2025 Big 12 media days recap: Everything BYU football fans should know

FRISCO, Texas — The Big 12 just wrapped up its second Big 12 Media Days in the new 16-team era.

Over two days at the Dallas Cowboys' practice facility, The Star, local and national media were able to get the inside scoop on every team going into the 2025 season.

Here are the four things that every BYU fan should take away from 2025's Big 12 Media Days.

1. BYU gave no hint at who the starting quarterback frontrunner is

One of the biggest storylines in the whole conference is the sudden departure of Jake Retzlaff from BYU's football program. An 11-2 program losing its quarterback two months before the season starts is unprecedented.

When asked about Retzlaff's situation specifically, head coach Kalani Sitake said it wasn't his place to make a statement about his former quarterback.

"We love Jake Retzlaff, we appreciate everything he has done for our program," Sitake said. "I think it's inappropriate for me to make a statement ... I want to give him the opportunity to do that."

Throughout the day, Sitake and the five players BYU brought to Frisco said they had confidence in all three potential starting quarterbacks, whether it is Treyson Bourguet, McCae Hillstead or Bear Bachmeier.

"All of those quarterbacks have something in common: they can all throw the ball," said Sitake. "That's the one prerequisite that we have, is that you have to be able to throw the ball."

Sitake also noted that the Cougars have had their fair share of preseason quarterback battles during his tenure as BYU's head coach, most recently last season when Retzlaff beat out Gerry Bohanon.

"Luckily, we have an offensive staff that's been put together and an offensive coordinator and play-caller that's been there for a long time," he said. "We've been through quarterback battles before, so this isn't like a brand new thing."

2. Keanu Tanuvasa added fuel to the BYU-Utah rivalry

It was an eventful day for BYU's Keanu Tanuvasa.

After his contentious decision to transfer from Utah to BYU, most of the questions directed towards the defensive tackle were about the in-state rivalry, and his transfer.

In an interview with ESPN 700, Tanuvasa said "I don't know if there was a player that was more bought into that program than I was," when asked about his time in Utah. This quote was interpreted as a jab to Tanuvasa's former teammates at Utah, leading to a media frenzy.

Photo by Sienna Puckrin

When asked to clarify his statements, Tanuvasa admitted that he has not handled certain elements of his transfer well, but that his Tuesday comments were "misconstrued."

"It was misconstrued from the way that I meant it," Tanuvasa said. "I just tried to say that in my time I thought there were areas that I dedicated myself and had given my all to the University [of Utah] at that time ... it maybe had sounded like I was comparing with other people."

Tanuvasa made sure to say that he still has love for his former Ute teammates, but being at BYU will inherently add to the already hostile rivalry.

3. BYU has emerged as a leader in Big 12 recruiting, in large part to the conference itself

When asked about BYU's historic No. 19 ranked 2026 recruiting class, Sitake credited the Big 12 as a main proponent in pushing the Cougars to recruiting prominence.

"I think the key has been the invite to the Big 12 conference," Sitake said. "When we got invited, that was kind of the change."

Photo by Sienna Puckrin

"There's no reason not to come," Sitake said about a program that has historically been difficult to recruit non-LDS players.

BYU's 2021 recruiting class, the last class that did not have the promise of playing in the Big 12, was ranked No. 74 by 247 Sports. That's a 54-spot leap from 2026's class.

4. The Big 12 is all in on the 5-11 playoff model

One of the hottest debates in college football is the formatting of a 16-team playoff.

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark made sure people knew where the Big 12 stood when it comes to a favorite model.

"We continue to believe the 5-11 model proposed by the Big 12 and ACC is the right model for college football," Yormark said. "We want to earn it on the field. We do not need a professional model, because we are not the NFL."

The 5-11 model proposes that five spots will be automatic bids from the power-four champions and the highest ranking group of five conference champ, as opposed to having multiple guaranteed bids from each conference.

“It might not be the best decision today for the Big 12, but long term … it’s the right format for us,” Yormark said.