Previewing BYU Football 2023 Spring Camp
BYU football is back. On Monday, BYU will begin preparations for the 2023 season when it kicks off Spring camp. Below is a preview of the top storylines heading into Spring football.
1. All Eyes on the Quarterbacks
With Jaren Hall off to the NFL and 2022 backup Jacob Conover transferring to Arizona State, BYU will feature a lot of new faces at quarterback in 2023. Former Pitt and USC quarterback Kedon Slovis is the favorite to win the starting quarterback job for BYU's inaugural season in the Big 12. He won't be guaranteed the job, however. Slovis will have to earn the starting spot in camp. It would bode well for BYU's offense to see him win the job, show an understanding of the playbook, and gain the confidence of his teammates.
If Slovis wins the starting job, the backup QB job will be up for grabs as well. JUCO transfer Jake Retzlaff is on campus and will compete with Cade Fennegan for that spot. Sol-Jay Maiava-Peters has moved to running back and will not be part of the competition this Spring.
Another name to monitor is former Corner Canyon standout Cole Hagen. Hagen, who comes to BYU as a PWO, will be competing for one of the backup spots.
2. New-Look Defense
BYU hired former Weber State head coach Jay Hill as its new defensive coordinator. Once Hill filled out his staff, they worked tirelessly to improve the roster on the recruiting trail. BYU added multiple players from the transfer portal along with traditional recruits to bolster the roster for this season.
Now, Hill has the opportunity to install his defensive scheme. Hill told the media on various occasions that the scheme will be modeled after the defense that he and Kalani ran at the University of Utah during his tenure there. Hill vowed that his scheme will be aggressive and will prioritize confusing opposing quarterbacks.
Given what we've seen from BYU's defense over the last several years, the defense is expected to be a completely new-look defense in 2023.
3. More Transfers than Ever Before
When BYU releases its Spring roster on Monday, it will feature a lot of newcomers. BYU added more transfers this offseason than any other season in program history. Some transfers like Kedon Slovis, Aidan Robbins, Eddie Heckard, Paul Maile, Isaiah Bagnah, and Jackson Cravens are expected to contribute immediately.
There's a fairly probable scenario where 30%-40% of BYU's 22 starters will be transfers in 2023.
4. Spring Scrimmage Open to the Public
For the first time since 2019, BYU will play a public Spring game on March 31, 2023. The scrimmage will be free to the public and will be played in LaVell Edwards Stadium. It will also be broadcast on BYUtv. The scrimmage will be followed by an alumni game a few hours later. Below is a schedule for the scrimmage and alumni game.
Schedule for BYU football events on 3/31:
- 2:00 p.m. MT - LaVell Edwards Stadium gates open
- 3:00 p.m. MT - BYU Spring Scrimmage
- 5:00 p.m. MT - BYU Alumni Game
5. Position Battles
A large chunk of the starting spots are up for grabs, you can read our full preview of the upcoming position battles here. Spring camp will be critical for those position battles.
6. Where Does the Depth Chart Stand?
We made some way-too-early depth chart projections for 2023. Between the influx of transfers and new defensive scheme, there are a lot of unknowns surrounding the depth chart. That didn't stop us from taking a stab at how things could look come the first game against Sam Houston.
7. What are the Remaining Roster Needs?
With the second transfer window still on the horizon, it's not too late to add players to the 2023 roster. We outlined three positions that would stand to gain by adding another player or two after Spring camp. Spring will give us an indication if any position groups need to add more players before Fall camp, or if players on the existing roster will be ready to fill critical roles on the team.
Wide receiver is a good example. On the surface, it looks like BYU needs to add another contributor to this position group. After Epps, Roberts and Hill, BYU is inexperienced at wide receiver. And all three of those guys have missed time due to injury at various points in their careers.
What if, for example, Parker Kingston proves that he is ready to be a Power Five starter for BYU next season? Or what if Devin Down or Koa Eldredge is able to shake the mission rust and contribute earlier than expected? If one of those player emerges during the Spring, it would go a long way in securing BYU's depth at WR for 2023.
Stay tuned for more updates throughout the duration of Spring camp.
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