The stars of tomorrow aren’t waiting for their moment. They’re already claiming it.
UNLV’s 2026 quarterback commit Derek Garcia isn’t even on campus yet. But when he talks about the program, the city, and the future of Rebel football, he does it with the conviction of a player who plans to lead the entire thing.
“They’re talking about, ‘We want Vegas to be where our conference championship is played.’”
That’s how Garcia started. Not with stats. Not with self-promotion. But with the vision. For the program. For the city. UNLV needs to take its rightful place as a flagship of the future Mountain West, or whatever shape this conference realignment saga takes.
“We want Vegas to be in our conference because it is one of the most —
It is the top place in the world with resources.”
He’s not wrong. UNLV plays in an NFL stadium. Its campus houses one of the most advanced football facilities in the country. Fertitta. Mendenhall. Allegiant. It doesn’t matter that the Power 4 haven’t officially knocked yet — Vegas already has the blueprint.
“I think it has everything to get to that point.”
Garcia’s not naïve. He knows that infrastructure isn’t enough. That brands are built on wins. Vegas needs to go from hot story to cold-blooded contender.
“We just got to go win and be a first-class team,
Get the community around it,
And I think it’s going to be rolling.”
That’s not fluff. That’s the real formula. Every successful program, from UCF to TCU, turned the corner when it stopped waiting for respect and won its way to relevance. Garcia knows that’s the path. And he’s not just committing to a school. He’s buying into a city.
And make no mistake, UNLV fans are buying into him.
He’s a leader. A technician. A quarterback who can rip it on the move or settle into the pocket and control the game. But more than that, he’s a kid who gets it. He understands the stakes of what UNLV football is trying to become.
He’s not talking about NIL, he’s not chasing clout, he’s talking about building something real with Vegas as the epicenter.
As the interview closed, the host made it clear:
“Derek, you’re UNLV’s future quarterback one.
Appreciate you jumping on — the 2026 class is in excellent hands with you.”
“Yeah, thanks for having me,” Garcia said.
“It was good talking to you.”
“Yeah, I’ll catch you in Vegas soon.”
You will. And if Garcia’s vision plays out, the rest of the country might be heading there too, not for a bachelor party or a bowl game, but for a championship.
Vegas isn’t just where football is played.
It’s where UNLV’s future is being built.
And Derek Garcia is already leading it.
Full interview: