MISSOULA — In the past several years during fall training camp for the Montana Grizzlies, quarterback has been the position to monitor because of competition.
But this season Montana brings back an All-American. And for Keali'i Ah Yat, the sky is the limit.
Ah Yat threw for 4,070 yards last year, completed 69% of his passes and accounted for 41 total touchdowns. But if you ask him, the growth is just beginning.
"I don't think I'm anywhere close to where I can be," Ah Yat said. "So it's everywhere and just slowing the game down, still being a student of the game. Processing coverages, being a leader out there. So, everything."
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Ah Yat is UM's first returning full-time starter at quarterback since Dalton Sneed in 2019, and last year he ran with his opportunity en route to All-Big Sky and All-America honors.
"He's been excellent. I've seen growth already," UM head coach Bobby Kennedy said. "I think he's night and day compared to where he was last year. And so I really feel good about where he's at. But you know, we all got to get better. I think he's got to become a little more vocal with his leadership. But there's no doubt the guys respect him."
That leadership is where the coaches, and Ah Yat himself, want to see him take the biggest leap.
"Just be more vocal, trying to take charge, lead the offense, and just try to motivate the guys, get everyone else to play better, motivate them," Ah Yat said. "And I think if I could do that and just help everyone around me, then I think we'll be in good shape."
Then there's the continued on-field development of decision-making, the game having slowed down, progressions, play-making, and more.
"I expect him to be mature in all those game situations, whether we're behind, ahead, tied up, going into halftime, a two-minute drive in the fourth quarter, whatever it really, and sometimes some bad things are going to happen to him, whether he gets sacked or throws an interception," UM offensive coordinator and QB coach Brent Pease said.
"We don't want that, but that's reality. And he's got to be able to handle all that and still guide 10 other guys on the field."
Rounding out the quarterback group will be backups like Luke Flowers, who has flashed potential too, along with the athletic Cody Schweikert and veteran Gage Sliter, who are there to compete but also support their QB1.
"I think the mentality doesn't change with a guy like Keali'i being in front of me, how good of a player he is," Sliter said. "My mentality never changes being a leader, being a guy that can be vocal, lead by example, work as hard as I can every single day just with that stuff."
"I think my mentality is always the same, but obviously just being here more and having that year under my belt last year, coming off that last year," Ah Yat added. "I'm comfortable, but like I said, I'm never complacent. Mentality is just to get this offense to keep improving every single day."
Griz 2026 quarterbacks
No. 4, Luke Flowers, JR, 6-foot-1, 188 pounds, Rigby, ID
No. 8, Keali'i Ah Yat, SR, 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, Kaneohe, HI
No. 12, Gage Sliter, SR, 6-foot-1, 193 pounds, Kalispell, MT
No. 16, Brady Jay, FR, 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, Moses Lake, WA
No. 18, Cody Schweikert, JR, 6-foot-3, 212 pounds, Columbia Falls, MT
No. 19, Drew Price, SO, 5-foot-10, 171 pounds, Jacksonville, FL
