BYU’s Jake Retzlaff Targets Heisman in 2025

Jake Retzlaff is set to lead BYU football in his senior year. As spring practice nears its end, the Cougars’ quarterback is focused on becoming the top player in the nation. He’s openly pursuing that goal and making no secret of it.

“I want to be at the Heisman ceremony,” he said to reporters this week. “That’s my personal goal. I don’t think my abilities will stop me from achieving that. I believe I’m the caliber of player who can make it. But it all starts with team success on the field.”

Retzlaff seems determined to elevate his game. As BYU’s first Jewish starting quarterback, he completed 57.9% of his passes last season for 2,947 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Not a bad performance, especially considering the Cougars were just one win away from their first Big 12 championship appearance. However, to be in New York this December, Retzlaff needs to reduce mistakes and improve further. This progress, he believes, starts with trusting the process.

“I’ve learned that if I keep following the process, I’ll be talking about the Heisman Trophy,” Retzlaff said. “It’s never been about the goal first—it’s always been about the process leading to the goal. I didn’t think about the NFL until I was recruited for Division I football. The reason I’m here is that I’ve always wanted to play football at the highest level.”

BYU’s last Heisman Trophy winner was Ty Detmer, who threw for 5,309 yards, 42 touchdowns, and 29 interceptions in 1990. His passing yards and total offense that season set records for the award, as he led BYU to a 10-3 record and a high-profile season.

Detmer returned for his senior year in 1991, passing for 4,031 yards and 35 touchdowns, finishing third in the Heisman voting. By the time his career ended, Detmer had broken 59 NCAA records and tied three others, including a then-record 15,031 passing yards. His career total offense of 14,665 yards was also a record at the time. The Cougars enjoyed four bowl appearances and compiled a 37-13-2 record during Detmer’s tenure.

Retzlaff and the Cougars finished the 2024 season ranked No. 13 in the final Associated Press Top 25 Poll, capping the year with a 36-14 victory over Colorado in the Alamo Bowl. BYU is already being projected as a strong early favorite to win the Big 12 in the coming season.