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BYU Fall Camp Preview: Which Position Groups Can Spark Offensive Rebuild?

Joe Wheat

BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff at 2024 Spring practice
BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff at 2024 Spring practice / BYU Photo
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As players report to fall camp today, there is one question on everybody’s mind: Will BYU’s offense be better in 2024 than it was in 2023? Last year Aaron Roderick made headlines with the proclamation that BYU upgraded at every offensive position last season. While that proved to ultimately be almost comically false, perhaps it’s time to look at each position to determine how much better (or worse) the offense can be this season.

Quarterback:

Projected 2-deep:


1-     Jake Retzlaff – OR – Gerry Bohanon

2-     Treyson Bourget – OR – Mccae Hillstead

Prognosis: Better

There's no where to go but up for the BYU quarterbacks. The prognosis is better mostly because it can’t get much worse. BYU’s total passing yards last season (2,465) was the lowest by a BYU team in over 25 years. I say 25 years because BYU’s stats reference page only goes back to 2000 and it feels safe to assume that no team led by Lavell Edwards passed for fewer than 2,400 yards in a season.

Jake Retzlaff BYU football quarterback
BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff at 2024 Spring practice / BYU Photo

The good news going into this season is that BYU has 4 quarterbacks with FBS starting experience on the roster. Incumbent starter Jake Retzlaff returns, who, presumably, will have improved after a full offseason of tutelage under John Beck and offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick. Transfer quarterbacks Gerry Bohanon, Mccae Hillstead, and Treyson Bourget will all also factor into the QB battle, and all boast varying degrees of experience as a starting quarterback. Hillstead is a name to watch out for here. He arrives at BYU with very little fanfare, but showed flashes of brilliance in his true freshman season at Utah State. The gunslinger reportedly received interest from every Power 4 conference and officially visited Utah before eventually committing to BYU.

With the right help, BYU can make a bowl game with any of the four quarterbacks listed. All four quarterbacks have shown enough arm talent for fans to feel optimistic that the position will be better, but injury history and consistency loom large over how far this group can take BYU in 2024.

Running back:

Projected 2-deep

1-     LJ Martin

2-     Miles Davis -OR- Hinkley Ropati

Prognosis: Worse

LJ Martin is poised for a breakout season. Martin has all the tools that made players like Tyler Allgeier and Chris Brooks stars in this offense and contributors in the NFL. One year older and wiser too and expectations for the sophomore running back are as high as they can be. Unfortunately, injuries and durability are a major concern. Martin had more than 20 carries just once last season and missed two games with injury. Plus, the depth behind him in Miles Davis and Hinkley Ropati are largely unproven at the Power Four level. The potential for a step forward is there if the offensive line improves, but it’s a bridge too far to say the position is better after losing a talent like Aidan Robbins.

Wide Receiver

Projected 2-deep

1-     Chase Roberts, Darius Lassiter, Kody Epps

2-     Jojo Phillips, Keelan Marion, Parker Kingston

Prognosis: Better

BYU returns every scholarship wide receiver from last years roster and adds lauded recruits Cody Hagen and Dominique McKenzie from missions. Presumably, this level of returning production means an improvement in production. BYU lacks a Puka Nacua-type #1 receiver, but the core of Roberts, Lassiter, and Epps can be as good as any group in the conference. With BYU’s current depth situation, I wouldn’t expect freshman trio of Phillips, Hagen, and McKenzie to be heavily relied upon in 2024, but the future is bright at the position if their services can be retained.

Offensive line

Projected 2-deep

1-     Brayden Keim, Austin Leausa, Connor Pay, Weylin Lapuaho, Isaiah Jatta

2-     Caleb Etienne, Jake Eichorn, Sam Dawe, Sonny Makasini, Jake Griffin

Prognosis: Better

New offensive line coach TJ Woods has received rave reviews from players, fellow staff, and recruits alike, but will his technical differences be enough to produce a better performance from the boys up front? BYU fans better hope so, because if BYU is worse than it was last year, this season’s outlook is bleak no matter who is at quarterback.

BYU’s projected first line is solid. Connor Pay is a proven commodity and Keim and Lapuaho all showed well after being thrust into their respective roles as starters last season. Leausa and Jatta are both new faces but have showcased enough talent for me to think that this group can be solid with the right coach in place. After that, though, there are concerns about depth. There is certainly talent in the room, but it is young and inexperienced. Reports out of Spring Ball indicate that the run game showed marked improved in Spring Ball, which bodes well for the outlook of the offensive line and its depth.

Tight ends

Projected 2-deep

1-     Keanu Hill – OR – Ryner Swanson

2-     Jackson Bowers

Prognosis: Better

BYU might have more talent at Tight End than any position group on the roster. Keanu Hill has racked up 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns in his three seasons as a featured receiver at BYU. He is now about 30 pounds heavier and looks as smooth as ever in his route running. Incoming freshmen Jackson Bowers and Ryner Swanson were both 4-star recruits with a combined 42 competing P4 scholarship offers between them. Bowers is an old-school, hand-in-the-dirt type player who included his “pancake” stats in his high school highlight tape. Swanson is a prototypical tight end who may have as much receiving upside as any tight end BYU has had since Dennis Pitta. Any three of these athletes will be welcome safety blankets for whichever QB gets the starting nod and a huge upgrade over last years tight end room which featured Isaac Rex and not much else in terms of production.

Overall

Prognosis: Better

Despite last seasons struggle, there is reason to be a believer in Aaron Roderick as the offensive coordinator. He orchestrated the three best offenses of the independence era from 2020-2022 and before the wheels fell off in 2023. It seems clear, though, that he had few answers for BYU's rushing attack while it was being led Quarterback who wasn't a threat with his legs. For all its warts, the 2023 run game improved from 2.97 yards per rush to 4.49 yards per rush once the more mobile Retzlaff took over at the end of last season. Not great, but still a major improvement. BYU now has no shortage of mobile quarterbacks and all of them have starting experience.

BYU also has something else they didn’t have last season: continuity. Last year’s offense featured two new starting quarterbacks, four new starting offensive lineman, two new running backs, and three new wide receivers. This year’s projected starting lineup is virtually all players that were on the roster a year ago and have now had a full offseason to learn the playbook and build chemistry with one another. Don’t expect BYU’s offense to suddenly jump from the bottom 25 to the top 25 this season, but there is enough talent in the stable to take BYU to a bowl game. Jobs may be depending on it.

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Joe Wheat
JOE WHEAT

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