Ryder Lyons Headed to BYU Early? Rumors Swirl as Jake Retzlaff Exits originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
With Jake Retzlaff heading to the transfer portal after a reported seven-game suspension at BYU, the speculation on who might step up as the next Cougars quarterback came rapidly.
One of the biggest topics is the status of Ryder Lyons. The five-star QB committed in the 2026 class could forgo his senior season at Folsom High School, get reclassified up a year, and compete for the starting job this fall. It’s not the craziest idea out there and would bring a ton of hype considering how Retzlaff is exiting. He’s the top prospect at BYU in many years with one of the best outlooks for his age.
The thought of Lyons moving up a year isn’t terrible in the long run either. It gives Kalani Sitake and his staff time to develop him right now. Deion Sanders and Colorado did the same thing with five-star quarterback Julian Lewis this year. It resets the clock for Ryder and his LDS mission but also helps his overall progression.
If Lyons stays in 2026, McCae Hillstead, Treyson Bourguet, and Bear Bachmeier will compete for BYU’s starting QB job.
So where do Retzlaff go from here? There is no need to rehash his civil suit. Those details will be worked out in due time. Football wise, Retzlaff has reportedly been shopping for another situation since the lawsuit was announced.
According to Rivals reporter Alex Markham, “Retzlaff’s agent shopped him to teams last week, including reaching out to Utah which was an immediate, “No.” Kyle Whittingham needs a solid signal caller, but the Utes aren’t willing to carry Retzlaff’s baggage over from BYU.
Related: Ty Goettsche Opens Up About Five-Star QB Ryder Lyons, BYU’s Surge (Exclusive)
If there were two ideal schools for Retzlaff, one would be Stanford. The Cardinal has a young quarterback in Elijah Brown going into the 2025 season and could use more experience. The other is Colorado State, with Retzlaff offering more talent than Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi. Outside of those two, there are a few other FBS teams who could use a QB like Retzlaff but aren’t in a position to offer any type of NIL deal similar to BYU.
That’s going to be a storyline for Retzlaff in his final year. The sheer amount of lost opportunities and NIL deals after the dust settles. If he’s unable to find another school, Retzlaff can hit the gym and train for the 2026 NFL Draft.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 30, 2025, where it first appeared.