Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CMP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT | YPA | QBR | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 34-0vs Duquesne | 3/5 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 3.8 | — | |
| Wk 2 | L 32-38vs North Dakota State | 5/10 | 103 | 0 | 1 | 10.3 | — | Season-high 103 yds |
| Total | 8/15 | 122 | 0 | 1 | 7.1 | — |
#9
Liam Szarka
Junior quarterback for Air Force. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
5′11″ · 190 lb · Aurora, CO · Grandview
CFB Index 65 · #36 of 146 QBsHigh confidenceReturning to Air Force for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
122
passing yards · 2026
1 INT · 8.1 per attempt
2 games into 2026 so far -- Backed by 12 car · 40 yds · 3 TD -- top 1% rushing TDs game. -- Best game: 19 pass yds, 51 rush yds, vs Duquesne
The play that turned itSwung Air Force from 18% to 59% to win.Air Force at Navy · 34-31
His career numbers, season by seasonLiam Szarka
Beats you with his legs when the pocket breaks down. He has spent two seasons in the Air Force quarterback room. His first career honor landed in 2025: All-Mountain West. The receipt on tape: 103 pass yds, 88 rush yds against North Dakota State, Week 2, 2026.
122 PASS YDS · 0 PASS TD · 139 RUSH YDS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- recognition record
- game log
His career
He was winning awards before he was old enough to be a story.
202510 games
- All-Mountain Westhonorable_mention
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
Air Force
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🎖
ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST
All-Mountain West mention (2025)
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Troy Calhoun, all run-heavy offenses — 5-9 over that span.
2025Air Force4-8HC: Troy Calhoun · Run-heavy
2026Air Force1-1HC: Troy Calhoun · Run-heavy
Where this profile ranks vs the QB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Elite: rush yards (100th percentile). Strength: rush tds (96th percentile). Concern: pass yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (7)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 61.0 YDS/g, 0.0 TD/g, 7.1 YPA, 0.5 INT/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Troy Calhoun
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
In the mix to repeat All-Mountain West
Based on 2025: #2 of 14 Mountain West QBs
How the All-Mountain West estimate is computed
49% estimated, 95% confidence interval 43–54%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 34–0
vs Duquesne
19 yds · 0 TD · 0 INT · 51 rush yds (13 car) · 2 TD
Dominant 34-point win at home against Duquesne.
With W. Duncan — 56 AVG · 1 IN 20 · 62 LONG · C. Cremascoli — 52 LONG · 100 PCT · 10 PTS
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 2 · North Dakota State · 4&6 · Q3 · EPA +3.25(09:35) Shotgun #9 L.Szarka rush middle for 11 yards gain to the NDSU39 (#14 T.Eady; #41 P.Haugo), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · North Dakota State · 2&5 · Q2 · EPA +2.93(10:11) #9 L.Szarka pass complete deep left to #3 M.Long caught at NDSU45, for 35 yards to the NDSU33 (#29 D.Givance), out of bounds, 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · North Dakota State · 4&12 · Q4 · EPA +2.78(11:32) Shotgun #9 L.Szarka pass complete short left to #80 S.Kibbee caught at NDSU05, for 13 yards to the NDSU02 (#30 J.Archibald), out of bounds, 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Duquesne · 3&2 · Q3 · EPA +2.54(01:21) #9 L.Szarka rush left for 2 yards gain to the DUQ00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 01:21 #90 C.Cremascoli kick attempt good (H: #98 R.D'Angelo, LS: #46 J.Helms)
- Week 2 · North Dakota State · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +2.32(03:15) #9 L.Szarka pass complete deep middle to #29 S.Maiava-Alaimalo caught at NDSU47, for 26 yards to the NDSU47 (#4 N.Nelson), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · North Dakota State · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +1.89(11:55) Shotgun #9 L.Szarka pass complete short middle to #44 J.Bowman caught at AF40, for 21 yards to the AF46 (#52 K.Williams; #54 A.Wayne), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Duquesne · 4&1 · Q1 · EPA +1.80(09:56) #9 L.Szarka rush middle for 2 yards gain to the DUQ37 (#27 N.Pate; #99 C.Stec), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Duquesne · 3&5 · Q2 · EPA +1.69(14:58) Shotgun #9 L.Szarka rush right for 6 yards gain to the DUQ38 (#38 W.Martin), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Duquesne · 3&3 · Q1 · EPA +1.57(12:12) Shotgun #9 L.Szarka rush middle for 4 yards gain to the DUQ48 (#44 Z.Patillo), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · North Dakota State · 1&2 · Q4 · EPA +1.21(11:01) #9 L.Szarka rush right for 2 yards gain to the NDSU00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 10:59 #9 L.Szarka pass attempt failed
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Dangerous with both arm and legs — defenses can't just pin the ears back.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Air Force
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Quarterback · Air Force
Returning around him
- 57% 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 · Talent rank #137 · 2026 recruiting class #136
DNA match
Player DNA
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.
Matches Haaziq on
Yards / attempt
Differs from Haaziq on
Completion % (higher)
INT rate (higher)
TD rate (higher)
Through 2 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Lindsey Scott Jr.’s path through Incarnate Word.
64%match
Matches Lindsey on
Completion %
Differs from Lindsey on
Yards per attempt (higher)
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Cardell Williams's freshman season at Tulsa (2023).
22%match
Differs from Cardell on
Rush usage (higher)
Yards / attempt (higher)
Height (lower)
Background
2025 – Played in 10 games, seven starts … DNP vs. New Mexico and Colorado State due to injury … named honorable mention all-MW … led the team in rushing (190 carries, 922 yards, 13 touchdowns), passing (75-120-5-1,294-9) and total offense (310 plays, 2,216 yards, 221.6 avg) … first Falcon since K...
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology