Future Of BYU Football Quarterback Position After Adding Noah Lugo
Aug 13, 2023, 4:45 PM | Updated: 5:05 pm
BYU football quarterback Ryder Burton looks for a receiver during practice in Provo on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023. (Scott G. Winterton, Deseret News)
(Scott G. Winterton, Deseret News)
PROVO, Utah – BYU football picked up a commitment from high school prospect Noah Lugo. The addition of Lugo gives BYU their prep quarterback in the 2024 cycle, that will join the program next year.
It begs the question, what is the pipeline for the BYU football quarterback position into the future?
The Cougars will have former USC and Pitt quarterback Kedon Slovis as their starting quarterback to kick off the 2023 season. But then Slovis will be gone after this fall.
That leaves BYU with a quarterback debate for the 2024 season when the Big 12 becomes a 16-team conference with rival Utah joining the league.
It’s a perfect time to dive in and look at the BYU quarterback pipeline beyond the 2023 season.
Remember, a lot can change over a year, with the transfer portal and recruiting always fluid. But for now, this is the personnel snapshot at BYU’s most crucial position.
Potential 2024 BYU Football Quarterback Unit
- Jake Retzlaff (Junior in 2023)
- Cade Fennegan (Redshirt Sophomore)
- Nick Billoups (Redshirt Sophomore)
- Ryder Burton (Freshman)
- Cole Hagen (Freshman)
- Noah Lugo (High School Commit)
- Micah Fe’a (PWO Missionary)
- Kaden Cox (PWO Missionary)
The potential quarterback unit for BYU in 2024 factors in the five quarterbacks on the 2023 roster still having eligibility after this season. It will be interesting to see who emerges as the top quarterback after Kedon Slovis. The favorite to win that job is JUCO transfer Jake Retzlaff.
Retzlaff was one of the top junior college prospects in the 2023 cycle.
Former Springville High star Ryder Burton has shown well in his first fall camp against the third or fourth-team defenses.
Burton’s prep career saw him participate in an I-formation offense that was not suited for the collegiate level. But he has been a sponge of BYU’s offensive playbook. Since last October, he has been around the team facility absorbing as much of Roderick’s offensive scheme as possible.
If offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick doesn’t have an unwavering belief that one of these signal-callers is the QB of the future, BYU could be in the transfer portal market again as they were last December when they added Slovis.
spinnin' it
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) August 5, 2023
Cole Hagen comes from the factory of Corner Canyon High quarterbacks under coach Eric Kjar. Hagen was initially going to play for Yale, but decided to switch to BYU after completing a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
BYU will also add the recently committed Lugo. Lugo is a dual-threat prospect who received some interest from Power Five programs.
The Cougars also have preferred walk-on commitments from a pair of in-state quarterbacks. Orem High’s Micah Fe’a and Rideline’s Kaden Cox gave verbal commitments before leaving to serve missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after graduating high school.
Kaden Cox is an intriguing prospect. He put up eye-popping numbers at Ridgeline throwing 55 touchdowns to only two interceptions.
Additions in 2025
- Drew Cowart (PWO Missionary)
Drew Cowart was a 2023 quarterback prospect from American Leadership Academy in Arizona. Ty Detmer and Max Hall coached him for a season. During his one year with the former BYU greats, Cowart passed for 2,446 yards and threw 35 touchdown passes.
Cowart is currently serving a mission for the Church in Colombia. He left for his mission in February of this year.
Joining the BYU football program in 2026
- Enoch Watson (High School Commit)
Along with Noah Lugo, BYU has an additional quarterback commit in the 2024 recruiting class—Enoch Watson from American Leadership Academy in Arizona.
Big season around the corner for the patriots, LETS GO! @TyDetmer14 @mxrd15 @alaqcfootball @BYUfootball pic.twitter.com/3NRt0tmO2a
— Enoch Watson (@Enoch_Watson1) August 1, 2023
Both plan to serve missions for the Church after they graduate high school.
Watson will be teaming up with Ty Detmer and Max Hall this fall as the starting quarterback at ALA.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on Twitter/X and Threads: @Mitch_Harper.
