BYU Continues To Split First-Team QB Reps As Scrimmage Looms
Aug 8, 2024, 12:22 AM | Updated: 2:00 am
The BYU football quarterback battle continues to split first-team reps. (Jaren Wilkey/BYU Photo)
(Jaren Wilkey/BYU Photo)
PROVO, Utah – BYU football is gearing up for its first scrimmage of fall camp on Saturday.
As they prepare to scrimmage, the battle to be BYU’s starting quarterback remains split on first-team reps.
#BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said the offense won yesterday’s practice in fall camp.#BYUFootball #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/i6S9VGg3Io
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 7, 2024
Gerry Bohanon and Jake Retzlaff continue to compete for the job.
The good news for BYU is that the offense appears to be trending up.
BYU QB battle rages on
On Wednesday, during BYU’s annual Photo Day inside the Indoor Practice Facility, head coach Kalani Sitake addressed the media. He said the offense “got the better” of the Tuesday practice.
When asked which BYU QB led the offense to Tuesday’s success, Sitake replied, “All of them.”
According to Sitake, Bohanon, and Retzlaff, both scored touchdowns in the closed-to-the-media practice.
“Overall, the offense got the momentum and just kept it going,” said Sitake. “The defense wasn’t able to stop it, but we’ve seen a lot of back-and-forth. It’s going to be interesting to see the build-up to the scrimmage on Saturday. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
#BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said the offense "got the better of the day" at yesterday's practice.
Sitake said that Gerry Bohanon and Jake Retzlaff split the first team reps.
A mixture of second-team and third-team reps for McCae Hillstead and Treyson Bourguet.#BYUFootball
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) August 7, 2024
While Bohanon and Retzlaff continue to compete for the starting job, Utah State transfer McCae Hillstead and Western Michigan transfer Treyson Bourguet are battling for the third-string spot.
Sitake said that Bourguet and Hillstead switched in and out with the second and third-team offensive units.
BYU’s offense shined against the defense earlier in the week
KSL Sports caught up with Bohanon on Wednesday. The former Baylor/USF signal-caller agreed with Coach Sitake’s assessment that Tuesday was a good day for the offense.
“We came out, started in 7-on-7s and we completed almost every pass in 7-on-7s,” Bohanon said to KSL Sports on Tuesday’s practice. “We got into the four-minute [segment], was able to do well there. Got into goal line, was able to pretty much convert every down and score every down that we needed to. Then got into some driving periods and moved the ball really well.”
Bohanon’s health has made this an even competition with Retzlaff, who started four games last season.
The graduate senior from Earle, Arkansas, confirmed that three months ago, in May, was the point of the offseason when he felt he was back to full strength from a shoulder injury he suffered in October 2022 at USF.
“I think his experience is one thing. But he’s feeling healthy for the first time in a long time. And he’s throwing the ball way better with more confidence than he has before,” said Sitake.
How Bohanon prepared for the BYU QB battle
In preparation for the fall camp competition, Bohanon worked with former BYU quarterback John Beck in Provo and California. He also trained with Quincy Avery, Founder of QB Takeover in Atlanta.
“I really spent this summer trying to get my body together, get my shoulder together, and master the offense,” Bohanon said.
The mastery of the offense could show itself in a scrimmage setting. Bohanon points out there’s always competition, but the scrimmage is an important mile marker in the camp battle.
“Every day is a battle. But the scrimmage to get out there: Let’s put the ball down and play it and see who can move the offense, move them down the field, and score as much as you can. That’s the objective,” Bohanon said. “Let’s see who’s going to move the ball the best. But every day is a competition. We’ve been going after it every day and finding ways to make sure each other improves.”
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
