What Are the Expectations for BYU QB Jake Retzlaff in 2025?
Jake Retzlaff is set to become BYU’s first full-season starting quarterback to return for another year since Jaren Hall. So, what should we anticipate from him in 2025?
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Retzlaff faced intense scrutiny at the beginning of the 2024 season. It’s difficult to imagine a rougher start to an FBS career than the one he experienced in 2023.
He arrived at BYU after a standout JUCO career at Riverside CC, where he threw for 4,596 yards and 44 touchdowns. He also set school records for single-game passing yards (529) and touchdowns (6).
Once in Provo, he was initially the backup to veteran transfer Kedon Slovis. However, when Slovis suffered an injury midway through the 2023 season, Retzlaff stepped in as the team held a 5-3 record.
Retzlaff struggled mightily, turning the ball over frequently and losing the final four games of the season. As a result, BYU failed to qualify for a bowl game.
During that losing streak, BYU’s average margin of defeat was 19 points. The team committed nine turnovers over those four games.
Heading into 2024, there were more concerns than optimism regarding Retzlaff. Pro Football Focus even ranked him the worst starting quarterback in the Big 12 and 69th out of 70 Power Five quarterbacks.
Then the season began.
BYU won 11 games, including an Alamo Bowl victory over a ranked Colorado team. Retzlaff threw for 2,947 yards, 20 touchdowns, and added 511 rushing yards (fifth among Big 12 quarterbacks) with six more touchdowns.
Despite his flaws, BYU was one of just 16 FBS teams to win at least 11 games. The Cougars finished 13th in the final AP Top 25, making it one of the best seasons in program history.
So, what comes next for Retzlaff?
Retzlaff has become a national storyline, as a Jewish quarterback at BYU, a school associated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That alone makes his presence on the team significant.
But can he elevate his game (and profile) even further?
The most obvious area for improvement is turnovers. While he made significant strides from his disastrous 2023 campaign, he still tied for the Big 12 lead with 12 interceptions. His Pro Football Focus grade ranked 12th out of 16 Big 12 quarterbacks. He also recorded 18 “turnover-worthy plays,” the second-most in the conference.
Retzlaff plays with a “gunslinger” mentality. In some ways, that makes him exciting and dangerous. Brett Favre, for example, holds the NFL’s all-time record for interceptions but still had a Hall of Fame career. Retzlaff has a similar fearless approach.
It’s a fine line to walk. He needs to cut down on reckless plays, yet his confidence and aggression allow him to make game-changing throws.
On one hand, he threw a costly goal-line interception against Kansas that contributed to BYU’s first loss of the season. Another late interception against Arizona State ended a potential game-winning drive.
On the other hand, his resilience shined in the Oklahoma State game. With BYU facing a desperate 4th-and-7 from its own 28-yard line and just 42 seconds left, ESPN gave Oklahoma State a 98% chance to win. Retzlaff stayed calm, leading a drive that ended with a crucial touchdown pass to Darius Lassiter.
Then there was the Utah game. Many thought BYU had lost when Retzlaff was sacked in his own end zone, but a defensive holding penalty kept the drive alive. Still, the Cougars needed to move down the field to get into field goal range. Retzlaff responded by completing two critical passes for 42 yards, setting up the game-winning kick.
You want a quarterback with the mental toughness to lead clutch drives like these. BYU has that in Retzlaff.
He is the definition of a player who “giveth and taketh away.” He attempts plays that many college quarterbacks wouldn’t dare try, which is both his strength and his flaw.
The biggest question for 2025 is whether he can cut down on turnovers while maintaining his dynamic playmaking ability.
A major goal would be surpassing the 3,000-yard passing mark—he was just 56 yards shy last season—while keeping his interceptions in single digits. Mistakes are inevitable given his style, but if he and BYU can reduce them without stifling his aggressiveness, the Cougars should feel confident about their quarterback situation in 2025.