Fresno State has made its choice at quarterback, and it’s a familiar name to football fans. E.J. Warner, son of Hall of Fame passer Kurt Warner, will be under center when the Bulldogs face the Kansas Jayhawks in their August 23 season opener.
E.J. Warner named Fresno State starting QB. What fans are sayinghttps://t.co/w3jX1bzTkm
— Fresno Bee Sports (@FresnoBeeSports) August 11, 2025
E.J. Warner takes over as Bulldogs starter
Warner arrived as a veteran transfer and beat out Sacramento State’s Carson Conklin and sophomore Jayden Mandal in a three-way competition. Coaches cited his leadership, steady play, and extensive experience as the deciding factors.
The 22-year-old has played 31 games across stints at Temple and Rice, throwing for 8,814 yards, 58 touchdowns, and 37 interceptions. His most productive year came in 2023 with Temple, when he averaged 307.6 passing yards per game to lead the AAC and set a school record with 23 touchdown passes. That season included three 400-yard games and two outings with five touchdown throws.
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After transferring to Rice in 2024, Warner completed 64.3 percent of his passes, the second-best mark in program history, and delivered a game-winning drive against UTSA with a touchdown strike in the final seconds.
Fresno State’s new head coach Matt Entz, who previously won two FCS national championships at North Dakota State, will make his Bulldogs debut alongside Warner. The pairing brings both experience and championship pedigree to a program looking to make noise in 2025.
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