Latest news with #KalaniSitake
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
BYU enters the season with a quarterback competition after Jake Retzlaff's transfer to Tulane
BYU entered the offseason with questions at receiver, cornerback, defensive line and kick returning. 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. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: and
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
BYU enters the season with a quarterback competition after Jake Retzlaff's transfer to Tulane
BYU entered the offseason with questions at receiver, cornerback, defensive line and kick returning. 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. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: and
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
BYU looking to fill unexpected hole at quarterback after Jake Retzlaff's offseason departure
PROVO, Utah (AP) — BYU is unexpectedly searching for a new starting quarterback while trying to contend for a Big 12 title again this season. Jake Retzlaff led the Cougars to an 11-2 record and an Alamo Bowl victory over Colorado a year ago while throwing for 2,947 yards and 20 touchdowns. With Retzlaff returning for his senior season, BYU was optimistic about building on that success in 2025. But he left the program in July. Retzlaff was named as a defendant in a since-dismissed civil lawsuit that accused him of sexual assault. He acknowledged what he described as a consensual sexual relationship in his defense. Following the lawsuit's dismissal, Retzlaff transferred to Tulane rather than face a potential suspension for violating a requirement in BYU's honor code asking students to abstain from premarital sex. His departure left a major hole in BYU's offense heading into fall camp. Three quarterbacks — McCae Hillstead, Treyson Bourguet, and Bear Bachmeier — have emerged as serious candidates to be the new signal caller. 'Luckily this staff has been through quarterback competitions many times before,' BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. 'The goal is to try to get these guys in situations where we can play football and see how they can function.' Hillstead and Bourguet have already spent a year in the program. Both players were buried on the depth chart behind Retzlaff and backup QB Gerry Bohanon after transferring into BYU last season. Each quarterback came to Provo with starting experience at their previous schools. Hillstead appeared in eight games, starting four, as a true freshman in 2023. He threw for 1,062 yards and 11 touchdowns while completing 59.5% of his passes. During his lone season with the Aggies, Hillstead set Utah State's freshman single-game passing record. He tallied 399 yards and four touchdowns on 25-of-47 passing in a 45-38 loss to James Madison. Hillstead is listed at 5-foot-10 and struggled to stay healthy at Utah State. But he's confident that his familiarity with the BYU playbook and his experience with the Aggies will help him overcome any perceived disadvantage with his height and smaller frame. 'You can't try to be anybody else other than yourself,' Hillstead said. 'Put that all on tape. Be your best self and try to go get it.' Bourguet played in 10 games over two seasons at Western Michigan before transferring to BYU in 2024. He threw for 1,314 yards and six touchdowns while completing 52.4% of his passes. The 6-foot-2 junior is feeling confident after having continuity for the first time in his football career. Bourguet had to adapt to new coaches and new offensive systems in all four years of high school football and both seasons at Western Michigan. 'This is most confident and comfortable I've been in a system my whole career,' Bourguet said. Bachmeier did not play a snap for Stanford, transferring from the Cardinal to the Cougars after spring practices. The 6-foot-2 true freshman is trying to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Hank, who won the starting job as a freshman at Boise State. Hank Bachmeier eventually made 48 career starts in stints at Boise State, Louisiana Tech, and Wake Forest, tallying 11,256 yards and 67 touchdowns over six seasons. The younger Bachmeier looks at his older brother as his primary mentor as he tries to make his own mark. 'He's obviously played a lot of ball, he's got a lot of experience,' Bachmeier said. 'So I'm just trying to be a sponge with him. Obviously, he's passing down a lot of knowledge to me and I'm trying to soak it up as much as I can.' Sitake and offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick split first-teams reps evenly between Hillstead, Bachmeier, and Bourguet in the first fall practice. Their preference is to name a starter quickly, but they also don't want to rush their evaluation period ahead of the season opener at home against Portland State on August 30th. 'I know that we can wait until the first game, but we'd like to get it sorted out as soon as we can,' Sitake said. 'You can't really put a deadline to it. It's not like we have to have this much done in day one, day two, or day three. I just like to see them go with the flow of the offense.' ___ AP college football: and
Associated Press
04-08-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
BYU looking to fill unexpected hole at quarterback after Jake Retzlaff's offseason departure
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — BYU is unexpectedly searching for a new starting quarterback while trying to contend for a Big 12 title again this season. Jake Retzlaff led the Cougars to an 11-2 record and an Alamo Bowl victory over Colorado a year ago while throwing for 2,947 yards and 20 touchdowns. With Retzlaff returning for his senior season, BYU was optimistic about building on that success in 2025. But he left the program in July. Retzlaff was named as a defendant in a since-dismissed civil lawsuit that accused him of sexual assault. He acknowledged what he described as a consensual sexual relationship in his defense. Following the lawsuit's dismissal, Retzlaff transferred to Tulane rather than face a potential suspension for violating a requirement in BYU's honor code asking students to abstain from premarital sex. His departure left a major hole in BYU's offense heading into fall camp. Three quarterbacks — McCae Hillstead, Treyson Bourguet, and Bear Bachmeier — have emerged as serious candidates to be the new signal caller. 'Luckily this staff has been through quarterback competitions many times before,' BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. 'The goal is to try to get these guys in situations where we can play football and see how they can function.' Hillstead and Bourguet have already spent a year in the program. Both players were buried on the depth chart behind Retzlaff and backup QB Gerry Bohanon after transferring into BYU last season. Each quarterback came to Provo with starting experience at their previous schools. Hillstead appeared in eight games, starting four, as a true freshman in 2023. He threw for 1,062 yards and 11 touchdowns while completing 59.5% of his passes. During his lone season with the Aggies, Hillstead set Utah State's freshman single-game passing record. He tallied 399 yards and four touchdowns on 25-of-47 passing in a 45-38 loss to James Madison. Hillstead is listed at 5-foot-10 and struggled to stay healthy at Utah State. But he's confident that his familiarity with the BYU playbook and his experience with the Aggies will help him overcome any perceived disadvantage with his height and smaller frame. 'You can't try to be anybody else other than yourself,' Hillstead said. 'Put that all on tape. Be your best self and try to go get it.' Bourguet played in 10 games over two seasons at Western Michigan before transferring to BYU in 2024. He threw for 1,314 yards and six touchdowns while completing 52.4% of his passes. The 6-foot-2 junior is feeling confident after having continuity for the first time in his football career. Bourguet had to adapt to new coaches and new offensive systems in all four years of high school football and both seasons at Western Michigan. 'This is most confident and comfortable I've been in a system my whole career,' Bourguet said. Bachmeier did not play a snap for Stanford, transferring from the Cardinal to the Cougars after spring practices. The 6-foot-2 true freshman is trying to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Hank, who won the starting job as a freshman at Boise State. Hank Bachmeier eventually made 48 career starts in stints at Boise State, Louisiana Tech, and Wake Forest, tallying 11,256 yards and 67 touchdowns over six seasons. The younger Bachmeier looks at his older brother as his primary mentor as he tries to make his own mark. 'He's obviously played a lot of ball, he's got a lot of experience,' Bachmeier said. 'So I'm just trying to be a sponge with him. Obviously, he's passing down a lot of knowledge to me and I'm trying to soak it up as much as I can.' Sitake and offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick split first-teams reps evenly between Hillstead, Bachmeier, and Bourguet in the first fall practice. Their preference is to name a starter quickly, but they also don't want to rush their evaluation period ahead of the season opener at home against Portland State on August 30th. 'I know that we can wait until the first game, but we'd like to get it sorted out as soon as we can,' Sitake said. 'You can't really put a deadline to it. It's not like we have to have this much done in day one, day two, or day three. I just like to see them go with the flow of the offense.' ___ AP college football: and
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
This 2026 defensive back recruit has committed to BYU
Brigham Young Cougars head coach Kalani Sitake puts his hand on Associate Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator Jay Hill as BYU and Oklahoma play at LaVell Edwards stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. OU won 31-24. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News BYU has picked up the 10th member of its 2026 football recruiting class. Defensive back Antonio Johnson has committed to the Cougars, he announced Saturday via social media. 'Thank you to all my family and coaches who believed in my ability,' Johnson wrote in an Instagram post. 'I want to thank the the man himself, Jesus, and my mom (for) helping me be the man I've become and wanted to thank Coach (Jay) Hill for taking a chance on me.' Advertisement The Fort Worth, Texas, native is rated as a 3-star talent by 247 Sports with a player grade of 86 and ranks as the No. 93 cornerback recruit in the country. Standing at 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, Johnson chose BYU over competing offers from UTEP, Texas State and Miami (Ohio). Johnson is the 10th 2026 prospect to commit to BYU, joining the likes of Brock Harris, Bott Mulitalo, Terrance Saryon and others.
