Skyler Locklear Named Starting QB for UTEP at Nebraska

After months of a quarterback competition, UTEP football named redshirt sophomore Skyler Locklear the starting quarterback at Nebraska.

Locklear, the Austin Peay transfer that followed first-year head coach Scotty Walden to UTEP, will get the nod to start Saturday over redshirt junior Cade McConnell. Though he appeared in less than a handful of games at Austin Peay over two seasons, Walden commended Locklear's strong knowledge of the offense during his weekly press conference.

The quarterbacks were "neck and neck" in competition, according to Walden, and the decision came down to Thursday afternoon. He said on his coaches show Wednesday that this was the closest (quarterback) competition he's been part of.

"I'm starting to lean a certain way," Walden said on Monday in his weekly press conference. "Would not be against playing two guys early. Sometimes we play two guys in the first three games.

"If it's the first three games, so be it. We're going to do everything we can to see who the guy behind center is."

Walden alluded to the Miners rolling with two quarterbacks against Nebraska. McConnell started the final six games for the Miners last year, including in two of UTEP's three overall wins in 2023, throwing for 1,437 passing yards and six touchdown passes to four interceptions.

After going up against Big Ten power Nebraska on Saturday, the Miners have a highly anticipated home opener against Southern Utah (Sept. 7), with over 30,000 tickets already purchased. Then, the Miners have a tough road task at Liberty (Sept. 14).

Earlier in the offseason, Walden hoped to have one quarterback and stay with them for the entire season.

"If a guy absolutely takes it and runs with it.. let's say we end up we're going to roll with somebody. If they score 21 points, they aren't coming out of the game. It's a game-feel thing."

UTEP-Nebraska starts at 12:30 p.m. MST on Saturday on KLAQ (95.5 FM) with our Countdown to Kickoff pregame show. Voice of the Miners Jon Teicher, Cole Freytag and Mando Medina will call the action at 1:30 p.m. MinerTalk will hit 600 ESPN El Paso once the game ends. 

MinerTalk Watch Party will be held at The District West (3233 N. Mesa), with giveaways and prizes awarded at the end of each quarter. People can take advantage of great happy hour specials and 99-cent wings.