5 big storylines to follow as BYU begins preseason football training camp

After BYU’s 2024 football season ended with a 36-14 thumping of Coach Prime’s Colorado Buffaloes in the Alamo Bowl, head coach Kalani Sitake and offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick almost immediately began talking about the biggest impediments they would face in attempting to replicate the standout year in 2025.

That would be pride, complacency and arrogance.

“By no means can we start thinking we’ve arrived,” Sitake said.

That theme continued through offseason workouts in January and February and into spring camp, even as the Cougars added more pieces to the 2025 roster, including a couple of Utah’s players — Keanu Tanuvasa and Carsen Ryan — and one who got away a few years ago, Michigan offensive lineman Andrew Gentry.

Coming out of spring camp, more optimism ensued, as Oklahoma State’s Justin Kirkland, Stanford’s Tiger and Bear Bachmeier and San Diego State’s Tayvion Beasley jumped aboard from the transfer portal.

Then disaster struck, as starting quarterback Jake Retzlaff’s situation unfolded, eventually leading to the first Jewish QB in BYU history leaving the program and walking on at Tulane.

No doubt about it, Retzlaff will be missed in Provo, although his stats were rather mediocre. His intangibles, including his ability to make something out of nothing with his legs and penchant for pulling off come-from-behind wins (SMU, Utah and Oklahoma State come to mind) will be hard to duplicate.

His leadership will also be missed, as he emerged as the face of a program that went 7-2 in its second season in the Big 12 and finished in a four-way tie for the best record in the Big 12.

At the Big 12 football media days, Sitake and several players mentioned that in the long run the departure may be a blessing in disguise. The Cougars are once again facing low expectations in some circles, and have something to prove to themselves, if not others.

“We are motivated by each other,” said linebacker Jack Kelly. “With the bonds we have built and the camaraderie this team has, we play for each other. So we are not worried so much about ourselves individually. We are worried about the team and if we are playing for each other. That is going to be enough of a motivator to want to do better than last year.”

Noted fellow linebacker Isaiah Glasker when asked how the team has handled the quarterback setback: “Just with hard work, putting our heads down and using grit. … Even last year, we came up a little bit short. We are trying to overcome those two games that we lost and hopefully get to that Big 12 championship (game) and hopefully (win) a national championship.”

Sitake said the focus will remain on the culture he has built in Provo, and controlling what they can control.

“Man, I don’t know what this year is going to bring us. I don’t know what the record is going to look like,” Sitake said. “I just know I’m going to enjoy the process and I’m going to have fun doing it.”

Sitake’s 10th preseason training camp begins Wednesday

One of the more tumultuous stretches in recent memory — thanks to the Retzlaff situation — is finally over, and the Cougars are eager to get back on the field in a more controlled setting and get to work in earnest for the 2025 season.

Although most of the players have spent the majority of their time the past eight weeks living in Provo and conducting their own player-run-practices, they all reported back after a long weekend off on Tuesday and will have their first official practice on Wednesday.

“I can’t remember a time when guys have been more amped to just get back on the field again,” said receiver Chase Roberts at Big 12 media days. “Football is what we do, so naturally we want to play as much as possible.”

BYU rewarded Sitake with a long-term contract extension last December, and also gave a lot of his assistants pay bumps and promotions, so that question about his future that was apparent last summer has been answered.

The program appears to be on an upward trajectory, slowed only by that 5-7 season in 2023 when BYU was getting accustomed to Power Five (now Power Four) football. Throw out that season, and the Cougars have won 40 of their last 51 games.

“There were some really good things that we did that year (2023). I don’t think you just trash that whole year because it didn’t work out in our favor,” Sitake said. “There were some really cool, competitive games that we had that year. It was about taking that season, and then learning from all the mistakes that I made as a head coach. I am still learning. I am going in my 10th year as a head coach, and I can tell you now, during my 10th year, compared to my first year, I feel a lot more comfortable in this role.”

The season opener is Aug. 30 against Portland State and the Big 12 opener is Sept. 27 at Colorado.

5 storylines to follow through fall camp

Late July and early August generally produce the hottest days of the year in northern Utah, and the next three weeks figure to be more of the same as the players endure mid-to-high 90s temperatures in Provo.

Aside from the heat, here are five compelling storylines to watch as the month of August unfolds:

How will Aaron Roderick handle the QB battle?

There are various storylines accompanying fall camp this year, and then there is the mother of all storylines — the starting quarterback battle.

Who’s it going to be? We’ve reported that Utah State transfer McCae Hillstead had a bit of a lead for the QB2 spot coming out of spring camp, and don’t suspect that much has changed.

The good news is that Sitake and offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick have plenty of experience with quarterback derbies, and are confident that they will pick the right guy.

Western Michigan transfer Treyson Bourguet is stronger and has the bigger arm, but Hillstead was more accurate in the media viewing portions of spring camp and showed some escapability and speed that reminded reporters of Jaren Hall. If Bear Bachmeier can get up to speed quickly with the playbook, he could be a factor, because physically he’s got more tools than the others.

Can special teams continue to be part of BYU’s success?

Let’s face it, the Cougars are going to miss Keelan Marion, who returned two kickoffs for touchdowns last year. BYU probably beats Wyoming without Marion’s kickoff return in Laramie, but probably does not beat Utah without his heroics in Salt Lake City.

Special teams coordinator Kelly Poppinga promised in June that he’s got others waiting in the wings, most notably receiver/punt returner Parker Kingston. You know, the guy who returned two punts for touchdowns last year, against Colorado and Kansas State.

There are no concerns in the kicking and punting departments, as Will Ferrin and Sam Vander Haar both return and are candidates for national awards.

Which players will fill the leadership vacuum?

Not only was Retzlaff a serviceable quarterback in 2024 — he did win 11 games, after all — he was also a fiery leader with a never-give-up attitude that inspired several comebacks. He was also a tireless worker and was known to hold guys accountable who weren’t giving the maximum effort.

Who will fill that void?

The obvious answers are Chase Roberts, Weylin Lapuaho and LJ Martin on offense, although Martin doesn’t have one of those rah-rah type of personalities. Lapuaho has made 36 starts for the Cougars, and is as respected as any player on the team, despite having something of a lighter side.

On defense, Utah transfer Tanuvasa has already made a big difference off the field. The aforementioned linebackers will have bigger leadership roles, particularly Glasker and Kelly. Another outstanding leader is safety Tanner Wall, who doesn’t just talk the talk. The former walk-on walks the walk.

Where are the playmakers on defense?

Gone are three of the top playmakers from a defense that was among the nation’s leaders in interceptions and takeaways in 2024. Jakob Robinson is trying to land with the San Francisco 49ers, while Crew Wakley is at Purdue because coaches wouldn’t promise him a starting spot and more NIL money.

Defensive lineman Tyler Batty will also be missed, along with several defensive linemen who were undersized but possessed nonstop motors — John Nelson, Blake Mangelson and Josh Singh.

The Cougars’ secondary has some talent, but beyond Wall and cornerbacks Evan Johnson and Mory Bamba, there’s not a lot of experience, and not a lot of playmakers with which cornerbacks coach Jernaro Gilford can work.

Look for young players such as Marcus McKenzie, Tre Alexander and Jonathan Kabeya to step up and make plays, plays the Cougars will need if they hope to be as good as last year’s defense.

In essence, defensive coordinator Jay Hill is trying to replace seven starters on defense, and that number doesn’t include part-time starter Wakley. And Harrison Taggart’s departure for Cal means that the linebacker depth might not be as good as expected.

How physical will the Cougars get in camp?

There might not be as many green jersey sightings in camp, as Roderick and Sitake might elect to let the quarterbacks vying for the starting spot get roughed up a little bit to see how they handle it. Of course, with that comes the risk of injury.

But how else are coaches going to see how the QBs take care of the football, avoid sacks and perform under real pressure? Players wearing green jerseys in drills and scrimmages are off-limits to contact.

BYU also lost plenty of guys from the trenches — Connor Pay, Brayden Keim and Caleb Etienne on the offensive side and almost everyone except Logan Lutui on the defensive side. Once the pads go on, a key storyline will be how much real hitting is allowed.

Suffice it to say, relatively inexperienced offensive linemen such as Bruce Mitchell, the candidate to replace Pay at the all-important center position, need as much physical work as they can get.