Why BYU coordinator Jay Hill believes his defensive line can be even better in 2025

There is something new in Provo as BYU opens up its third Power Four campaign: expectation.

After an 11-2 season a year ago, the Cougars are sure to begin the year as a top-25 team and a contender for the College Football Playoff. Going to Arlington for the Big 12 title game — an opportunity they missed by a few plays in 2024 — is now the standard.

Anything less will be a letdown.

So what will BYU’s focus be as it begins its opening act of the season? Here are six key storylines to monitor in spring camp, which opens on Thursday.

1. Reloading or rebuilding on the defensive line?

BYU’s defense finally made the leap head coach Kalani Sitake was hoping for last year. After two seasons of bottoming out, defensive coordinator Jay Hill’s unit gave up fewer than 20 points per game in 2024.

A significant part of the equation was the Cougars' ability to stop the run, led by its defensive line. Tyler Batty, Isaiah Bagnah, Blake Mangelson and Logan Latiu all had key roles. BYU allowed fewer than 4 yards a carry and 126 rushing yards a night. Compare that to last year — when the Cougars gave up 177 yards on 4.9 yards a rush — and that was the difference.

But Batty, Bagnah and Mangelson are gone. So will 2025 be time for a rebuild? Hill doesn’t think so.

“We expect these [2025] guys to surpass what we’ve done,” Hill said.

A bold statement, sure, but Hill seems to have the guys to do it.

He brought in Utah transfer Keanu Tanuvasa to shore up the middle of the front. He has more size than past linemen. Hill thinks he can be one of the best players in the country.

Plus, Hill will have more pass-rush options than last year. The defensive line was great at stopping the run, but still struggled to get after the quarterback.

So Hill brought in Texas transfer Tausili Akana to help on the edge. Ephraim Asiata is going into his second year with the program and has already shown flashes of being a great edge rusher. Defensive ends coach Kelly Poppinga once compared Asiata to Fred Warner and Kyle Van Noy. Hill also snagged Hunter Clegg, a former Utah commit, to help out as a pass rusher.

So Hill not only believes the defensive line will be the same, he thinks he added a pass-rushing element to the unit. Spring camp will be the first test of that theory.

“The bottom line, I think it will be the same or better for sure,” Hill said.

2. Middle core

Whatever happens with the defensive line, the strength of this defense remains the linebacking core.

Maybe the most significant development of the offseason was BYU keeping all three of its linebacking stars: Isaiah Glasker, Harrison Taggart and Jack Kelly.

Glasker led the league in tackles for loss. Kelly has NFL potential with his closing speed and pass-rush ability. Taggart was second on the team in tackles with 69.

The speed and length of Glasker, Taggart and Kelly was exactly the linebacking mold that Hill envisioned when he took the job. He needed that versatility to make his scheme work. If they all stayed, they could grow together and be the core of BYU’s next contending defense.

Well, he got that. They stayed. And now BYU is a 2025 playoff contender.

With all three players now, Hill can start to build on his scheme. He used all three in blitzes and in coverage last year. It made his defense unpredictable, particularly where he was bringing pressure from. The Cougars combined for 9.5 sacks.

We will see what else Hill installs this spring.

3. Tight end changes

BYU barely threw the ball to the tight ends last year. It wasn’t the strength of that unit. But with tight ends coach Kevin Gilbride going into year two at his position, he wants to be “more multiple." That means more personnel packages (from four tight-end packages to none), but also more dynamic in usage.

So BYU added different personnel to the room to be able to throw the ball.

It got Carsen Ryan from Utah, a pass-catching option. It also signed Jacob Nye and Tucker Kelleher as freshmen, both will be on the team in 2025. Ethan Erickson is also back, a guy who played well during fall camp last year but fell out of the rotation come the season.

Offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick thinks BYU has three or four pass-catching options at tight end in 2025.

“I think everybody we signed this year are good receivers. It is no secret we would like to throw the ball to the tight end more. Last year, that wasn’t really who our guys were,” he said.

BYU also signed Blake Bryce and Jackson Doman at tight end. Both can catch. But they won’t be with the program for two years after serving a church mission. Those will be pass-catching options for the future.

4. Quarterback backup

Sorry to report, but there will be no quarterback battle this spring. None of the intrigue of last year’s camp when Jake Retzlaff and Gerry Bohanon battled it out (even if it was pretty clear it was Retzlaff’s job).

It will be Jake Retzlaff’s program in 2025. He has full command of the offense after going 11-2 and leading the team to a top-10 ranking in November. He is embracing his new status, showing up for appearances at BYU basketball games and enjoying some new NIL endorsement deals.

But who will be his backup?

It’s a two-man race between former Utah State quarterback McCae Hillstead and former Western Michigan signal caller Treyson Bourguet. Roderick said he’s comfortable with both quarterbacks. Hillstead showed flashes of being a playmaker in fall camp and is heading into his second year in the program. It’s year three for Bourguet.

Notably, the quarterback room will carry fewer guys this year. With the roster cut down to 105 players, Roderick will have one or two fewer quarterbacks. It puts more pressure on whoever the backup ends up being.

“Both got real game experience under their belts. McCae started five or six games at Utah State. Bourguet started five or six games at Western Michigan. They are both good players and I have a lot of confidence we can win with either one of them,” Roderick said.

5. Offensive line

Caleb Etienne is gone. Connor Pay is, too. Those are two huge losses for BYU’s protection of Retzlaff.

But Roderick replaced size with size. He got Andrew Gentry, a former Michigan lineman, in the transfer portal. He also signed Andrew Williams and will get Ethan Thomason back from a mission.

“Replaced two 6-8 guys with two 6-8 guys and a 6-7 guy,” Roderick said.

So length won’t be an issue. We will see how it comes together.

6. Roster cut down

When BYU opens up fall camp next year, it will need to have its roster at 105 players. It means spring is the last chance for players to make their case to be on this team. And the coaching staff has to make decisions about which positions need the most depth, and where to cut from.

Generally, every position will have one or two fewer players. For some positions, like quarterback, that is significant. For others, like wide receiver, it is less meaningful since they already carry so many.