Player Career

McCae Hillstead Career Story

Career story, signature performances, transfer context, and season arc are grouped for biography-style searches.

Player Story

McCae Hillstead story

McCae Hillstead built his college career from 2023 through 2025 as a quarterback from Lehi, UT wearing No. 3, spending time with BYU and Utah State. The clearest part of McCae Hillstead's career was his passing role: 1,095 passing yards, 11 touchdown passes, 163 attempts, and 64 rushing yards across 12 career games in the available record. His largest box-score season came in 2023 with Utah State. Those numbers show where he fit, how often the ball or action found him, and how his role developed over time.

Quarterback careers are usually judged first by volume, efficiency, and scoring chances. His career also includes 64 rushing yards, giving the story more than a single-category snapshot. With 12 career games in the available record, his career has enough shape to show both opportunity and production across BYU and Utah State.

The arc is straightforward: McCae Hillstead moved through the depth chart, found a larger role, and turned that opportunity into production that can be understood through standard football numbers.

Career Arc

Track team changes, role shifts, and season-to-season movement.

  1. 1

    Utah State

    2023

    Opening stop

  2. 2

    BYU

    2024-2025

    Final stop

Season Value Progression

20232023202420252025
SeasonTeamPrimaryEfficiencyUsageDelta
2023 PostseasonUtah State1,09853.116.4
2023 Regular SeasonUtah State1,09853.116.40
2024 Regular SeasonBYU0-1,098
2025 PostseasonBYU6133.53.561
2025 Regular SeasonBYU6133.53.50

Transfer Portal History

Matched portal movement

SeasonPathMovementValueDate
2026BYU to Utah StateP4 to G5/FCS25.2Jan 9, 2026
2024Utah State to BYUG5/FCS to P484.7Apr 16, 2024

Signature Performances

Top Games

#1 Featured game

vs Portland State

Week 1 · W 69-0

Win with 56 yards of offense and 83.8 efficiency.

56

Total Offense

64.4 takeover

56 total offense with 83.8 efficiency.

#2

vs James Madison

Week 4 · L 38-45

373

Total Offense

64.2 takeover

Loss shaped by high passing volume and turnover pressure.

373 total offense with 49.6 efficiency.

#3

@ Air Force

Week 3 · L 21-39 · Conference game

208

Total Offense

58.3 takeover

Loss with 208 yards of offense and 59.4 efficiency.

208 total offense with 59.4 efficiency.

#4

@ San José State

Week 8 · L 21-42 · Conference game

170

Total Offense

48.9 takeover

Loss shaped by high passing volume and turnover pressure.

170 total offense with 47.4 efficiency.

#5

@ UConn

Week 5 · W 34-33

137

Total Offense

43.6 takeover

Win shaped by high passing volume and turnover pressure.

137 total offense with 52.3 efficiency.

Top Seasons

#1 Season by Season Value

2023 Postseason · Utah State

1,098 primary output · 53.1 efficiency · 16.4 usage

59.9

#2

2023 Regular Season · Utah State

59.9

1,098 primary · 53.1 efficiency · 16.4 usage

#3

2025 Postseason · BYU

14.9

61 primary · 33.5 efficiency · 3.5 usage

Milestones

1

250+ passing yards

1

300+ total offense

2

3+ TD games

2

Above avg efficiency