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BYU Cougars quarterbacks coach Aaron Roderick watches from he sidelines with Nick Billoups (15) and Cole Hagen (16) as Jake Retzlaff works with the offense as BYU’s football team practices in Provo on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023. Retzlaff and transfer Gerry Bohanon have the inside track to be QB1 next fall, but there are two prized high school QBs that are on the Cougars’ radar down the road. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
BYU isn’t going anywhere without an outstanding quarterback.
Jake Retzlaff, Gerry Bohanon, Cade Fennegan, Ryder Burton, whomever. If one of these guys does not play at a high level — doesn’t have to be elite, but right up there — history tells us the Cougars will struggle, regardless of league, regardless of schedule.
That one position is so important to BYU’s success, it has become gospel in Provo.
BYU quarterbacks were dominating in the 1970s and ’80s, produced a Heisman Trophy winner in the ’90s, and a cadre of them are in the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. When the Cougars field a good and effective one, it seems the rest falls into place.
In the 2000s, QBs like Max Hall, John Beck, Taysom Hill and Jaren Hall made highlight videos good enough for the all-time vault.
BYU never had a quarterback who’d served a church mission lead the Cougars to a conference championship until Brandon Doman did it in 2001. BYU QB stars have traditionally been players who’d moved directly out of high school or junior college (Steve Sarkisian) and played Division I, soaking in all the training and getting all the experience.
Both Retzlaff and Bohanon fit this mold.
Retzlaff, owner of that tragic goal line pick-six against Oklahoma, just finished spring practice without throwing a pick in 15 sessions, according to offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick. Bohanon helped lead Baylor to a Big 12…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/pressure-mounts-byu-elevate-qb-230003427.html
Author : Deseret News
Publish date : 2024-04-07 23:00:03
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