Quarterbacks spend their entire careers trying to avoid contact. Shay Smith is done with that. After two seasons of absorbing hits behind the line of scrimmage with almost nothing to show for it, the UTEP signal-caller has decided to stop running from defenders and start becoming one, switching from quarterback to linebacker.

The team held a special East Side outreach practice at SAC 2 in El Paso on March 28, 2026. The event brought players, coaches, and about 400 fans together. For many players, it was just a fun time and a different kind of practice. But for Shay Smith, though, it carried more weight. It was his first public appearance since announcing that he was giving up the QB jersey to play LB.

“I feel like if I would have stayed at quarterback, I feel like it would have been selfish of me to stay here and not really just find my true potential,” Smith told the media after practice. “I wanted to make the switch to the defensive side because I saw more opportunity on that side, and I just got tired of it.

“I didn’t have the feeling for quarterback anymore, so I feel like just moving to linebacker would be a better opportunity for me. I just got tired of getting hits, so I wanted to do the hitting.”

Shay Smith’s time under center was limited from the get-go. In 2024, he played in only four games and had very limited chances to perform. In the game against Nebraska, Smith went 2-of-2 for 14 yards, and even played briefly against Liberty on a single rushing attempt, and was used only once on special teams against WKU. These are the three cameos that told us the whole story about his role.

In 2025, things did not change much. Malachi Nelson became the starting quarterback, and Shay Smith remained a backup. Because of this, he got very little playing time and only recorded 14 yards with no touchdowns. This is not the first time a player has changed from quarterback to another position in college football. It happens when a player can help the team more in a different role.

NEW: UTEP QB Shay Smith is making a WILD transition to linebacker…

“I just got tired of getting hit so I wanted to do the hitting.” 😳 pic.twitter.com/TMuwJq6jyX

— College Transfer Portal (@CollegeFBPortal) March 31, 2026

For example, Seth Collins from Oregon State started as a quarterback but later became a wide receiver. Kadarius Toney also came to college as a quarterback and then switched to wide receiver. Another well-known example is Braxton Miller from Ohio State. He was a star quarterback at first, but later moved to wide receiver and H-back, where he also performed very well.

On top of that, his transition from QB to LB didn’t come out of the blue. While Shay Smith was at Franklin High School in 2021, he also played as a linebacker on defense. He did very well in that role. Over the season, he made 77 total tackles, meaning he stopped opponents from advancing the ball many times. He also recorded 3 sacks, which means he tackled the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage. In addition, he also recorded 3 fumbles and recovered 2 fumbles.

Now, he is all set to turn things around for them as a linebacker. But before that, let’s dig into his connection with the team.

Shay Smith’s deep connection with UTEP

Shay Smith grew up in El Paso, Texas, very close to UTEP. Playing for his hometown school was an important reason he chose to commit there. He came from Franklin High School as a quarterback and decided to play football for UTEP on December 17, 2023. He made this choice after visiting the team and spending time with the coaches.

Even though he had offers from other colleges like SMU, Texas Tech, Houston, North Texas, and Texas State, he felt UTEP was the right place for him. This decision was also very special for Shay and his family. His father, Paul Smith, had played for UTEP as a tailback from 1996 to 1999. Because of that, Shay felt a strong connection to the team and wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps.

Now, Shay is making a big change by moving to a new position, which is a big risk. His team is supporting him as he goes through this transition. His head coach, Scotty Walden, had some doubts at first but ended up supporting Shay and trusting his confidence.

“It was a mutual deal. If I’m being transparent, I talked to him about, ‘Hey, let’s not give up on quarterback just yet,'” Walden said. “And he’s like, ‘Coach, I’m ready to play, and I’m ready to get on this field.'”

Transitioning from one position to another is a major change for any player. Hence, it will be interesting to see if this decision works out for Shay Smith ahead of the upcoming season. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.