cfb zeitgeistZeitgeist
OFFSEASON · SUMMER 2026 · COMMITMENT SEASON
Heisman / Players / Liam Szarka /Air Force

Liam Szarka

QB · Air Force · So · #9

Below the discourse floor — the honest stats-only state.

1,294 PASS YDS · 9 PASS TD · 922 RUSH YDS

2026 RETURNINGReturning to Air Force for 2026

2026 Outlook

Returning to Air Force for 2026

2026 Depth chart

Projected starter

Quarterback · Air Force

Returning around him

  • 63% of 2024 offensive production back (Solid continuity)
  • Transfer portal: -4 net (0 in / 4 out)

2026 Award watch

No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)

Air Force · Last season: 4-8 · 2026 recruiting class #129

QB · AIR FORCE · MOUNTAIN WEST

Liam Szarka

  • 2
  • #9
  • 6-0 | 195 lb
  • Aurora, CO

CFB Zeitgeist Score

62

Solid starter in the position cohort. Carried by yards / att at the 100th percentile.

Heisman Heat

Awaiting

Not on the live Heisman board this week.

Fan Belief

Awaiting

Player-specific FI not yet ingested. Falls back to team mood below.

Respect Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

Reality Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

ACCOLADE PROBABILITY

Heisman

TOP QB AWARD

Davey O'Brien

CONSENSUS

All-American

Player Standing · 17 rungs

Tier 2 · Starter

R07 · Impact starter

Impact starter. Producing measurable value above replacement.

Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
No recruit profile
CFB
College
Air Force
2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

Identity & Role

The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.

PositionQB
Class2
Jersey9
Measurements6-0 | 195 lb
HometownAurora, CO
Primary teamAir Force

Recruiting Pedigree

How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.

Top pedigree Not on file No matched recruiting profile in the loaded archive
Composite rating -- Composite rating unavailable for this player
Signed with -- Commitment history unavailable
Origin -- Hometown and high school unavailable
Class Profile Context
No recruiting profile is on file for this player.

Transfer Arc

Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.

Portal moves 0 No portal entry on file
Latest destination -- --
Transfer stars -- CFBD transfer rating context
Eligibility -- Transfer date TBD
Season Move Context
No transfer portal moves on file for this player.

Heisman Lens

Where the model places this player relative to the rest of the Heisman field.

Current nowcast--Latest modeled ballot order
Season forecast--Where the full season sim points
Win probability--Chance to actually win the trophy
Finalist probability--Chance to make the finalist tier
Ballot probability--Chance to appear anywhere on a ballot
Best official finish--Best completed Heisman placement on file

Heisman Futures

Not yet listed on major futures markets.

Achievements

  • Program Benchmark 5.5% Program Benchmark Season leader for the program at the player's position across the headline volume metric (passing yards / rushing yards / receiving yards). Held by 5.5% of the 2025 pool. Team leader in rushing yards (922).

Selector Grid · 2025

AP
FWAA
AFCA
WCFF
SN
SI

Selector recognition fills in once the major honors lists (AP, FWAA, AFCA, Walter Camp, Sporting News, SI) are scraped and ingested.

Today’s Hot-Take

The Hot-Take engine fires when this player’s percentile profile crosses a defensible threshold (top 10% in a cohort, 100+ snap sample). When it’s quiet, the model is honoring its “must be defensible” rule.

Anti-Take

PENDING

The contrarian read fires when the rules-engine detects a stat that complicates the Hot-Take. Quiet here means the model hasn’t found a defensible counter yet — not that one doesn’t exist.

The Room on Liam Szarka

Fan sentiment ·

Belief Meter

Awaiting per-cohort signal

Sample 0 mentions
Confidence BELOW-FLOOR

Top Take

Trajectory

Cohort divergence mapbearishbullishheatedcalmNational: 2 mentions · belief +100 · "Air Force QB Liam Szarka has 1,025 pass yards, 584 rush yards, and 8 TDs each wa"National
  • National · n=2

Rival Radar

How rival fanbases talk about Liam Szarka

No rival-bucket mentions in the current season.

Signature Story

Awaiting candidate metric

He hasn't written his page yet — we'll start filling it in when there are enough snaps to rank against his peers.

Signature Moment

No signature moment on the ledger yet.

Returns once this player puts together a multi-game body of work — single-game flashes alone don't clear the bar.

A 3-act season arc returns once this player has six or more games on the ledger.

Season Pace · Projection

Where the passing totals stand

projecting to 13-game
Through 10g
1,294Pass yards
9Pass TDs
5INT
Per game
129.4Pass yards
1Pass TDs
0INT
Projected (13g)
1,682Pass yards
12Pass TDs
6INT

To hit 3,000-yard season (currently 1,294): needs 568.7/game over remaining 3.

To hit 4,000-yard season (currently 1,294): needs 902/game over remaining 3.

To hit 25 passing TDs (currently 9): needs 5.3/game over remaining 3.

To hit 30 passing TDs (currently 9): needs 7/game over remaining 3.

To hit 35 passing TDs (currently 9): needs 8.7/game over remaining 3.

Why this is a two-channel quarterback case

The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.

The unusual part of Liam Szarka's case is that the production comes in two channels, not one. For Air Force, he has 1,294 passing yards and 9 touchdown passes, but he also adds 922 rushing yards and 13 rushing scores. That kind of dual-threat load tends to create a more resilient Heisman case because the offense can tilt the game in multiple ways.

Current place -- -- win | -- finalist
Role load 43.8% Overall usage share
Profile quirk Development arc The card should explain why this profile stands out

2025 Season · Final

Traditional stats first. Advanced context underneath.

Last season

QB season snapshot

2025 season snapshot | final

2025 season snapshot | finalData: CFBD player stats + local Heisman modelPeer context: same position + same level
Pass yards 1,294 9 TD | 5 INT | #127/382 (67th pct)
Completion rate 62.5% 75/120 completions | #172/383 (55th pct)
Yards/attempt 10.8 Explosiveness through the air | #29/382 (93rd pct)
Player identity What kind of player is this?

30-second read

What kind of player is this?

Steady volume | Vertical threat | Dual-threat against FBS QB peers. The quickest read is whether the profile wins on volume, efficiency, explosiveness, or rushing value.

Steady volumeVertical threatDual-threat

2025 Season · Final

2025 season snapshot | final

Passing Efficiency

CMP
75 61st
ATT
120 63rd
CMP%
62.5% 55th
Y/A
10.8 93rd

Passing Production

YDS
1,294 67th
TD
9 71st
INT
5 32nd

Rushing

CAR
190 99th
YDS
922 98th
YPC
4.9 76th
TD
13 98th

Game Log · Week-by-week

2025 season · 10 games

Box score · CFBD
WkOppCMP/ATTYDSTDINTYPAQBRNote
Wk 1W 49-13vs Bucknell2/2470023.596.8
Wk 3L 30-49@ Utah State6/1467014.834.9
Wk 4L 37-49vs Boise State13/182462113.793.9
Wk 5L 35-44vs Hawai'i10/122783123.288.5Season-high 278 yds
Wk 6L 31-34@ Navy11/192122011.280.7
Wk 7L 48-51@ UNLV10/171751010.379.3
Wk 8W 24-21vs Wyoming3/833004.147.7
Wk 10L 17-20vs Army13/17161029.549.3
Wk 11W 26-16@ San José State5/1041104.133.6
Wk 12L 16-26@ UConn2/3340011.35.7
Total75/12012949511.661.0
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score

Traditional history

Traditional Stats

Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.

Season rows Career row

Season context · Team result + system

2025Air Force4-8HC: Troy Calhoun · Run-heavy
SeasonTeam
2025Air Force7512062.5%1,29410.895169.5----
Career1 loaded season7512062.5%1,29410.895169.5----
SeasonTeam
2025Air Force1909224.913--
Career1 loaded season1909224.913--
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context

Advanced metrics second

Advanced Metrics

Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.

Usage Value Context
Passing WEPA

Opponent-adjusted passing value. Positive numbers mean the quarterback is adding more value through the air than a neutral peer would in the same environment.

Role share

How much of the offense runs through the quarterback once passing and rushing responsibility are blended together.

Peer percentile

Every percentile is compared against players at the same position and level, so an FBS quarterback is judged against FBS quarterbacks, not the whole sport.

Traditional first

The top tables stick to the stats fans already know from broadcasts and box scores. Advanced context is pushed underneath instead of replacing the basics.

Rush impact 922 13 rush TD | #8/408 (98th pct)
Usage 43.8% 80.4% pass share | 33.3% rush share | #130/428 (70th pct)
Passing WEPA +0.54 Opponent-adjusted passing value | #5/200 (98th pct)
Open full stat explorer
0 metrics visible Showing all metrics
Group Metric Value Rank Pct Why it matters
Passing Passing yards 1,294 #127/382 67th pct Volumevs FBS QB
Passing Pass TD 9 #117/407 71st pct Scoringvs FBS QB
Passing Completions 75 #149/383 61st pct Volumevs FBS QB
Passing Completion % 62.5% #172/383 55th pct Efficiencyvs FBS QB
Passing Yards / attempt 10.8 #29/382 93rd pct Efficiencyvs FBS QB
Rushing Rushing yards 922 #8/408 98th pct Volumevs FBS QB
Value Passing WEPA +0.54 #5/200 98th pct Opponent-adjusted passing value | 129 weighted playsvs FBS QB
Usage Role share 43.8% #130/428 70th pct Share of team offensevs FBS QB
Passing Attempts 120 #153/407 63rd pct Volumevs FBS QB
Passing Interceptions 5 #276/407 32nd pct Turnoversvs FBS QB
Rushing Carries 190 #5/408 99th pct Volumevs FBS QB
Rushing Rushing LONG 64 #14/391 97th pct Metricvs FBS QB
Rushing Rush TD 13 #10/408 98th pct Scoringvs FBS QB
Rushing Yards / carry 4.9 #100/407 76th pct Efficiencyvs FBS QB
Usage Pass share 80.4% #114/428 74th pct Air-game usagevs FBS QB
Usage Passing-down usage 61.3% #101/428 77th pct Known-passing sharevs FBS QB
Usage 3rd-down usage 55.9% #123/428 71st pct Money-down loadvs FBS QB
Usage 2nd-down usage 46.5% #107/428 75th pct Middle-down loadvs FBS QB
Usage Standard-down usage 38.1% #118/428 73rd pct Base-situation sharevs FBS QB
Usage 1st-down usage 35.9% #130/428 70th pct Early-down loadvs FBS QB
Usage Rush share 33.3% #10/428 98th pct Ground-game usagevs FBS QB
Value Rushing WEPA +0.27 #58/140 59th pct Opponent-adjusted rushing value | 184 weighted playsvs FBS QB
Ball Security Fumbles lost 2 #163/258 37th pct Turnoversvs FBS QB

Player Standing

Universal 17-step ladder. Tier pills below; accolade streams nested.

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION

On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION · Rung None of 16

Why he’s here

Standing classification populates when honors, Heisman, and roster signals all align.

What moves him up

What moves him down

Accolade streams

StatusAwaiting tracker

Heisman model tracks the top FBS contenders weekly; this player hasn't entered the watch list yet.

Splits · Per-game

2025 season · 10 games

Home/Road · Win/Loss · Season halves

Home vs Road

YDS/gTD/gYPAINT/g
Home5g1531.014.80.8
Road5g1060.88.30.2

Win vs Loss

YDS/gTD/gYPAINT/g
Wins3g40.30.310.60.0
Losses7g1681.112.00.7

First half vs Second half

YDS/gTD/gYPAINT/g
Weeks 1-76g1711.314.50.5
Weeks 8+4g67.20.27.20.5

Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.

Savant · Box-rate percentiles

Where this profile ranks vs the QB cohort

62Solid starter
8 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: yards / att (99th). Strength: rush yards (95th).

Yards / att#1 / 183 · 100th pct
10.8pass
Rush yards#8 / 183 · 96th pct
922rush
Rush TDs#10 / 183 · 95th pct
13rush
Interceptions#53 / 183 · 67th pct
5pass
Completion %#89 / 183 · 52nd pct
62.5%pass
Fumbles lost#87 / 174 · 38th pct
2fumb
Pass TDs#117 / 183 · 33rd pct
9pass
Pass yards#127 / 183 · 31st pct
1294pass

Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.

Pass Profile · Completion depth (PBP)

Where the throws are landing

54/88 (61.4%) · 8 TD · 3 INT

Short

0–9 yds
28%of completions
15 comp5.3 yds avg2 TD

Middle

10–19 yds
37%of completions
20 comp14.2 yds avg3 TD

Deep

20+ yds
35%of completions
19 comp37.4 yds avg3 TD

Overall 61.4% completion on 88 attempts · 19 deep completions averaging 37.4 yds.

Advanced Savant · QB · 2025

Percentile Card

Elite: EPA / dropback.

P4G5All FBS
EPA / dropback0.540
92th pct
CPOE
awaiting
Success rate
awaiting
Explosive rate (20+)
awaiting
aDOT
awaiting
Deep-ball accuracy
awaiting
Pressure-to-sack
awaiting
3rd-down EPA
awaiting
Red-zone TD rate
awaiting
Play-action EPA
awaiting
Scramble EPA
awaiting
Turnover-worthy play rate
awaiting

Advanced Savant

Opponent-adjusted advanced metrics with a cohort filter.

wepa_passing0.54Elite (≥p90) (n=94)
wepa_rushing0.27Low (p25–p50) (n=72)

Peer Comparator · Fingerprint match

Three closest profiles by box-rate percentile

3 peers · 8 metrics
Liam SzarkaAir ForceBryson BarnesUtah State· 76% simHaynes KingGeorgia Tech· 75% simBear BachmeierBYU· 74% sim
Yards / att
100
Szarka
75
Barnes
83
King
73
Bachmeier
Rush yards
96
Szarka
93
Barnes
96
King
83
Bachmeier
Rush TDs
95
Szarka
91
Barnes
97
King
93
Bachmeier
Interceptions
67
Szarka
67
Barnes
56
King
44
Bachmeier
Completion %
52
Szarka
32
Barnes
95
King
69
Bachmeier
Fumbles lost
38
Szarka
18
Barnes
38
King
18
Bachmeier
Pass TDs
33
Szarka
72
Barnes
58
King
60
Bachmeier
Pass yards
31
Szarka
75
Barnes
78
King
81
Bachmeier

Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.

Player DNA

The Dual Threat

Dangerous with both arm and legs — defenses can't just pin the ears back.

QB

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Haaziq Daniels’s 2021 season.

Haaziq Daniels

39%match

Air Force · 2021

#2

Timmy McClain

UCF · 2023

36%
#3

Blake Horvath

Navy · 2025

All-AAC
33%
#4

Bryson Daily

Army · 2024

All-AAC
28%
#5

John Rhys Plumlee

UCF · 2023

28%

Differs from Haaziq on

Completion % (higher)
INT rate (higher)
TD rate (higher)

Through 1 college season, his career arc tracks closest to Lindsey Scott Jr.’s path through Incarnate Word.

Lindsey Scott Jr.

66%match

Incarnate Word · 2022

#2

Kyle Trask

Florida · 2020

1st-team All-AmericanNFL Rd 2 · Pk 32
53%
#3

C.J. Stroud

Ohio State · 2022

NFL Rd 1 · Pk 2
51%
#4

Jalen Milroe

Alabama · 2024

CampbellAll-SECNFL Rd 3 · Pk 28
50%
#5

Trinidad Chambliss

Ole Miss · 2025

50%

Matches Lindsey on

Completion %

Differs from Lindsey on

Yards per attempt (higher)

As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Jaylen Raynor's freshman season at Arkansas State (2023).

Jaylen Raynor

22%match

Arkansas State · 2023

All-Sun Belt
#2

Cardell Williams

Tulsa · 2023

22%
#3

Anthony Colandrea

Virginia · 2023

All-Mountain West
20%
#4

Caleb Williams

Oklahoma · 2021

19%
#5

Layne Hatcher

Arkansas State · 2020

7%

Differs from Jaylen on

Rush usage (higher)
Yards / attempt (higher)
EPA / dropback (adj) (higher)

Supporting Cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2025 season

Head Coach

Troy Calhoun

Pass share

20.0%

163 pass / 650 run

Plays / game

67.8

12 games

OL sack rate (allowed)

10.6%

151 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Run-heavy.

Coaching Lineage · 2025

1 coach
2025
Troy Calhoun
Air Force

Played his entire career under Troy Calhoun.

Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster

Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.

HometownAurora, CO
Height6'0"
Weight195 lb
Class2
PositionQB
Jersey9

Trophy Case · Detail

Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.

Honors

No formal honors on the ledger yet

All-America, all-conference, player-of-the-week, watch-list, and postseason awards land here when they're earned. The absence is the signal: most players never collect formal honors, and that's its own kind of context.

Honors Timeline

Season-end distinction and week-by-week recognition on one timeline.

Season Honor Scope Team / Selector Context
No formal honors on the ledger yet. All-America, all-conference, weekly awards, watch lists, and postseason trophies land here when they’re earned.

Heisman By Year

Modeled rank and official finish by season.

Season Team Role Latest Model Forecast Win Finalist Official Finish Points Context
This player hasn’t appeared on a Heisman ballot tracked by the model.

Roster Timeline

Team, conference, and class by season.

Season Team Conference Pos Class Bio
2025 Air Force Mountain West QB 2 No. 9 | 6-0 | 195 lb | Aurora, CO