BYU OC: ‘We Don’t Have To Change Offenses’ Between QBs Retzlaff, Bohanon
Aug 26, 2024, 4:51 PM
PROVO, Utah— BYU’s quarterback situation has not been publicly settled as they gear up for Saturday’s season opener against Southern Illinois.
The two players atop the depth chart with an “OR” between them are Jake Retzlaff and Gerry Bohanon.
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On Monday, ninth-year head coach Kalani Sitake said BYU had two QBs with whom it could win this season.
Aaron Roderick on Retzlaff, Bohanon: “A lot more in common than differences”
Meanwhile, offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick went further and expressed that the offense doesn’t change much between the two BYU QB prospects.
“They have a lot more in common than differences,” Roderick said on Jake Retzlaff and Gerry Bohanon during BYU’s Coordinators’ Corner program. “That was true with Jaren (Hall) and Zach (Wilson). And that’s true with these guys as well. They’re both good athletes who can run. They’re mobile, accurate throwers, smart guys. They are guys that can pretty much do everything in our offense. We don’t have to change offenses with one guy in versus the other. They’re not exactly the same, but way more similarities than differences.”
Roderick and Sitake have never ruled out the possibility of playing two quarterbacks. Both coaches expressed during fall camp that they don’t want to play two but wouldn’t rule out the possibility.
“I think we’re planning to do a lot of different things. We have a lot of options, and the goal is to get the win,” Sitake said at his press conference. “I can’t tell you how that’s going to go yet on Monday. “But we know we can win with more than just one person at quarterback. We have a number of them that can play and that we can get victories with.”
BYU wants the QB spot to be a mystery for Southern Illinois
Roderick, entering his seventh year on BYU’s staff, wants the mystery to be in place for the Salukis, who had the fourth-best defense in the FCS last season.
#BYU OC Aaron Roderick during Coordinators' Corner on why they are holding off on announcing a starting QB: "We want to make our opponent prepare for both guys."#BYUFootball
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) August 26, 2024
“The main thing is we want to make our opponent have to prepare for both guys,” Roderick said. “They’re a very good defense. They’ve defeated a Division I team two years in a row. They are a good program. So it didn’t make any sense to let them know. They have to prepare for both guys. Dig up some feel on Gerry. They’ve got four games with Jake. So we just wanted to keep that advantage until kickoff.”
The BYU QB spot needs both signal-callers
Last season, Retzlaff started four games for BYU and posted a 0-4 record in those games. However, he showed flashes of potential in losses to nationally-ranked opponents Oklahoma and Oklahoma State to close out last season.
Retzlaff finished 2023 with 648 passing yards on a 63% competition rate. He tossed three touchdown passes and had three interceptions. Retzlaff rushed for 116 yards on the ground on 51 carries and three touchdowns.
Bohanon hasn’t played in a game since October 2022, when he was at the University of South Florida. He missed the 2023 season due to a shoulder injury with the Bulls.
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Bohanon told KSL Sports earlier this month that he fully recovered from his shoulder injury in May. During fall camp practices, he showed much more power behind his throws than he did in the spring.
“Regardless of who starts Saturday night, we have a good plan. I like what we’re doing,” said Roderick. “Regardless of who starts, you’re going to see both guys this season.”
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.
