PROVO, Utah (ABC4 Sports) - Jake Retzlaff earning the starting quarterback job, and the sophomore showed why in BYU's season opener against Southern Illinois.
Retlzaff completed 20 of 30 passes for 348 yards and three touchdowns, as the Cougars roared past the Salukis Saturday night, 41-13.
Retlzaff, who beat out Gerry Bohanon in a battle that lasted all of fall camp, led the Cougars on touchdown drives on each of their first two possessions. Hinckley Ropati capped the first drive with a 1-yard touchdown run, while Retlzaff hooked up with JoJo Phillips on a 57-yard strike to give the Cougars a 14-0 lead.
After DJ Williams broke the shutout with a 4-yard touchdown run for SIU, Will Ferrin drilled a 50-yard field goal to give BYU a 17-6 lead at the half.
Retlzaff came out firing in the third quarter, hooking up with Keelan Marion on a 52-yard completion that set up a 7-yard scoring strike from Retlzaff to LJ Martin to give the Cougars a 24-6 lead.
Williams' second TD run cut the deficit to 24-13, before Retzlaff threw his third TD of the game to tight end Mata'ava Ta'ase from 19 yards out to extend the lead to 31-13.
Martin scored from a yard out in the fourth quarter to make it 38-13, and the Cougars cruised to victory.
Chase Roberts led BYU in receiving with seven catches for 108 yards, while Martin was BYU's leading rusher with 67 yards on 13 carries. Ropati added 57 yards on the ground on 13 carries.
Jakob Robinson had a interception for the defense, as BYU held the Salukis to just 231 total yards. BYU gained 527 yards on offense, 179 on the ground.
Head coach Kalani Sitake called plays for the BYU defense, as defensive coordinator Jay Hill sat the game out after suffering a heart attack on Thursday. Hill was at the game and in good spirits.
BYU next faces SMU on Friday, September 6th.