USU Football spring showcase gives first look at 2026 team
Utah State University Football held its Spring Showcase on April 18, which served as the first opportunity for fans to see the upcoming team take the field. Last year, the Aggies had a relatively successful season compared to the season prior, winning six games and making an appearance in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl against new PAC-12 Conference rival Washington State.
The Aggies are looking to build off of last season’s success as they head into their first season in the PAC-12.
With many new faces on the team, the showcase gave fans their first look at some of the players who they will be seeing each Saturday. While it wasn’t a complete game, fans were able to see the offense and defense compete in several drives.
The defense largely controlled the day, with its physicality highlighted throughout the afternoon. The defense forced multiple turnovers, including two interceptions, as well as many false starts.
With this being the second season under defensive coordinator Nick Howell, the team seems to have a clearer understanding of the scheme and goals of the defense.
“When we talk about physicality, that’s always a priority, especially on the defensive side. I think as we’ve gone about spring, we’ve seen the team and especially the new players coming in show a lot of physicality,” said senior linebacker Bronson Olevao Jr. “We work hard, give effort to the ball. That next level of physicality is in our process and our execution on every play.”
While the defense had an excellent day, the offense struggled to get much going, only scoring once on the day. Despite the slow day, head coach Bronco Mendenhall doesn’t seem concerned with the offense heading into the summer.
“It’s spring. Four scholarship offensive linemen were out today, as well as holding out a few others. Defense is more experienced and were deeper and didn’t hold as many players out. So, it was a combination of those factors,” Mendenhall said. “From what I’ve seen throughout the spring, I’m not concerned. Today’s reflection is maybe a micro reflection of what we’ve seen.”
One of the biggest questions surrounding the team going into this spring was around who the starting quarterback would be. With the entire quarterback room being new faces for the team, who would end up with the starting role was still up in the air.
Transfer McCae Hillstead, who was with the Aggies in 2023 prior to transferring to BYU, and freshman Kaleb Maryland spent the most time behind center throughout the day. Mendenhall declined to share much about the final decision regarding the starting quarterback but shared that the starter will be announced on April 20.
“We’re going to evaluate today’s film. I always like our players to know first. I need a little more clarity for my staff with how important it is to allow a guy to be the leader during the summer when he’s leading a lot of those practices,” Mendenhall said. “I think it’s really important for the position, not only the technical, tactical and mechanics of playing it, but the leadership.”
Mendenhall explained the importance of solidifying the starting quarterback before the summer.
“Let’s face it, there’s a disproportionate value on that player and the outcome of seasons and games,” he said. “I think when a team can have a starting quarterback with the autonomy of the summer, those teams progress the most and best, and that player progresses the most and best when he has the certainty of what his role is going to be.”
With Saturday’s showcase, spring practices have come to an end for the team. The coaches will be out on the road starting on April 20 to focus on spring recruiting, while players are left to work on their own individual training.
The team will come together again in June to prepare for the team’s opening game in September.