Analysis: Cougars’ offense in 2025 looks solid, but is there enough star power?
Returning starting QB Jake Retzlaff leads BYU’s offense into 2025 season with plenty of viable weapons at his disposal, but few superstars
Standout receiver Chase Roberts didn’t participate in BYU’s recently completed spring football camp due to a shoulder injury, but every once in a while during the 11-on-11 portions of practices and scrimmages unquestioned starting quarterback Jake Retzlaff had all of the offense’s other weapons at his disposal.
Starting left guard Weylin Lapuaho and presumed starting right tackle Andrew Gentry, the transfer from Michigan, also missed all of the contact parts of practices and scrimmages, but when the other solid offensive linemen were in there, Retzlaff and offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick liked what they saw.
“There have been a few times where we have most of our best players in the huddle, on the field, together, and when those moments have happened — it has been eight, 10 snaps here or there — a few practices where we have been mostly healthy, and we looked good,” Roderick said
“We had a huddle the other day with (receivers) Parker Kingston and Keelan Marion and JoJo Phillips and (tight end) Carsen Ryan. A really solid O line was in there, with Jake at quarterback and LJ (Martin) in the backfield, and we were moving the ball pretty well and I thought, ‘OK, we get a couple more pieces in here and keep developing, we will be all right.‘”
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Roderick said those moments “keep you going, keep you believing,” but the rest of spring camp was mostly filled with watching some of the younger players “take their lumps, have some ups and downs,” and slowly develop, which is what spring camp is all about.
“You see them have a bad play, and then learn from it,” Roderick said. “Being able to put a bad play behind you and play the next play (is important). … But there have been a couple stretches there when we had some good players in that huddle and you can tell we have a chance to be very good on offense
Roderick said Roberts — who led the team with 52 catches for 854 yards before suffering the injury in the 36-14 Alamo Bowl win over Colorado — “is almost fully ready to go” and will be a big part of the player-run-practices when they reconvene in May. Offensive line coach TJ Woods said Lapuaho (elbow) and Gentry (foot) were also close to being able to participate in March and will be back at it in May.
So this offense should be ready to roll in preseason training camp in August, barring any more setbacks. Roderick said the program will “never turn away a player we think can make a difference,” but for now they are not actively looking in the transfer portal for immediate offensive help.
“We really like our team right now,” he said, speaking from an offensive perspective. “We are not going to be desperate to go find somebody. There is no position of need where we have to have somebody right now. … If we don’t add anybody, I think we will be just fine.
