Previewing 2025 Spring Camp for the BYU Offense

On Thursday, the 2025 BYU football season officially kicks off with the start of Spring camp. Today, we're previewing the headlines for the BYU offense during Spring camp.

The Next Steps for Jake Retzlaff

Jake Retzlaff scrambles for 27 yards on game-winning drive against Oklahoma State | BYU Photo

ESPN released a way-too-early Top 25 for the 2025 season. BYU came in at no. 9, the highest-ranked team in the Big 12. If BYU is going to live up to those lofty preseason expectations and compete for a Big 12 championship, it could come down to the improvement of returning quarterback Jake Retzlaff.

Spring camp is the first opportunity for Retzlaff to build upon his performance in 2024. Retzlaff did so many things well, but there are still so many areas for him to improve.

Retzlaff will need to continue making strides in terms of protecting the football. It's also fair to expect another year of development in terms of diagnosing blitzes and making defenses pay when they commit to blitzing. That was one area where Retzlaff struggled a bit in 2024.

The Battle for Backup Quarterback

BYU is going into Spring camp with just three scholarship quarterbacks: Jake Retzlaff, McCae Hillstead, and Treyson Bourguet. The battle for the backup quarterback job will be important for not only 2025, but beyond. The winner of the backup job will be positioned to win the starting job in 2026.

LJ Martin the Feature Back

When BYU had multiple weeks to prepare for Colorado in the Alamo Bowl, the BYU offense leaned on LJ Martin as the feature back. That was a sneak peek of the role Martin will play in 2025. Martin, a junior now, will be one of the most important players for BYU's offense. He will be the feature back and he could be one of the best running backs in the conference.

Behind Martin, there is a lot of intriguing, young talent. Sione Moa and Pokaiaua Haunga bring different skills to the table and could both see the field a lot in 2025. True freshman Cale Breslin is enrolled and ready to compete in Spring camp.

Offensive Line Rotation and Depth

The offensive line is probably the biggest question mark on offense going into Spring camp. The Cougars lose 2024 starters Caleb Etienne, Connor Pay, and Brayden Keim. The Cougars turned to the transfer portal to provide some experience and bolster the depth up front.

Once he is fully healthy, Michigan transfer Andrew Gentry will likely start at one of the tackle positions opposite of Isaiah Jatta. The Cougars also brought in veteran SUU transfer Kyle Sfarcioc.

BYU has a handful of young offensive linemen that were former coveted recruits. The difference between a thin offensive line and a deep offensive line could be whether a few of those young players are ready to compete for starting jobs. Players like Weston Jones, Jake Griffin, Joe Brown, Iki Tupou, and Ethan Thomason fit that description.

New Faces at Tight End

The tight end room will feature more new faces than any other position group on the roster. With the exception of Ethan Erickson, every contributor from 2024 will not be on the roster in 2025.

Utah transfer Carsen Ryan is a candidate to start in his final season of eligibility. Noah Moeaki is another name to remember. Moeaki was a standout tight end at American Fork High School prior to his mission.

Opportunities for Young Wide Receivers

BYU has a lot of young wide receivers on the roster that will compete for time in the rotation. Chase Roberts has been nursing an injury he suffered against Colorado and Darius Lassiter hasn't received a waiver to get another year of eligibility in 2025. Therefore, there will be plenty of opportunities for the other wide receivers to prove they can be in the rotation in 2025.

Returning wide receiver and kick return specialist Keelan Marion is a breakout candidate in 2025. Marion has been third or fourth in the rotation behind Lassiter and Roberts, but as the season progressed, Marion's role within the offense increased. Marion can cement himself as WR2 going into Fall Camp with a strong Spring.

Jojo Phillips is another breakout candidate in 2025. Phillips showed signs of becoming a deep threat that would open up the middle of the field for BYU's offense. If he can clean up a few of the drops he had in 2024, Phillips could cement himself as a starter alongside Roberts and Marion.

Parker Kingston has been in the rotation since his freshman year. Like other returning players on this list, Kingston will have a chance to play a bigger role in 2025.

BYU typically rotates 5-6 players at wide receiver. Cody Hagen, Tei Nacua, Dom McKenzie and LaMason Waller will compete for a spot in the rotation. Hagen is probably the favorite here. He played really well in Fall camp despite being home just a couple months from his mission.