BYU Fall Camp 2024: Offensive Preview

BYU’s coaching staff, led by Aaron Roderick in his 26th year coaching and seventh at BYU, brought on two new faces for 2024. Offensive line coach and run game coordinator TJ Woods joins the fold along with NFL coaching veteran Kevin Gilbride, who once played quarterback for the Cougars.

Woods and Gilbride join passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach Fesi Sitake and running backs coach Harvey Unga as they look to regain BYU’s well-known offensive prowess in 2024.

Read more about the new coaches hired in the offseason, Woods and Gilbride.

There is no shortage of quarterback experience in the 2024 room, with four quarterbacks on the roster that all started at least four Division I games.

Redshirt junior Jake Retzlaff returns after starting the final four games in 2023. The 6-foot-1, 205-pounder with a quick release and an ability to extend plays threw for 648 yards and three touchdowns last season while adding 116 rushing yards and three more scores. 

Retzlaff showed promise to end the season after transferring to BYU as one of the top JUCO products in the country. In 2022 at Riverside City College, he threw for 4,596 yards and 44 touchdowns while rushing for 596 yards and six touchdowns. 

BYU added former Baylor and USF quarterback Gerry Bohanon, Jr. to the squad before spring ball. Bohanon, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound dual-threat has started 19 games, appearing in 34 overall in his career. He led the Bears to a 2021 Big 12 title throwing for 2,200 yards, rushing for 323 and accounting for 27 total touchdowns.  

In addition to Bohanon, the Cougars also added two other signal callers with Division I starting experience in Treyson Bourguet out of Western Michigan and McCae Hillstead from Utah State. Bourguet played in 10 games with eight starts over two seasons at Western Michigan, while Hillstead appeared in eight games with four starts for the Aggies last season.

Rounding out the quarterback group includes redshirt freshman Cole Hagen who spent the 2023 season on the scout team and newcomer Noah Lugo, a highly regarded freshman dual threat out of Haslet, Texas.

A new coach leads the offensive line unit for 2024. TJ Woods brings a hard-nosed approach with more than 20 years of experience, including a stint as Wisconsin’s offensive line coach in some of its most successful seasons in program history, to the table after joining BYU in the offseason.

The Cougars return a total of 95 starts and 151 games of experience to the offensive line group.

The position is led by Wuerffel Trophy nominee and Rimington Trophy hopeful, 6-foot-5, 315-pound senior center Connor Pay.

Pay has 44 games of experience and has started 34 games, including playing time at center and guard.

Junior guard Weylin Lapuaho (6-4, 310) and redshirt seniors Caleb Etienne (6-8, 320) and Brayden Keim (6-9, 315) all have played in 20 or more games in their careers. Lapuaho has started 23, with 17 for Etienne and 10 for Keim.

Incoming transfer linemen Isaiah Jatta (6-6, 320) and Austin Leausa (6-5, 310) both played in double-digit games last year for Colorado and Southern Utah, respectively.

Beyond the experienced players, the Cougars continue to develop other returning linemen in the biggest position group with Kaden Chidester, Sam Dawe, Jake Eichorn, Jake Griffin, Sonny Makasini, Bruce Mitchell and Trevin Ostler all coming back in 2024.

Others new to the fold in 2024 include freshmen Joe Brown, David Clifford, Sione Hingango, Weston Jones, Jackson Nelson, Trevor Pay and Ikinasio Tupou.

The Cougars return their leading rusher from the 2023 season in sophomore LJ Martin.

A big back at 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, Martin ran 109 times for 518 yards and four touchdowns as a freshman last season, showcasing the ability to break tackles and make big plays.

In addition to Martin, BYU returns experience with a Hinckley Ropati and Miles Davis. The 5-foot-9, 210-pound Ropati has appeared in 14 games and has 301 all-purpose yards and two total touchdowns. 

Davis, a speedster and converted wide receiver, has 72 career carries for 392 yards and three touchdowns while appearing in 19 total games. 

BYU also returns depth with Enoch Nawahine who played in 10 games last year, mostly on special teams. Newcomers include Jovesa Damuni, Sione I. Moa and Pokai Haunga.

The wideout room is probably BYU’s deepest offensive position heading into the 2024 season, with the Cougars returning all four of its top receivers.

Redshirt junior Chase Roberts is back after posting 42 receptions, 573 yards and five touchdowns to lead the team in 2023.

Roberts, at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, is a big-bodied possesion receiver who has been one of BYU's most consistent targets the past two seasons, totaling 64 receptions for 930 yards and eight scores. 

Darius Lassiter, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound redshirt senior, is back for his final season after catching 29 ball for 365 yards and four touchdowns in his first year at BYU in 2023.

Redshirt junior Kody Epps is also back and has 65 receptions, 765 yards and six touchdowns in his career. 

Speedster Keelan Marion returns in 2024 after being the Cougars’ fourth receiver to total at least 20 catches last season.

Redshirt sophomore Parker Kingston is back after doing a bit of everything in 2023, throwing two touchdown passes and catching another amidst his 209 receiving yards. Talented redshirt freshman Jojo Phillips also looks to make in impact in 2024.

Newcomers competing for the Cougars include Weston Covey, 2021-22 Gatorade Utah Player of the Year Cody Hagen, Dominque McKenzie, Marquis Montgomery, Tei Nacua, Ty West and Prince Zombo.

At the tight end position, new position coach Kevin Gilbride leads a room full of talent looking to add to BYU’s longstanding tradition of success at the position.

Perhaps the biggest notable addition to the tight end room didn’t have to go far with experienced wideout Keanu Hill returning to BYU for his final season at a new position.

At 6-foot-4, Hill had the frame to bulk up to 240 pounds in the offseason and was already one of the best blockers on the team. Now the Texas native will get a chance to put his hand on the ground and become a mismatch for defenses in the route tree with his wide receiver skillset. Hill has caught more balls for BYU than any other returner on the team with 73 receptions, 1,212 yards and 11 touchdowns over 45 career games.

Among those joining Hill are three other seniors who all saw action last season in Mason Fakahua, Ray Paulo and Mata’ava Ta’ase.

Returning redshirt junior Ethan Erickson is another threat in the passing game while other talented returners such as Jackson Bowers, Anthony Olson, Nason Coleman all come back with another year of experience.  

True freshmen newcomers round out the tight end room with four-star talent Ryner Swanson joining the program out of California along with a pair of local American Fork High School products in Will Zundel and Noah Moeaki.