BYU Labeled an ‘Easy Sell’ by Joel Klatt in College Football Stock Picks

Klatt pointed to Jake Retzlaff’s departure as a pivotal loss for the Cougars. “He was steady, a good leader for them last year,” Klatt said. “They believed in him, and now all of a sudden, you lose your quarterback, and the three-man battle has had no time to develop.”

With Retzlaff now at Tulane, BYU enters fall camp with no returning Power Four experience in the quarterback room. The trio of McCae Hillstead, Treyson Bourguet, and freshman Bear Bachmeier has combined for just 12 college starts.

The defensive side isn’t in much better shape. BYU is replacing eight starters from a group that was one of the nation’s most consistent units in 2024. Add in a Big 12 slate filled with tight matchups, and Klatt sees real challenges ahead.

To his credit, Klatt didn’t write off the program entirely. He praised Kalani Sitake’s leadership and noted this isn’t about a long-term downturn. It’s more about short-term volatility at key positions.

BYU will have a chance to prove Klatt wrong soon enough. But with camp battles still unfolding and leadership voids to fill, skepticism around the Cougars’ 2025 ceiling is only growing.