Breaking news’:Jake Retzlaff announce resignation and leaving for the low payment offer…..
Breaking news’:Jake Retzlaff announce resignation and leaving for the low payment offer…..
Fall camp week two: Who will start at quarterback?
Just three weeks now separate practice and opening night for BYU football.
After two weeks of fall camp we’ve heard from coaches and players and seen some live action on the practice field. BYU’s second year in the Big 12 elicits the biggest question of all: Who will start at quarterback?
The answer seems to be as elusive as questions 1-30 in my 30-question Chem 105 final. Kalani Sitake and his staff are either keeping the information air-tight, or have no idea themselves.
Amid all the unknowns however we get to catch some glimpses, hear some rumblings, and make inferences on what we could see on the field this year. Some people may call it “guessing.” I like to call it “educated guessing.”
The competition for starting quarterback seemed murkier than ever last week when four guys started taking first team reps. This week has offered a bit more clarity.
The competition is between just two guys, Jake Retzlaff and Gerry Bohanon. Although there has been first-team reps traded and some rumors flying around, it has become clear that either Bohanon or Retzlaff will be marching out onto the field for the opening drive of the season.
Asked almost daily about the identity of a starter, Sitake always offers a diplomatic answer. He often refers to the group of guys competing as “those two” or “both guys,” referring to Retzlaff and Bohanon.
Though nothing is official, the message to both the eyes and ears out of camp is that Bohanon has stood out as a frontrunner for the starting job.
It makes sense. Bohanon comes with a load of experience, especially in the Big 12. He was responsible for 27 touchdowns in 2021 and led Baylor to a Big 12 championship and Sugar Bowl win. In a room that lacks playing time, Bohanon comes with an excess of it.
One of the biggest things that’s stood out during camp is Bohanon’s ability to use his legs. He’s rushed for over 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns in his career, and his bigger 6-foot-3 frame makes him ideal for BYU’s offense. Just this past week he has torn off multiple 50-plus yard runs during live team practice.
More important than running, however, is being able to air out the ball. This is BYU after all. None of the quarterbacks on the roster has stood out as prolific passers. Bohanon at least comes with a big arm and sound mechanics, not to mention a solid understanding of the routes and offense as a whole, which was very similar to what he ran while at Baylor.
Aaron Roderick’s offense desperately needs both the legs and the arm to be efficient; that’s what made Zach Wilson and Jaren Hall so good for the Cougars. Quarterback-designed runs, the option game and bootleg roll-outs are all staples in BYU’s offense for the past five years. Without a mobile quarterback, the Cougars struggle to move the ball down the field.
Bohanon is best choice on paper as well as where everyone is starting to lean towards at this point leading up to the season.
Regardless of who starts week one the odds are very good that we will see multiple starting quarterbacks throughout the season for BYU. Whether it’s injury or poor performance, we could see two or even three different players getting the starting nod before the season is over. In the last 10 years, BYU has only started the same quarterback every game of the season once (Zach Wilson in 2020).
Only Aug. 31, 6 p.m. MDT will tell us for sure who has earned the gig as starting QB for BYU’s 2024 season opener. In a sport dominated by the position, Sitake and company better make sure they make the right decision.
