BYU football has found their guy at quarterback for the near future in Jake Retzlaff. The one they call "BYJew" has won over the hearts of Cougar Nation with his excellent season that saw BYU football explode to an unbelievable 10-2 record.
Retzlaff played a large part in the Cougars' sudden hot streak--the Cougars stole 9 straight games this year, reaching as high as the 6th slot in the College Football Playoff rankings. It was a magical year, and though it ended with a bit of a whimper (we'll see how they fare against Colorado in the Alamo Bowl), fans are excited at the prospect of another season with Jake at the helm.
His senior season approaches in the 2025 year, marking his final stint with the Cougars before we learn what's next for BYU's locker room leader.
But maybe this ride doesn't have to end next year. A new ruling from the NCAA has granted Vanderbilt's Diego Pavia an additional collegiate season thanks to his time as a Junior College athlete. Per ESPN:
"According to an NCAA memo, the waiver extends an extra year of eligibility in 2025-26 to athletes who previously "competed at a non-NCAA school for one or more years" and otherwise would have exhausted their NCAA eligibility following the 2024-25 season."
Those familiar with Jake's story knows he started as a JuCo prospect before jumping to BYU. The top-rated quarterback at that level, Retzlaff still struggled to get much attention from schools at the Power 4 level. Though his religious beliefs differed from BYU's heavy christian influence, the fit was effortless.
So, does this memo mean Retzlaff is entitled to another season with the Cougars? If he wanted it, in this age of college football that sees players earning sixth, seventh, and even eighth years of eligibility, it's safe to say that older players aren't just a BYU thing anymore.
Kidding, but you get it.
The question now isn't so much if Retzlaff would be granted another season, it's whether he and BYU would agree that another season would be in the best interest of both parties. The Cougars have big plans for the future, is Jake part of the vision long-term? We'll have to see.