BYU wide receiving corps could be strength of offense

LAS VEGAS (ABC4 Sports) – When the BYU football team opens training camp in two weeks, the biggest battle will be at quarterback, where Jake Retzlaff, Gerry Bohanon, McCae Hillstead and Treyson Bourget will compete for the starting job.

But whoever wins the job will have a talented receiving corps to throw to.

The top five wide receivers from last year’s team are all back, led by Chase Roberts, who despite some inconsistent quarterback play, was BYU’s top receiver with 42 catches for 573 yards and five touchdowns. He says this may be the most talented receiving group he’s been around.

“I would say, yes,” Roberts said. “I think this year is going to be a special year for the wide receiver group. We’ve just got different strengths with each player coming together to be one really strong wide receiver group.”

Kody Epps should finally be back at full strength, Parker Kingston and Keelan Marion are always dangerous, while Darius Lassiter, who had four touchdowns in just eight games last year brings a burst of speed to the group.

“We all know that we bring something special to the game,” said Lassiter, who transferred to BYU form Eastern Michigan before the 2023 season. “Chase is a phenomenal player, same with Kody, Keelan, Parker, everybody else in the receiver room. We all just build off each other, like one of us makes a play and that fuels us. That just makes us want to go out there and try to one up the other person.”

Then there’s Keanu Hill, who battled injuries last year, but had seven touchdowns catches in 2022. Hill is moving to tight end, creating a nightmare matchup for opposing defenses.

“Once Keanu went to tight end, that opens up the game for all of us, because you can’t guard him like a regular blocking tight end,” Lassiter said. “That’s a receiver out there. So once once you start to game plan for him, we’ve got three other guys that can beat you as well.”

As for who will be throwing them the ball, the Cougars look at it as a win-win situation, in that whoever wins the job will have earned it.

“Whoever it is, I’m super confident and we’ve been able to get a lot of reps with all of them,” Roberts said. “Going into this offseason, I’m excited for the competition in fall camp and to catch balls from all of them.”

BYU kicks off the season August 31st at home against Southern Illinois.

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