BYU Football's greatest dilemma: Is Jake Retzlaff actually good?

BYU football is 3-0 with non-conference play shrinking into the horizon. For the second straight season, the Cougars will enter their Big 12 schedule with an undefeated record, but an undeniable sense of caution surrounds the program, because the last time Cougar Nation saw this, they got burned with a 5-7 finish, and a 6-game losing streak against Big 12 competition.

Much of the negativity is focused on the singularity of Jake Retzlaff, a junior quarterback in his second season at the helm whose early returns on the 2024 season have been enigmatic to say the least.

But when have I ever settled for saying the least?

BYU's QB can boast a strong stat line at this point in the season. As of this moment, Retzlaff has accumulated 841 yards through the air, while completing 60.6% of his passing attempts. Adding on 7 touchdowns with 3 interceptions, BYU's quarterback has enjoyed a solid run in pre-conference play. As you look deeper, his stat sheet becomes even more impressive.

Advanced stats courtesy of Pro Football Focus have awarded Retzlaff with plenty of accolades, and while I won't bore you with the advanced stats or complicated explanations, I'll tell you that Jake has produced 11 "big-time throws" (nearly flawless downfield passes in both location and timing), which is more than any other QB in the nation.

On top of that, Retzlaff's quarterback grade has been posted at 91.8--good enough for 5th in the nation. Not so bad for a quarterback projected to be the Big 12's under-center embarrassment.

By nearly all numbers and metrics, BYU football has a solid quarterback heading the offense in Jake Retzlaff. So why do so many fans feel uneasy with Retzlaff leading the Cougars' offense?

Stats vs Sight: the Jake Retzlaff Story

In my eyes, it all boils down to a simple difference in what we see versus what we get. Stats vs sight--that's the dichotomy of the Jake Retzlaff experience.

Like a sensational bowl of Reese's Puffs cereal, the uneducated breakfast enjoyer may look at the brown and beige puff balls and mistakenly assume them to be dog kibble. Seeing is not necessarily understanding, and in Retzlaff's case, what we see can be a variable mix of performance level where abysmal decision-making can pair with eyebrow-raising highlights for a medley of uncertainty.

When he makes a great play, anxiety levels across the BYU fanbase dip gradually. In the Cougars' 34-14 win over Wyoming, Retzlaff enjoyed a strong performance through the air and capped off his night with a spot-on touchdown pass to Darius Lassiter.

Absolutely perfect play from Retzlaff. Stepped up in the pocket to avoid pressure, and hit his receiver on the numbers.

In the same game, however, we saw Retzlaff miss the mark on open receivers from only a few yards up the field. He repeatedly tossed the ball into the dirt on routine passes that nearly any quarterback in a power conference would deliver blindfolded. These passes aren't out of his capability, so one has to wonder what's keeping Retzlaff from delivering with consistency.

Hot Apple Turnover

The biggest problem facing BYU's signal caller? When he steps onto the field, an aroma fills the stadium. Fans can smell it, coaches can smell it, and most importantly, the defense can smell it: somebody is baking fresh turnovers, and it's probably number 12 in blue.

The biggest problem with Retzlaff's body of work is his disinterest in possessing the football. He turns the ball over more than his fair share. In his 7 games with the Cougars, he's fumbled the football 9 times and tossed 6 interceptions. Of those 9 fumbles, 4 were converted to turnovers, but losing control of the football that many times shows a lack of focus that won't be so easily forgiven as BYU's competition stiffens.

It gets worse, too. Though his interception rate is alarming, the box score once again doesn't tell the full story.

Poor decision making has been Retzlaff's M.O. throughout his time with the Cougars, and that's been very apparent in the first three games of the 2024 season. Against SMU, both interceptions stemmed from a terrible decision by Retzlaff--one thrown in desperation to avoid a sack, and another zipped into the gut of a defensive lineman on a screen play.

Against Wyoming, Retzlaff was spared by a poor secondary and, at times, pure luck as passes in traffic miraculously avoided the reach of Cowboy defenders.

Against the Big 12, defensive backs will get faster, smarter, and more capable. Things could get messy if some of Retzlaff's turnover tendencies aren't addressed before kickoff.

But for all of his downfalls, his intangibles as a leader are his greatest asset to the Cougars. His teammates believe in him and he's got a "never give up" attitude about him. As a leader, his team is behind him and clearly the coaches are confident that he's the right man for the job.

We still don't know everything about Jake Retzlaff. His negatives are concerning for the future of the team, yet his numbers suggest that he has plenty of upside to offer the offense. The big questions have been asked again and again, but as we enter conference play, we may finally get the answers we so desperately crave.

Is Jake Retzlaff good? Honestly, I don't feel comfortable committing one way or the other at this point. All I know is that under his leadership (and some incredible defense) the BYU Cougars are undefeated in the 2024 season, and I really couldn't ask for more.

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