EJ Colson has already learned that the path to becoming a starting quarterback rarely follows a straight line.
He reclassified, graduated from high school a year early and arrived at UCF as a 17-year-old four-star prospect. He later transferred to Incarnate Word, where he became a starter and learned to command a locker room that included teammates several years older than he was.
Now, still only 19, Colson has arrived in El Paso as the starting quarterback entrusted with helping UTEP enter a new era.
“It’s a great responsibility,” Colson said. “I’m not going to sit here and lie to you like it’s not stressful, because of everything that is on you, suddenly being the starting quarterback of a great program and a program that hasn’t had success in these previous years. I know there is a lot riding on it.”
The pressure is real, but so is Colson’s confidence. His career has already required him to adjust quickly, learn from different offensive minds and repeatedly bet on his own ability.
That process began when he reclassified and left Cedar Grove High School in Ellenwood, Georgia, a year early. A three-year starter, Colson finished with 5,969 career passing yards, 68 touchdown passes and only nine interceptions. He also rushed for 1,354 yards and 16 scores.
He was named the Georgia Region 5-3A Player of the Year and rated by ESPN as a four-star prospect and the No. 6 quarterback nationally among players in the 2025 class.
Instead of returning for his senior season, Colson enrolled at UCF.
“I had a great year there as far as learning and just being around a lot of great people and great coaches,” Colson said.
The experience forced him to grow up quickly. UTEP head coach Scotty Walden still marvels at how much Colson encountered before most players his age had completed high school.
“He has seen a lot,” Walden said. “He was a 17-year-old kid who was supposed to be enjoying his senior year, but instead he was thrown into a situation where he was started against Cincinnati.”
Colson appeared in three games and made one start at UCF in 2024. When head coach Gus Malzahn resigned after the season, Colson entered the transfer portal and chose to transfer to Incarnate Word.
The move became a big turning point.
At UIW, Colson was responsible for leading an offense and earning the trust of players with significantly more college experience.
“I truly learned so much in my short time there, just how to be a leader,” Colson said. “Certainly being 18 years old, trying to lead 24-year-olds, it was different. But I learned so much, learned how to handle different situations and then had the ability to go out and showcase my skills.”
He did exactly that.
Colson started 10 games in 2025 and completed 70.9% of his passes, throwing for 2,142 yards, 16 touchdowns and only four interceptions. He added 287 rushing yards and three scores, showing the dual-threat ability that made him such an appealing fit for Walden’s offense.
His season included 339 passing yards and three total touchdowns against UTRGV and 103 rushing yards with two touchdowns against Abilene Christian. He also threw three touchdown passes against both UTSA and Lamar.
The production validated Colson’s belief that the move was not a step backward.
“When I went to UIW, everybody had something to say,” Colson said. “I was a four-star recruit coming out of high school, and everyone was like, ‘Wow, now he’s at the FCS level.’ I just didn’t let it faze me. I understood what my goals were, and I understood that God had led me to UIW.
“A lot of people had everything to say, but when I was able to have a great season, everything just kind of got quiet.”
His advice to other athletes navigating the transfer portal reflects that experience.
“Bet on yourself and prove yourself right,” he said. “Don’t try to prove anybody else wrong.”
That mindset brought him to UTEP, even as outside observers again questioned his decision.
Colson saw opportunity, a talented roster, an energetic coaching staff and a fan base waiting for a reason to believe.
“Everybody has something to say about, ‘Why did he go to a program that didn’t have success in the previous years?’” Colson said. “Because I saw opportunity. I saw the great players, the great teammates I have, the great coaching staff we have, and the fan support. I knew it was an opportunity for me to go in there, have fun and get that excitement of the FBS level back again.”
Walden believes Colson’s background has prepared him for the moment.
“EJ is a mature, great leader for us,” Walden said. “I keep forgetting he’s 19 years old because the way he talks and acts, it feels like he is so much older. He has been through two other great programs and locker rooms, and he is a true leader for our guys.”
Their relationship has become central to Colson’s transition. Having played for three offensive-minded head coaches, Colson understands that learning a playbook requires more than memorizing terminology. He wants to know why a play is called, how the coach sees a defense and what adjustments are available before the snap.
After arriving in January, Colson met with Walden every Wednesday until spring practice began.
“I might have class at four and practice just ended at two,” Colson said. “I need to go spend that hour and a half with Coach Walden and ask, ‘What do you think when you call this? What’s your mindset on different aspects of defenses?’”
By spring ball, the offense no longer felt new.
“It felt like I had been in the office for two years,” Colson said. “I’m moving, I’m executing, I’m checking plays, checking RPOs. It was just like, ‘OK, I have the full grasp of this offense, and I just have to go out there and have fun with it.’”
Walden sees a quarterback ideally suited for the system.
“EJ, as a dual-threat quarterback, is a perfect fit for our offense,” Walden said. “We’re excited to see him continue to grow.”
The connection extends beyond football. Colson spends time with Walden’s family and has developed a close bond with his sons, Luca and Maverick, whom he describes as little brothers. Those moments have allowed Colson to see Walden not only as a coach but also as a father figure and role model.
When Walden officially told Colson he had earned the QB1 job, the quarterback’s response was simple.
“I told him, ‘I won’t let you down, Coach,’” Colson said.
Colson understands keeping that promise will require toughness. There will be hits, mistakes and moments when the crowd expects an answer immediately.
“The fans don’t care if the last play I banged up my left hand,” Colson said. “I have to go out and win this game for them.”
Away from football, Colson has found a new way to practice patience. Basketball was his first love, and he helped lead his high school team to the state tournament as a sophomore. More recently, he picked up golf.
“Sometimes I hit a ball, and it goes left, and I’m like, ‘What?’” Colson said. “I have to remember, just be patient with it. This isn’t football. This isn’t something you’ve been doing since you were three years old.”
He and his teammates have turned golf outings into another form of bonding. Soon, though, Colson’s attention will return to the Sun Bowl, where the orange and blue uniform represents another new beginning in a career already filled with them.
He has worn black and gold. He has worn black and red. Now, he is ready for orange and the opportunity to help lead the Miners into the Mountain West.
“I can’t wait to see the orange jersey hit the lights,” Colson said. “I can’t wait to see the Sun Bowl packed out this year.”
For Colson, the journey from Georgia to Orlando, San Antonio and El Paso has never been about silencing everyone who questioned him. It has been about trusting his preparation, embracing each opportunity and proving to himself that he belongs.
At 19 years old, UTEP’s new starting quarterback has already lived several chapters of the modern college football experience.
Now comes the one he believes will define him.