BYU Quarterback Jake Retzlaff Trained with John Beck During the Offseason

Beck, who famously trained Zach Wilson before he became a top pick in the NFL Draft, has worked with several BYU quarterbacks over the last few years. He has developed a reputation as one of the best quarterback trainers in the business. And he might be exactly what the doctor ordered for Jake Retzlaff.

Retzlaff was ridiculously productive at the JUCO level. As a sophomore, he threw for 4,596 yards, 44 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions while completing 63% of his passes. However, some of his sidearm throws and unique arm angles didn't translate to the Big 12 last season. He completed just 50.4% of his passes in four starts. There were multiple misfires that stalled BYU drives and forced BYU into predictable play calling on second and long. 

On one hand, Retzlaff's superpower is his ability to create and extend plays with his arm and his legs. You don't want that superpower to be corralled in the name of proper mechanics. On the other hand, however, he wasn't accurate enough in 2023. And the most logical path to more accuracy is more consistent mechanics.

That's where John Beck could play a critical role in Retzlaff's development.

Beck has mastered the art of elevating strengths in a quarterback's throwing motion while eliminating the mistakes. He knows how to strike the right balance between throwing upright in the pocket and throwing off-platform. There isn't a throw that Retzlaff can't make - he has a very strong arm. If Retzlaff wants to win the starting job, however, he has to make more throws with more consistency. There might not be a better trainer in the world than John Beck to help him accomplish that.

If Retzlaff can maintain the creativity but eliminate the inconsistency, he will exceed expectations in 2024. If he can't clean up the mistakes, he will lose his starting job to Gerry Bohanon.