KJ Costello, Mississippi State QB

Costello could not have picked an offense more different rom the scheme he was in at Stanford. While the Cardinal have thrown the ball a bit more in past years out of necessity, he’s going from an under-center offense that looks to establish the run to the offense that annually leads the nation in pass attempts. The fifth-year grad transfer has played well when healthy with his best season coming as a redshirt sophomore in 2018 when he threw for 3,540 yards and 29 touchdowns, good for second in the Pac-12.

Mike Leach saw what Costello can do first hand facing Stanford in the Pac-12 North. The former four-star recruit is tough and accurate and projects as an efficient passer in the Air Raid. And Leach has long preferred the older quarterback. Leach trotted out a first-year senior starter at quarterback at Texas Tech from 2003 to 2005 with immense success. BJ Symons (5,833 yards) and Sonny Cumbie (4,742 yards) led the nation in passing and Cody Hodges (4,197 yards) was right near the top, as well. It was a similar story at Washington State with fifth year seniors Gardner Minshew and Anthony Gordon leading the nation in passing yards per game the past two seasons as new starters in the Air Raid.

Costello enters his time at Starkville with more production and bona fides than any of Leach’s one-year quarterbacks. It may take some time for the new regime to get skill players that are ideal fits for the scheme, but Costello should provide for a strong transition at the quarterback spot. Dak Prescott set Mississippi State's single-season passing record in 2015 with 3,793 yards; the last five seasons by a Leach starter would (in chronological order) rank first, second, sixth, fourth and third in Mississippi State history.