We interrupt the bracket filler and March Madness watch party to get ready for football.
BYU's spring football practice schedule is in full swing. They will start camping on February 29th and will camp until March 30th. The annual alumni game is also scheduled for this Friday, but no official “spring game” is scheduled this year.
In mid-March, as soccer balls fly through the air and whistles echo through the practice facility, let's dig into some of the major stories of the BYU football team.
quarterback battle
Let's start with the elephant in the room (cougar?). At this time, BYU does not have an official starting quarterback for his 2024 season. That's fine, because BYU still won't start a game against Southern Illinois for over 160 days.
Offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick revealed that both Jake Retzlaff and Jerry Bohannon are getting “even reps.” He says it's too early to signal a start because we're only halfway through the spring schedule.
Retzlaff certainly has more experience in BYU's offense than he did last year. He appeared in four games by the end of the season (the Cougars lost all of them). But there will be few, if any, quarterbacks at the FBS level coming into 2024 with as much experience as Bohannon. BYU is his third program in seven years. He has played in his 33 games, including wins in the Big 12 Championship and Sugar Bowl.
The coaching staff will likely give Bohannon a chance to get used to the offense before making a decision on who will be the starter for the fall. Each player has a set of skills that can be used effectively. Both certainly have shortcomings that need to be improved upon as summer approaches.
Improvements in the run game
Aaron Roderick called improving the run game a “number one priority” when addressing the media after a recent practice.
It's worth noting that Roderick and his fellow coaches emphasize the run game. In 2023, the Cougars had the worst rushing attack in all of the FBS despite boasting an offensive line. They ranked 120th in rushing yards per game and 110th in yards per carry.
In addition to LJ Martin, BYU's leading rusher last season, Roderick cites Hinkley Folau-Lopati and Miles Davis as running backs to watch. Roderick specifically points out that Davis is “no longer a role player,” but rather a force to be reckoned with.
It's safe to say that BYU's success as a football program in 2024 will depend primarily on its offensive line and effective run game.
Jay Hill's second year on defense
Defensive coordinator Jay Hill told the media that his players are “way ahead of where they were last year” in terms of getting accustomed to his system and expectations. The returning players are now in Hill's second season on defense after coming over from Weber State's head coaching position.
Hill said he wasn't able to fully observe the players likely to be at the top in the fall due to a minor injury sustained during camp. One of the biggest aspects of Hill's defense is his ability to dictate how aggressive his players will be in certain spots. Hill said some players weren't up to the standards he expected when it came to on-field decision-making. Granted, it's still early and there's plenty of time to learn and adjust.
Overall the defense was much better than what they failed to do in 2022, but there is still a lot of room for improvement. The Cougars ranked 109th in yards allowed per game and struggled particularly against the run (112th), faltering late in the season after a strong performance early in the season.
Overall, there appears to be a sense of urgency in practice after a lackluster opening year for the Big 12.
