BYU senior QB Gerry Bohanon demonstrates character despite not being the starter
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- BYU quarterback Gerry Bohanon participates in practice in Provo on Saturday, August 3, 2024.
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- BYU senior quarterback Gerry Bohanon throws a pass during the first day of fall camp in Provo on Wednesday, July 31, 2024.
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- BYU quarterback Gerry Bohanon throws a pass during practice at the indoor practice facility in Provo on Saturday, March 30, 2024.
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- BYU quarterback Gerry Bohanon runs the ball during practice in Provo on Saturday, March 16, 2024.
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- BYU quarterback Gerry Bohanon Jr. runs a drill during practice at the outdoor practice facility in Provo on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024.
Country star Tim McGraw released a song in 2016 called “Humble and Kind,” which depicts a parent giving advice to a child as they head out into the world.
The title also accurately describes the person BYU senior quarterback Gerry Bohanon is proving to be.
Bohanon transferred to BYU looking to revive a career that featured a Big 12 title and Sugar Bowl win at Baylor but had been derailed by injuries in recent years.
He competed hard for the Cougar starting job during fall camp but eventually came in behind junior Jake Retzlaff.
But while as a competitor he certainly has to wish things had gone differently, his first interview since being names the backup on Tuesday showed a man who has a solid perspective on who he is and what he is doing.
“Life is full of adversity and I’ve had a lot of adversity in my life,” Bohanon said. “I think adversity and the things that you go through are going to build you up in the future. I don’t know anyone whose life is just easy. It’s best to find the happiness in the small moments and those things that you enjoy doing. I think this adversity is going to build me up for whatever is coming in the future.”
He still has clear objectives in mind moving forward as the season progresses.
“I’m going to continue to get better and continue to push him,” Bohanon said. “I’m going to make sure he is getting better and make sure I’m always ready. We are both really good players and we competed. You definitely go with the best guy and the next guy should always be ready.”
He was upbeat on Retzlaff’s performance from the season-opening win over Southern Illinois, saying he thought he played “really, really well.”
“He was accurate,” Bohanon said. “He was on time. You could just see the confidence and the swagger that he played with. I thought that was really good to see.”
Bohanon did get in for a few plays in the fourth quarter for his first action at LaVell Edwards Stadium. He said, however, that he didn’t spend much time drinking in the moment when he got on the field.
“I’m one of those people who doesn’t really hear anything during the game,” Bohanon said. “It’s weird. It’s almost like it is silent. But it was good to know the fans supported me and it was good to be there. It was a packed house and I thought it was a very exciting atmosphere to be a part of.”
He thought for a second when asked how LaVell Edwards Stadium compared to other Big 12 venues he has experienced, then said, “It’s probably one of the loudest — and the SEC too. I thought that was a special place and I can only imagine what it is going to be like for the big games and the rivalries. I think that’s a really loud stadium.”
He did add that if LaVell Edwards Stadium was enclosed he thought it would be “insanely loud.”
This week, though, BYU will be on the road at SMU on Friday (5 p.m. MT, ESPN2), which Bohanon is looking forward to for a different reason.
“I’ll get a lot of family to come out,” Bohanon said. “It’s about six hours away from home, so it’s the closest I’ve been in a while. I have a lot of family and friends who are going to come.”
He said that in looking at the Mustangs, he sees a good challenge for his Cougar squad.
“They play hard,” Bohanon said. “They are a talented team. They have a lot of transfers and some really good guys. They know they have good guys so they try to keep it pretty simple. They have guys who play hard for each other and their coach. We have a tough one this week. I think everyone is excited to go down there and line up across from those guys.”
