Kalani Sitake Makes Major QB Announcement After Clear Jake Retzlaff Message for BYU

Kalani Sitake didn’t waste time dancing around the elephant in the room at BYU’s Big 12 Media Days appearance in Las Vegas. Yes, the BYU Cougars brought five worthy players—including preseason All-Big 12 wideout Chase Roberts and linebacker duo Isaiah Glasker and Jack Kelly—but no one was asking about them. The real buzz surrounded a player who didn’t make the trip and may not make it to the season opener. With QB1 Jake Retzlaff expected to transfer after violating BYU’s honor code, Sitake’s QB room finds itself in a wide-open competition at the most crucial position on the field.

So who’s left to battle it out for QB1? That would be redshirt sophomore McCae Hillstead, redshirt junior Treyson Bourguet, and true freshman Bear Bachmeier. Each brings their own flavor to the table. But don’t expect Coach Sitake to tip his hand just yet. “No, I don’t need to talk about it right now with them. I just let them go out there and play,” he said to 365 Sports. “There’s a sense of urgency now for it to be a possible starting spot. You can sense it. You can feel it. It’s in the air. I love that, man. I love the energy of competition.” He emphasized one constant: “The best guys will play. That’s how it works.” The room may be young, but the coach clearly trusts the arm talent.

The offensive system will have to adapt on the fly, but Kalani Sitake likes the flexibility of what offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick is building. “Our offensive system will work with whatever skill set they can do the best,” he explained. “That’s why I’ve asked A-Rod to create a system that has flexibility. It can work with so many different styles.”

Sitake even cracked a smile when talking about Bachmeier: “He was at Stanford, so you know he can read, so that’s good.” The levity aside, Sitake praised all three for their upside, saying, “It’ll be more difficult if none of those guys could play football. The fact that they can all throw—and two of them have started in FBS already—that gives us something we can lean on.”

It’s hard to ignore what BYU is losing in Jake Retzlaff. The Southern California native’s last year numbers – 2,947 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions – will be missed. While the passing efficiency wavered, the Cougars often leaned on his ability to keep plays alive with his legs and quick decision-making. His departure leaves both a leadership void and a statistical one, and with no current transfer portal window open, the destination for his final season remains unknown.

What BYU does have is options—real, playable options. Bourguet, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound redshirt junior, started eight games over two seasons at Western Michigan. He posted 1,314 yards with six touchdowns and just two interceptions—steady, if unspectacular. Hillstead, on the other hand, brings a different kind of electricity. A 5-foot-10, 195-pound former four-star recruit, he flashed real upside with four starts as a true freshman at Utah State before transferring. He’s mobile, confident, and may have the highest ceiling if he can rein in decision-making and stay healthy.

There’s a wildcard in Bachmeier. The former Stanford spring enrollee impressed with his maturity and command during limited spring reps. Sitake noted how quickly he acclimated: “They were kind of, you know, Matier in a way was a coach on the field alongside Ben Arbuckle and installing the offense.” That familiarity, Sitake believes, could pay off early. “It just helps from a terminology standpoint. Those guys are on the same page.” The more reps, the better, and Kalani Sitake knows time is ticking to decide on a starter before the opener.

BYU has clarity even in chaos. “Let’s settle it on the field; let’s let them compete,” Sitake said. LaVell Edwards Stadium’s future under center will be decided not in a press conference, but on the practice field.

Kalani Sitake breaks silence—kind of

Jake Retzlaff, the redshirt senior passer, isn’t expected to be with the team this fall following a reported honor code violation, but no official word has come from the player himself. “Reports of Retzlaff’s potential suspension and transfer come on the heels of a civil lawsuit filed against Retzlaff for sexual assault. The lawsuit has since been withdrawn,” per The Athletic.

During the Big 12 Media Days, Kalani Sitake was asked directly about Retzlaff’s status and delivered a poised, measured response. “First of all, I love Jake Retzlaff. We love Jake Retzlaff and appreciate all that he’s done for our program,” Sitake said. “I think it would be inappropriate for me to make a statement on his situation first. I think that is his right. I think it is a private matter that he can speak (about) for himself. I am going to give him the opportunity to do that.”

Sitake didn’t shy away from the broader conversation around BYU’s honor code either. “Our university is sponsored by and affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. So there is a level of expectation and a standard that we ask of our student-athletes and our students altogether, to live by,” he said. “Every school has their standards. We have ours, too, our expectations. So these are part of the things you have to be committed to.”

Where everyone, like BYU receiver Chase Roberts, just straight up denied talking about Retzlaff’s situation, this was the most someone spoke about it.