AJ Bianco spent much of his time at Nevada in the shadows. Despite that, he has made one thing clear: he will always step up and play hard for his team. The fifth-year quarterback has served the entirety of his collegiate career as a member of the Wolf Pack, and has made waves this season.
Bianco is from Lahaina, Hawaii, on the island of Maui. He moved to Honolulu to play football at Saint Louis High School. There, he led his team to victory in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu championships, becoming a three-star recruit along the way.
Although initially committing to play for the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, Bianco ultimately ended up at Nevada after the departure of Hawai‘i’s head coach, Todd Graham. In Nevada, he redshirted his freshman season.
In his first active season at Nevada, his second year overall, Bianco debuted against the No. 6-ranked University of Southern CaliforniaTrojans on the road in Los Angeles on Sept. 2, 2023. Serving as backup to Colorado transfer Brendon Lewis, Bianco did not fail to prove how he could contribute with a 77-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jamaal Brown in his first appearance.
Bianco continued to serve as the secondary quarterback and played in eight games, starting two. He consistently became someone the offense could count on, even contesting Lewis, achieving four touchdowns of his own. This was double the two thrown by Lewis in all 12 games, despite fewer opportunities with the ball.
The following season brought big change, as Nevada moved into its current era with head coach Jeff Choate.
Despite his promising first active season, Bianco fell further down the quarterback ladder in his third year. The addition of Nebraska transfer Chubba Purdy pushed Bianco to third-in-line, where he only made three appearances.
All three of Bianco’s appearances would be off the bench and despite his little playtime, he proved he could make moves when needed. In 24 passing attempts, Bianco had a 66.7% completion percentage throwing for 174 yards.
In a game against the University of Hawai‘i on Oct. 26, 2024, Bianco and Purdy exchanged snaps after starting quarterback Lewis was injured. Bianco threw for 131 yards and a touchdown, being there when he was most needed.
“AJ is a great QB… Everytime he is out there he zips it, he makes great reads and he’s a great leader,” linebacker Drue Watts stated prior to the team’s game in Hawaii.
In his fourth season, Bianco continued to stay in the shadows as backup to Purdy. His choice to stay at Nevada as a backup when he had already proven he is capable of leading an offense began to surprise the masses. During the age of an active transfer portal, his loyalty to the Wolf Pack became increasingly clear.
“This area has really grown on me over the years, you know. I’m a really big fan of the coaching staff,” Bianco shared to the media in fall camp before entering his redshirt junior year. “I don’t think the grass is always greener on the other side, so being here I’m grateful and I’m just happy to be where I am.”
Bianco first saw the field against the No. 2 ranked Penn State during the 2025 season opener. Although the game ultimately ended in a blowout, Bianco’s singular drive would be Nevada’s only touchdown of the night.
His one start for the season came against Middle Tennessee, where the Wolf Pack fell short 14-13. He struggled during this game, throwing an interception and getting sacked twice without a touchdown.
After his performance in Tennessee, Bianco hardly took the field. Midseason changes transitioned Purdy to a receiver position, yet the starting position did not go to Bianco.
Starting for the remainder of Nevada’s game would be freshman quarterback Carter Jones. Bianco would get occasional play time, but struggled to make a real impact in the few snaps he was given.
Going into his fifth and final season, Bianco described it as “a little bittersweet.”
“This is where it all started. It’s been a long drive, but I’m really excited about this team and making my last season one to remember,” Bianco said.
While Bianco may not have always had the starting position, Coach Choate has recognized his dedication and reliability.
“And AJ, you know, just about the time you forget that he’s there, he goes out and performs at a really high level. And that’s who he is. He’s a very consistent performer… I think he brings a lot to the table. Whether he’s QB1, QB2, QB3, this is a guy who is going to have a role in our organization,” Choate explained during the 2026 preseason, awaiting the decision for which quarterback would start.
Bianco’s final season started behind two other quarterbacks yet again: Jones and a senior transfer from UCLA, Luke Duncan.
He first played against Middle Tennessee behind Luke Duncan who threw two interceptions in the first half. Bianco gave fans a glimpse of hope in the second half with a touchdown, again showing off his capability.
Following this performance, Bianco earned his spot as backup quarterback. When Jones got injured away against UTEP, Bianco was the first guy on call, and rightfully so. He closed out the game for the Wolf Pack’s second win of the season.
“AJ’s done a really good job in a limited sample size,” Choate commented ahead of Bianco’s first start of the season at North Dakota State University.
This game showed why Choate speaks so highly of Bianco, and showed fans his full potential and dedication. Following an injury on the second drive, Bianco battled through, limping between plays. He recorded 190 passing yards and 23 rushing yards for two touchdowns.
When asked about Bianco’s gritty performance, fifth-year linebacker Zach Cochnauer shared, “I mean, I always had respect for AJ. I didn’t know he had that much dog in him, but he’s a, I mean, he’s just a competitor. That’s all I’m gonna say.”
Bianco continued to be the person Nevada offense counted on. After Duncan threw multiple interceptions against ranked UCLA on Oct. 31, Bianco finished the game as the Wolf Pack’s most reliable quarterback.
At UCLA, Bianco completed six out of 13 attempts for 71 passing yards with a long of 34. He played the most snaps of any Nevada quarterback, despite obtaining an injury the week prior.
AJ Bianco is someone to watch for the remainder of the season as he finishes his five-year tenure in Reno.
“I think we have such a great opportunity here with these next four games, and you know, obviously it starts Friday night with New Mexico, and I don’t think this group could be more excited or hungry to get things rolling,” Bianco shared while looking forward to the last few games this season.
He started at home against the Lobos just a couple days later on Nov. 6, 2026. Bianco threw for 106 yards in 31 attempts against the No. 22-ranked team.
The Wolf Pack’s next game will be away against the Northern Illinois University Huskies on Nov. 14. Kick off is at 12:30 p.m.
