BYU enters the season with a quarterback competition after Jake Retzlaff's transfer to Tulane
Quarterback was not expected to be an issue with Jake Retzlaff expected to be back after a solid first season as the Cougars' starter.
That all changed this summer, when Retzlaff opted to transfer to Tulane while he reportedly faced a suspension for violating BYU's honor code.
'We feel good about the talent that we have," said BYU coach Kalani Sitake, entering his 10th season in Provo. 'We have to let them battle it out and see what happens. If you're going to play quarterback at this level, you have to be a leader already. They're all natural leaders.'
Retzlaff won a tight competition with Gerry Bohanon to become BYU's starter last season and got better as the season progressed. Retzlaff threw for nearly 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns with 12 interceptions, adding 417 yards and six more TDs rushing.
The Cougars finished 11-2 with Retzlaff leading the offense, capping the season with a win over Colorado in the Alamo Bowl.
Retzlaff's course — and BYU's with it — changed when he was named in a sexual assault lawsuit earlier this year. The suit was later dismissed, but Retzlaff acknowledged having consensual sex in his defense, a violation of the school's honor code asking students to abstain from premarital sex.
Retzlaff's decision to transfer left BYU with three prime candidates to earn the starting job this season: McCae Hillstead, Treyson Bourguet, and Bear Bachmeier.
Hillstead played eight games at Utah State in 2023 and Bourguet played 10 games over two seasons at Western Michigan. Both players have a year under their belt at BYU after transferring.
Bachmeier did not play at Stanford and transferred to BYU after spring practices, but he has quickly picked up the offense, giving him a shot to become the starter on Aug. 30.
'Obviously, we had a quarterback competition last year, so, luckily, the staff has been through quarterback competitions many times before,' Sitake said. 'So the goal is to try to get these guys in situations where we can play football and see how they can function."
Martin's impact
The loss of Retzlaff could give L.J. Martin an even bigger chance to shine in his third season in Provo.
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound running back rushed for 518 yards and four touchdowns in 2023, following that up with 718 yards and seven TDs last season. Martin was named offensive MVP of the Alamo Bowl after accounting for 121 yards and two touchdowns.
Dominating D
BYU had a rare down season defensively in 2022, but bounced back the past two seasons behind coordinator Jay Hill.
The Cougars again should have a formidable defense this year, even after losing several starters on the defensive line.
Linebacker has been a strength in Provo and will likely continue to be with the returns of Jack Kelly and Isaiah Glasker. The front does return several players with experience and the addition of Utah transfer Keanu Tanuvasa should be a big boost.
The secondary lost Jakob Robinson and Marquee Collins — also one of the nation's top kick returners — but has plenty of experience in the back with multiple players who were in the rotation last season.
Schedule
BYU won its first nine games last year and has a chance to get off to another good start in its third Big 12 season.
The Cougars open at home on Aug. 30 against Portland State, with nonconference games against Stanford and at East Carolina. BYU opens conference play at Boulder on Sept. 27, with road games against Arizona, Iowa State, No. 23 Texas Tech and Cincinnati.
The Cougars host rival Utah on Oct. 18.
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