As is almost always the case, a good deal of the 2025 BYU football storylines revolved around the quarterback position, although it ended with some rapid coaching news that will define the program for years to come.

Yes, the 2025 BYU football year was chock full of storylines and we’ll now do our best to provide just the ten that we felt were center stage.

10. Three is a streak

As the media rode the elevator down with BYU Offensive Coordinator Aaron Roderick following the Cougar’s thrilling 24-21 over Utah, he suggested that three wins in a row is rightly defined as a streak. Yes, the Cougars have now won three straight over the rival Utes while setting the state to assume the top-program-in-the-state perch. As always, the win didn’t come easy, but overall it was just enough to put a stamp on a what is now a notable shift in the rivalry.

Courtesy BYU Photo

9. Jenaro embarks on another journey

BYU’s longest-tenured coach on staff opted to move on to other pastures in joining Kyle Whittingham’s new coaching staff. The move technically wasn’t announced until soon after the new year, but the developments in him moving to coach the Wolverines was set in motion several weeks before then. Gilford helped rejuvenate BYU’s historically weak cornerbacks position to where it became a strength for this past year’s defensive unit. Replacing him should prove an arduous task to be certain.

8. Retzlaff reprimand

It may seen like a long time ago, but when it happened, the Jake Retzlaff suspension and subsequent transfer to Tulane as big news at the time. Rather than face a 7-game suspension due to an honor code violation stemming from a now settled sexual assault civil case, Retzlaff took his talents to Tulane with BYU scrambling to find his replacement in what appeared to be a devastating blow to the program at the time.

7. All the stars

Marcia Harris, Special to the Herald

The 2025 calendar year saw BYU football sign its most decorated recruiting class in program history. Headlined by 5-star quarterback Ryder Lyons, the class also included a good amount of 4-star talent which included tight ends Brock Harris and Ty Goettsche, offensive lineman Bott Mulitalo, defensive lineman Lopeti Moala and linebacker Adam Bywater. Topping off the class nicely were Jaron and Kennan Pula, who flipped their decision to sign with BYU rather than Utah at the last minute.

6. Magnificent Martin

LJ Martin was rightly tagged as BYU’s most indispendable player prior to the start of the season, and save for missing most of the Iowa State win, Martin was the very definition of a workhorse running back throughout the season. His 1,305 yards rushing earned him the Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors and it was absolutely deserved when considering just how much he meant for the Cougar offense throughout the season.

5. Texas Tech(nical) knockout

BYU proved the better of all its opponents throughout the season save the Red Raiders, who dealt the Cougars both their losses by a combined 49 points. But the fact BYU squared off about Texas Tech twice underscores just how well the team performed during 2025 otherwise. Yes, the final 34-7 loss came at the Big 12 Championship game, and advancing to that game, despite the woefully underwhelming result, was a noted achievement.

Courtesy BYU Photo

4. Popping back up

The Cougars rebounded nicely from their Big 12 Championship Game disappointment by taking 25-21 comeback win over Georgia Tech in the Pop-Tarts Bowl in a game that served as a microcosm for the entire season. The game garnered 8.7 million viewers in what was the most-watched bow game outside of the College Football Playoff.

3. Bearing witness

Sick of all the word tricks the media plays with BYU’s freshman phenom quarterback’s name? Well get used to it. Bear Bachmeier exceeded everyone’s expectations in 2025 by not only winning the starting quarterback job, but then providing some of the best and most consistent play from the position of any quarterback anywhere. Yes, Bear was a top story in 2025 and should become an even bigger story moving forward.

2. Over the Hill

Courtesy BYU Photo

As with Gilford, Jay Hill moving on to Michigan officially didn’t happen in 2025, but the deal was absolutely all but made official prior to the turn of the 2026 calendar year. Losing a coach of Hill’s ability is a big blow to a program that had produced stellar defenses soon after he arrived in Provo prior to the 2023 season. It was reportedly a very tough decision for Hill, but he ultimately opted to rejoin his former coach and mentor Kyle Whittingham in Ann Arbor.

1. Locking up Kalani

Yes, BYU head coach Kalani Sitake was very close to taking the head coaching job at Penn State before the boosters rallied to grant him a substantial pay raise that should keep him in Provo for some time moving forward. Sitake had some rough years when he assumed the head coaching position at BYU back in 2015, but he’s since hit his stride and the football program is absolutely better for it.