over his competition. One thing is clear though, the man has always been ready for this moment.