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BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff (12) watches as a play unfolds during the opening day of BYU football spring camp held at the Zions Bank Practice Fields of the Student Athlete Building on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff beat more Power Four conference foes in 2024 than any of his predecessors over their entire Cougar careers, and that includes Ty Detmer, Steve Young and Jim McMahon. Leading BYU to an 11-2 season, including a one-sided win in the Alamo Bowl, has set Retzlaff up for a repeat performance — a task that will require him to lead like never before.
Former Cougar star Austin Collie believes he is ready to do it.
“I think the leadership role is naturally going to happen with Jake, just given the fact that he has one more year and he had so much success,” Collie told the “Y’s Guys” podcast this week. “The momentum he’s going to be carrying into next season is going to be such a difference maker because of the national recognition and notoriety he has been getting. You can’t underestimate what that does for a player.”
Retzlaff passed for 2,947 yards and 20 touchdowns during his junior season. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Corona, California, product also rushed for 417 yards and six touchdowns.
“I am super excited to see week one and how he comes out,” Collie said. “It’s going to be far different (from) the way he came out last year.”
Collie was with former Colts and Super Bowl teammate Peyton Manning and his father Archie recently and was caught off-guard by the conversation.
“Archie leaned over to me and said, ‘How about that QB you guys have at BYU?‘” Collie said. “The fact that guys like that are taking notice of what he did (last) year and what that does for Jake’s confidence and what it will do — it’s going to trickle down to every facet of that offense and to every position.”
Retzlaff has familiar targets to throw to this fall, but that doesn’t negate the necessity for a full summer of drills. Collie caught passes from Max Hall, the winningest quarterback in BYU history, and from NFL legends Manning and Tom Brady. With each one, he had to win their trust.
“With Max it was a little different because of my track record. He and I knew each other before. We had done BYU camps together and (played) on the same 7-on-7 teams,” Collie said. “He was looking forward to me getting home from my mission, given what I did my freshman year. Immediately, I felt like I was a reliable guy for him.”
In two seasons with Hall, Collie caught 162 passes for 2,484 yards and 22 touchdowns before skipping his senior season for the NFL. Winning Manning over didn’t come as easy.
“My rookie year, (Manning) was hard on me. I was the only change in the huddle from their Super Bowl team,” Collie said. “I had a lot of pressure on me to make sure I knew the playbook and there was no drop-off.”
As the Colts prepared for their first-round playoff game against Baltimore, Manning pulled Collie aside.
“He said, ‘Hey, I just want you to know the reason why I’m so hard on you is because I know where you can get to. I know (what) your potential is and how good of a player you are,‘” Collie recalled. “From that moment on, it was like, ‘Alright, this guy knows what I’m capable of and he trusts me and it’s my job to live up to it.‘”
Manning threw touchdown passes to Collie during the Colts’ 20-3 win against the Ravens and in their 30-17 victory against the Jets in the AFC championship game. During a 31-17 loss to the Saints in Super Bowl XLIV, Collie caught six passes for 66 yards.
Following a series of concussions, Collie went to work for Brady and the Patriots in 2013, where he continued to battle through injuries.
“I don’t think I had enough time with him. I think I caught 12 passes,” Collie said. “At that point in time, I had already proven myself. (Tom) was picking my brain more than anything about what we were doing over in Indy.”
For Retzlaff, months of throwing to Chase Roberts, Keelon Marion, Parker Kingston, JoJo Phillips, Cody Hagen and the others isn’t just a suggestion. Collie finds it critical if they want to be on the same page when BYU opens the book on a new season Aug. 30 against Portland State.
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Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, left, talks with San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Austin Collie, right, before a preseason football game on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2013, in San Francisco. | Ben Margot, Associated Press
To this group of receivers, Collie might be seen as a pioneer — and rightly so. Most of them were still learning how to ride a bike when he caught his last touchdown at LaVell Edwards Stadium. However, the proven formula for Collie’s success remains unchanged, including endless summer workouts with his quarterbacks.
The trek to the promised land, in life and football, is a lot easier when following the trail of a pioneer, and No. 17 cut a clear path for this offense to pursue. It will be a true showing of leadership if Retzlaff can keep them moving forward together.
Collie thinks he can.
Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com.
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