Editor’s note: This story was updated following Big 12 media days and Friday’s news that BYU’s Jake Retzlaff is withdrawing from the school in the aftermath of an offseason where a judge dismissed a civil lawsuit accusing the quarterback of sexual assault and battery after both sides filed a joint motion to dismiss the case, then Retzlaff faced a reported seven-game suspension for violating the school’s honor code.
There is plenty of quarterback talent in the Big 12 heading into the 2025 season, with more than half the league returning their starter from last year.
There are nine returning starters at the position league-wide, with guys like Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt, Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson, TCU’s Josh Hoover, Iowa State’s Rocco Becht and Kansas State’s Avery Johnson leading the way and bringing varying levels of experience.
Schools like Utah (with Devon Dampier), Colorado (Kaidon Salter) and Houston (Conner Weigman) brought in transfers to take over as QB1.
Four schools, a group that now includes BYU with the departure of Jake Retzlaff, truly have a quarterback competition heading into the summer months.
With that many returning starters at QB, could the Big 12 see even better play from the position during the 2025 season? Time will tell.
Until then, here’s a look at how the quarterback situations rank around the conference.
1. Sam Leavitt, Arizona State
- 2024 stats: 61.7% completion percentage, 2,885 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, eight interceptions; 110 carries, 443 rushing yards, five touchdowns
When the 2024 season kicked off, Leavitt and the Sun Devils were an afterthought in the Big 12.
By year’s end, though, Arizona State was the Big 12 champion — and while guys like ram-tough running back Cam Skattebo played a big role in that title run, so, too, did the team’s star quarterback.
Leavitt, who transferred from Michigan State after his freshman campaign, improved as last season wore on, seeing an uptick in his passing numbers and completion percentage in the back half of the season.
He was also a threat in the running game.
Leavitt shined in the Big 12 championship with three touchdown passes in a rout over Iowa State, then showed off his ability to fight through struggles in helping Arizona State force double overtime in its College Football Playoff quarterfinal loss against Texas.
Now, he returns as one of the Big 12’s most accomplished quarterbacks.
While Skattebo is off to the NFL, star wide receiver Jordyn Tyson returns, and it’s reasonable to believe Leavitt will continue to improve after he finished last season with a 81.6 QBR rating in ESPN’s metric, second-best among Big 12 quarterbacks.
2. Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
- 2024 stats: 62.2% completion percentage, 3,071 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, eight interceptions; 63 carries, 230 rushing yards, four touchdowns
After Baylor’s slow start to the 2024 season, it largely flew under the radar as other teams garnered the bulk of the attention during the league race.
Still, Robertson’s rise — after he started the year as the backup — shouldn’t be ignored in how it helped the Bears quiet speculation that Dave Aranda could be on the hot seat.
Instead, the Bears ended the regular season on a six-game win streak before falling to LSU in the bowl season, and they enter 2025 on an upward trajectory.
Robertson’s passing numbers, including his completion percentage, improved during that second-half run, and he threw the second-most touchdowns in the Big 12 while also finishing as the league’s best in ESPN’s QBR ratings at 83.7.
How much can Robertson improve during his senior season with a full offseason to prep as the starter?
3. Josh Hoover, TCU
- 2024 stats: 66.5% completion percentage, 3,949 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, 11 interceptions; 47 carries, minus-19 yards, four touchdowns
Hoover saw improvement as a sophomore last season after starting the final six games of his redshirt freshman season.
His efficiency rating improved — it went from 134.8 to 151.1, which is second-best among returning Big 12 quarterbacks heading into the 2025 season.
Hoover is also the league’s returning leader in passing yards after averaging 303.8 passing yards per game last year while helping the Horned Frogs win six of their final seven games in 2024 on their way to a 9-4 campaign.
He’s not a running threat, but Hoover has shown he’s among the conference’s most capable passers and he has the chance to improve as a redshirt junior in 2025.
4. Rocco Becht, Iowa State
- 2024 stats: 59.4% completion percentage, 3,505 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, nine interceptions; 98 carries, 318 rushing yards, eight touchdowns
Outside of Ames, Becht might slide a bit under the radar with other Big 12 quarterbacks garnering more attention nationally.
His production, though, shows that Becht, who’s headed into his third year as the Cyclones’ starter, is one of the league’s most accomplished signal callers heading into the 2025 season.
Becht was consistent throughout the 2024 campaign — he had at least one touchdown pass in every contest, with no more than three per game — as he threw passes to a group headlined by now NFL draft picks Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins.
He also proved plenty adept at making plays in the rushing game.
How will Becht look without his top two wide receivers this season? Iowa State has brought in reinforcements there, and Becht will have his chances to shine again this year.
5. Avery Johnson, Kansas State
- 2024 stats: 58.3% completion percentage, 2,712 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, 10 interceptions; 113 carries, 605 rushing yards, seven touchdowns
During his first season as Kansas State’s starter, Johnson showed off his ability to impact both the passing game and the rushing attack, as his 605 rushing yards was second among Big 12 quarterbacks and eight times he finished a game with 40 or more rushing yards.
Johnson also had seven games wherein he completed 60% of more of his passes, though there were dips in that execution as well.
If he can improve as a passer, Johnson has the tools to move up in these ranks and keep the Wildcats in the league contender conversation.
6. Devon Dampier, Utah
- 2024 stats (at New Mexico): 57.9% completion percentage, 2,768 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, 12 interceptions; 155 carries, 1,168 rushing yards, 19 touchdowns
Dampier is probably the most thrilling unknown commodity coming into the league this year as a transfer quarterback.
Yes, his sophomore passing numbers show there’s plenty of room for improvement — particularly in decision-making, as he threw 12 touchdowns to 12 interceptions — but Dampier brings the biggest dual-threat running ability to the table.
His 19 rushing touchdowns ranked ninth nationally last season, and he rushed for 100 yards or more in five of New Mexico’s final six games in 2024.
Plus, he has continuity with his move to Utah, following offensive coordinator Jason Beck to the Utes, while also bringing along running back NaQuari Rogers and wide receiver Ryan Davis.
His interceptions last year came in bunches — Dampier had six games with no picks and five others with two or more — but if his passing numbers can improve and his game translates to the power conference level, he has a real shot at being the most dynamic quarterback in the league.
7. Behren Morton, Texas Tech
- 2024 stats: 63.3% completion percentage, 3,335 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, 8 interceptions; 55 carries, minus-22 rushing yards, 1 touchdown
Morton showed he is one of the Big 12’s most dangerous pure passers last year, with a top five finish in the league in passing yards and touchdown passes.
He’s not much of a running threat, though, and his TD-to-interception ratio was quite a bit different in nonconference play (10-2) versus what he accomplished in league action (17-8).
Still, with a strong amount of experience in his corner, it’s easy to expect improvement on already strong passing numbers from the multi-year starter in his final collegiate season.
8. Jalon Daniels, Kansas
- 2024 stats: 57.0% completion percentage, 2,454 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, 12 interceptions; 93 carries, 447 rushing yards, six touchdowns
It doesn’t feel like it was that long ago that Daniels was a candidate for Big 12 preseason offensive player of the year honors after a standout 2022 season wherein he had an 18-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio and was also a rushing threat with seven rushing touchdowns.
Injuries derailed his 2023 season, though, and last year, Daniels’ efficiency wasn’t what it used to be. Several times, he had turnovers at inopportune moments.
Can he regain the vibe from 2022? If so, Daniels could revive the talent that at one point made him one of the league’s most feared dual-threat quarterbacks.
9. Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati
- 2024 stats: 64.0% completion percentage, 2,813 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, seven interceptions; 105 carries, 447 rushing yards, nine touchdowns
Sorsby had himself a solid, albeit unspectacular, season leading the Cincinnati offense in 2024 after transferring from Indiana.
He also proved to be a rushing threat, with nearly double-digit rushing touchdowns (his nine rushing scores led all Big 12 quarterbacks last season).
Sorsby did see his numbers dip as the season wore on, though, particularly during a five-game losing streak to end the year.
10. Kaidon Salter, Colorado
- 2024 stats (at Liberty): 56.3% completion percentage, 1,886 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, six interceptions; 114 carries, 587 rushing yards, seven touchdowns
Based on his past three seasons at Liberty, Salter has the experience edge over incoming five-star talent Julian Lewis to replace Shedeur Sanders as Colorado’s starting quarterback.
At Big 12 media days this week, head coach Deion Sanders said it’s still an open competition between the two and they bring different talents to the field — Salter is more a dual-threat, while Lewis is a more traditional pocket passer.
At least for now, we’ll lean with experience over youth to start the year.
Salter saw his numbers drop following a phenomenal 2023 season wherein he threw for 32 touchdowns and six interceptions, while also rushing for over 1,000 yards.
Imagine what Sanders’ coaching staff could do with that kind of talent. It makes it easy to imagine that Salter is due for a bounceback year — and perhaps Colorado may even find ways to get Lewis involved this season.
11. Noah Fifita, Arizona
- 2024 stats: 60.5% completion percentage, 2,958 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, 12 interceptions; 66 carries, 17 rushing yards, one touchdown
Fifita’s passing numbers took a significant dip across the board last season after Jedd Fisch left for Washington following Fifita’s breakout freshman campaign when he threw for 25 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing more than 70% of his passes.
Also, Fifita won’t have Tetairoa McMillan, who was a top 10 pick in April’s NFL draft, to throw to anymore.
Fifita’s efficiency needs to bounce back this season. His efficiency rating went from 165.9 in 2023 to 126.5 in 2024, second-worst among Big 12 starters.
12. Conner Weigman, Houston
- 2024 stats (at Texas A&M): 55.3% completion percentage, 896 passing yards, three touchdowns, five interceptions; 28 carries, 101 rushing yards
Weigman, a former five-star recruit in the 2022 class, has a challenge to come in and electrify a Houston offense that failed far too often in 2024.
He started 13 games for Texas A&M over the last three seasons and threw 16 touchdowns to just two interceptions over his first two years, but injuries played a part in his limited time during the 2023 and 2024 campaigns.
If Weigman can revitalize some of that magic that made him a five-star talent out of high school and rejuvenate the Cougars offense, he could vault up the Big 12 QB rankings.
13. Jaylen Henderson, Nicco Marchiol or Max Brown, West Virginia
- Henderson 2024 stats (at Texas A&M): no stats
- Marchiol 2024 stats: 66.1% completion percentage, 434 passing yards, five touchdowns, two interceptions; 40 carries, 120 yards, two touchdowns
- Brown 2024 stats (at Charlotte): 46.2% completion percentage, 561 passing yards, three touchdowns, six interceptions; 33 carries, 72 rushing yards
The Mountaineers are the first team on this list that could go deep into fall to evaluate all their quarterback options before choosing a starter.
It’s a true quarterback competition in Morgantown.
Marchiol is the only holdover from last season, before Rich Rodriguez came back as head coach, while Henderson and Brown are transfers.
Marchiol started two games last year and won both. While Henderson didn’t play at all last season, he started the final four games for Texas A&M in 2023 and accounted for eight touchdowns to two interceptions while showing off his abilities as a passer and runner.
At this point, Brown seems to be a bit further back in the race to start Week 1.
14. Tayven Jackson, Jacurri Brown or Cam Fancher, UCF
- Jackson 2024 stats (at Indiana): 62.2% completion percentage, 349 passing yards, four touchdowns, one interception; 15 carries, 73 rushing yards, three touchdowns
- Brown 2024 stats: 52.2% completion percentage, 398 passing yards, one touchdown, four interceptions; 53 carries, 401 rushing yards, four touchdowns
- Fancher 2024 stats (at Florida Atlantic): 59.4% completion percentage, 1,528 passing yards, six touchdowns, six interceptions; 99 carries, 365 rushing yards, three touchdowns
There is no clear QB1 going into the summer months for the Knights, so expect a heated position battle in the fall.
Brown is more dangerous as a runner than a passer, though he failed to win the job in his opportunities last season.
Fancher is also mobile, while his passing statistics don’t exactly jump off the page.
Jackson started a game for Indiana last year, leading the Hoosiers to a win over Washington, and is the best pure passer of the three.
Davi Belfort, a member of the 2024 recruiting class, also transferred to UCF from Virginia Tech and could factor into the situation, though probably not in 2025.
15. McCae Hillstead, Treyson Bourguet or Bear Bachmeier, BYU
- Hillstead 2024 stats: no stats
- Bourguet 2024 stats: no stats
- Bachmeier 2024 stats: was still in high school
BYU is working on a short timeframe to get a new starting quarterback ready, with Retzlaff’s time in Provo coming to a close.
If there’s one consolation it’s that the Cougars have a more favorable schedule early in the year, and that includes a bye after the team’s first two games.
Still, getting a new QB1 up to speed is easily the biggest challenge facing BYU coaches going into a 2025 season where the Cougars’ Big 12 hopes took a hit with the Retzlaff news.
Both Hillstead and Bourguet have some college experience at previous schools — Hillstead at Utah State and Bourguet at Western Michigan — but didn’t play last season.
Both are heading into their second season at BYU, giving them an upper hand over the four-star talent Bachmeier, who transferred out of Stanford after spring ball. Bachmeier could challenge for time, but he’s a true freshman on an even shorter timeframe to get integrated.
It’s not an ideal situation any way you slice it.
Hillstead has the most college experience of the three — he started four games for Utah State in 2023 and threw for 1,062 yards, 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions in an injury-filled freshman season — but there are question marks all over this battle.
16. Hauss Hejny or Zane Flores, Oklahoma State
- Hejny 2024 stats (at TCU): no pass attempts; 15 carries, 65 rushing yards
- Flores 2024 stats: no stats
After two other QBs transferred out, Hejny and Flores are set to battle for the Cowboys’ starting position.
There are contrasting styles between the two — Hejny is a dual-threat quarterback who needs to show he’s a reliable passer, while Flores more a traditional dropback passer.
There’s no real tangible game experience at the collegiate level between the two, making it a risk to trust initially whoever wins the QB battle in Stillwater.
