1 / 35

BYU junior quarterback Jake Retzlaff throws a pass during the Big12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Marci Harris, Special to the Herald

2 / 35

BYU defenders make a tackle during the Big12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Marci Harris, Special to the Herald

3 / 35

BYU sophomore running back LJ Martin avoids a tackle during the Big12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Marci Harris, Special to the Herald

4 / 35

BYU head coach Kalani Sitake applauds a good play during the Big12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Marci Harris, Special to the Herald

5 / 35

BYU junior wide receiver Chase Roberts makes a catch during the Big12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Marci Harris, Special to the Herald

6 / 35

BYU sophomore wide receiver Parker Kingston catches a touchdown pass during the Big 12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

7 / 35

BYU players run onto the field before the Big 12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

8 / 35

BYU offensive linemen block during the Big 12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

9 / 35

BYU sophomore linebacker Siale Esera chases Arizona sophomore quarterback Noah Fifita during the Big 12 game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

10 / 35

BYU junior quarterback Jake Retzlaff throws a pass during the Big 12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

11 / 35

BYU senior running back Hinckley Ropati carries the ball during the Big 12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

12 / 35

BYU sophomore punter Sam Vander Haar kicks the ball during the Big 12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

13 / 35

BYU sophomore wide receiver Parker Kingston catches a touchdown pass during the Big 12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

14 / 35

BYU senior running back Hinckley Ropati carries the ball up the field during the Big 12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

15 / 35

BYU mascot Cosmo entertains the crowd during the Big12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

16 / 35

A BYU ball carrier gets tackled during the Big12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

17 / 35

BYU students unfurl a giant flag during the Big12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

18 / 35

BYU sophomore wide receiver Parker Kingston catches a touchdown pass during the Big 12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

19 / 35

BYU defenders make a tackle during the Big12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Marci Harris, Special to the Herald

20 / 35

BYU players celebrate after scoring a touchdown during the Big12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Marci Harris, Special to the Herald

21 / 35

BYU junior quarterback Jake Retzlaff avoids a tackle during the Big12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Marci Harris, Special to the Herald

22 / 35

BYU defenders make a tackle during the Big12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Marci Harris, Special to the Herald

23 / 35

BYU senior running back Hinckley Ropati runs the ball up the field during the Big12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Marci Harris, Special to the Herald

24 / 35

Fire knife dancers entertain the crowd during the Big12 game between BYU and Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Marci Harris, Special to the Herald

25 / 35

BYU senior running back Hinckley Ropati gets tackled during the Big12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Marci Harris, Special to the Herald

26 / 35

A BYU player gets tackled during the Big12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Marci Harris, Special to the Herald

27 / 35

BYU sophomore linebacker Isaiah Glasker makes a tackle during the Big12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Marci Harris, Special to the Herald

28 / 35

BYU sophomore linebacker Isaiah Glasker makes a tackle during the Big12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Marci Harris, Special to the Herald

29 / 35

BYU senior tight end Keanu Hil runs the ball up the field during the Big12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Marci Harris, Special to the Herald

30 / 35

BYU defenders make a tackle during the Big12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Marci Harris, Special to the Herald

31 / 35

BYU defenders make a tackle during the Big12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

32 / 35

BYU defenders pursue a ball carrier during the Big12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

33 / 35

BYU sophomore running back LJ Martin carries the ball up the field during the Big 12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

34 / 35

BYU senior running back Hinckley Ropati has the ball knocked away during the Big 12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

35 / 35

BYU defenders try to make a tackle during the Big 12 game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

❮ ❯

BYU junior quarterback Jake Retzlaff lived up to the second syllable of his name as he brought the laughter to the Cougar post-game press conference following BYU’s strong 41-19 win over Arizona.

Here were some of Retzlaff’s best quips:

• On the offensive line play overall: “It’s fun to look at all these stats, the rushing, the passing, the receiving, but what’s never on here is the offensive line play, because there’s no way to quantify it. Those guys played their tails off today. Brayden Keim on a third-and-1 railed that guy to the left side. You watch the tape and the hole looks like you could drive a forklift through it. I said Connor Pay could probably scoot through it on his little scooter. Guys are making plays left and right.”
• On sophomore center Bruce Mitchell playing well in his first start: “Connor Pay, put your feet up, bro. Relax. I’m just kidding but Bruce played incredible.”
• On versatile sophomore Parker Kingston: “He’s probably got a better QBR (quarterback rating) than I do at this point.”
• On what was said before taking the field with the ball inside their own 1-yard line: “It was ‘let’s go 99 yards and score a touchdown.’ That was literally what was said by three or four guys to me, and I said it back to them.”
• On talking to BYU legend Steve Young before the game: “He called me a swashbuckler on the Big Noon Kickoff show, but he said he was too so I’m taking it as compliment.”
• On the highs and lows of being a college football quarterback: “We love to give quarterbacks the credit for the record. I was 0-4 last year. That means, what, I was the worst QB in the country? Now we are 6-0 and I’m the greatest. No, that’s not it. It’s the guys around me playing really well that makes it what it is.”
• On celebrating after winning games: “Guys got to start coming up with new dance moves, but that’s a good problem to have.”

While many of his comments were humorous, he did show a little exasperation when a question about sophomore running back LJ Martin’s impact on the team came up.

“It’s funny you guys ask these questions,” Retzlaff said. “You ask about, like, Sione Moa and how he’s so awesome, and then you ask about LJ Martin and how he’s so awesome. But they’re all awesome. They all do so many great things. I could name every running back in the room, and they could go out here and do some amazing things.”

While Retzlaff’s comments covered a host of topics, the underlying message he conveyed was that this BYU football team isn’t about superstars. It’s about guys coming together to get the job done week after week, whether that means getting attention with big plays or doing all the little things that rarely get noticed.

“The No. 1 thing is to take care of business on the field, no matter what,” Retzlaff said.  “The national attention is definitely something, but at the same time you have to keep the main thing, the main thing. I don’t think any group of people I’ve been around is better at that than this football team. We are so good at going from joking around and having fun to executing football plays. I don’t think there’s a better place to be for that.”

That was on full display in the Cougar win over the Wildcats, where there were spectacular moments.

Retzlaff hit Kingston for a 20-yard TD pass to start the scoring, then on the next drive Kingston fired a long pass across the field to Martin for a 33-yard touchdown that put BYU on top for good.

BYU senior cornerback Jakob Robinson made what he called a “top-5” play in his career when he tipped a pass and intercepted it on the first play of the second half.

“We’re in a corner blitz just from the boundary,” Robinson said. “I always love it, because I know when Coach Jay Hill calls a corner blitz, he knows we’re probably either going to get home or make a play. I just called in, then I saw the quarterback look at the tight end who had motioned out. He just tried to throw it quick, so I stuck my hand out and caught it.”

The next play was another tipped pass as Retzlaff’s throw got deflected near the line of scrimmage, only to have junior wide receiver Chase Roberts recover and catch it for the score.

The Cougar defense came up with four total turnovers. In addition to Robinson’s pick, BYU sophomore linebacker Isaiah Glasker forced a fumble (recovered by Harrison Taggart) and scored on a pick-6 to close out the game, in addition to Tanner Wall’s interception in the first half.

But the reality is that the BYU win wasn’t about superstars shining in the spotlight. It was about guys going on, playing hard and getting the job done consistently enough across the board.

“I’m happy for the win,” Cougar head coach Kalani Sitake said. “We got our sixth win of the year and I’m really excited about the things that we saw from our team in all three phases. Obviously, there’s some things that we know we can fix, and I’m going to keep evaluating, trying to find ways to get better. But I just have to give a lot of credit to the boys and the leadership on the team.”