BYU Freshman Quarterback Noah Lugo Enters the Transfer Portal

Casey Lundquist | 7 Hours Ago

BYU Offensive Coordinator Aaron Roderick / BYU Photo

On Thursday, BYU true freshman quarterback Noah Lugo announced that he will be entering the transfer portal with four years of eligibility remaining. Lugo, a native of Texas, signed with BYU in the 2024 recruiting class over competing offers from UTSA, Army, Indiana, Rice, North Texas, Tulsa, and Tulane.

BYU true freshman QB Noah Lugo to the transfer portal https://t.co/wIJgA1NUUt

— Casey Lundquist (@casey_lundquist) December 19, 2024

Lugo, a three-star, came to BYU as a dynamic runner that would try to develop as a passer in Provo. He showed flashes of brilliance in high school both running and throwing the football, and that film was the reason BYU entered the picture in the first place. BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick tried to get him to BYU after he had originally committed to UTSA, and after taking a visit to Provo, Lugo flipped his commitment and signed with the Cougars. He enrolled early to participate in 2024 Spring camp.

Coming into the 2024 season, BYU was trying to establish a quarterback pecking order between Jake Retzlaff, Gerry Bohannon, Treyson Bourguet, and McCae Hillstead. Lugo, just a true freshman, wasn't part of the equation yet. During Fall camp back in August, Roderick noted that Lugo's opportunities would come later on in scout team sessions and in Spring camp.

Without Lugo in the fold, BYU has the potential to either add a transfer quarterback or cut back on scholarship quarterbacks going into next season. In the new era of 105-man rosters, Aaron Roderick noted that BYU will carry only 4-5 quarterbacks on the roster.

Also of note, the recent ruling on JUCO football has potentially changed the future of the quarterback position at BYU. BYU's starting quarterback Jake Retzlaff, who spent two years in the JUCO ranks before transferring to BYU, was going to be a senior going into the 2025 season. If the temporary injunction is made permanent, Retzlaff could have as many as three years of eligibility remaining. Whether he chooses to use them or not would remain to be seen, but that is now a possibility.