BYU’s alumni game brings past and present together, but always with an eye to the future

Brandon Doman and Charlie Peterson battled each other for playing time at quarterback when they were students at BYU. It was all business back then. On Friday night, when they return to LaVell Edwards Stadium as opponents, there will be plenty of laughs.

Doman will quarterback Team Royal opposite of Peterson and Team Navy in the annual BYU Alumni Football game (6 p.m. MDT, BYUtv). The 90-minute touch football clash, which is free to the public, will feature 42 alums, ranging in age and abilities from Malik Moore, who graduated in 2023, to Blaine Fowler, who has a dozen grandkids.

“I think every college football program should take a page out of this book and do it,” said Doman on the “Y’s Guys” podcast this week. “I think it’s one of the best things BYU has done for the alumni is to create this game and this environment.”

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Doman made his first start at BYU during LaVell Edwards’ final home game and beat New Mexico 37-13. As a dual-threat quarterback, Doman went on to win his first 14 starts and finished his Cougar career with 4,354 yards passing, 673 yards rushing and 46 combined touchdowns.

Back in his No. 11 jersey and throwing passes under the glistening stadium lights for Doman and Peterson is like taking a big swig from the Fountain of Youth — so long as the Advil kicks in on time.

“Ever since I can remember, I was coming down (to Provo) on Saturdays to watch games,” Doman said. “For some of these guys to come in and get dressed in the locker room, put on some cleats and run out onto that field, that brings a flood of memories.”

Peterson will be back in his No. 17 jersey looking to tack onto his 2,262 career passing yards and 11 touchdowns, even if they won’t show up in his official stats.

“You get nervous, but at this point in your life, let’s be honest — who cares?” Peterson said as he sized up the rosters. “Obviously, you want to win and perform well, but we are in our mid-40s, late 50s and early 60s. It is what it is. The key to the game, as it always is, is to make sure you throw it to the young guys.”

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The rosters were determined by a draft between team captains Austin Collie (Navy) and Reno Mahe (Royal). Doman’s group features receivers Cody Hoffman and Aleva Hifo. His plan of attack is to go deep.

“There is no reason to be trying to move the chains in an alumni game,” he said. “We are just going for touchdowns.”

Bringing back alumni, including Steve Young, who jumped into last year’s game and threw his first touchdown pass since retiring from the NFL, is Kalani Sitake’s way to tie the present to the past while looking ahead to the future.

“I just love seeing everybody there,” Sitake said after BYU’s practice Monday. “Being in the stadium and having all the alumni back, that’s the best part of it. It’s not really the game or the score, but it doesn’t hurt that they can play football too.”

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Doman agrees.

“It’s a time to unite and share the brotherhood that we had on the gridiron. We’ll probably be talking a lot about the basketball team and how great they are doing. It’s just tons of fun.”

Charlie Peterson

“BYU is such a unique place. So many of us have stayed here and are living here with our families. They have access to us, and they should use us,” Doman said. “They should bring us back and have us around and engage with us. I think we would do anything for the program as long as they are willing to ask, invite and allow us to participate. We would do anything for them.”

For Peterson, Friday is a family reunion.

“It’s a time to unite and share the brotherhood that we had on the gridiron. We’ll probably be talking a lot about the basketball team and how great they are doing. It’s just tons of fun,” he said. “Nobody remembers that Max Hall was 10 yards past the line of scrimmage when he threw (his Hail Mary pass) to Bryan Kehl (to beat us three years ago). Nobody remembers those things.”

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Well, almost nobody.

Retzlaff’s return

Spring practice ends for BYU on Saturday, but for senior quarterback Jake Retzlaff, this is just the beginning to get his Cougars ready to defend their 11-2 season.

“They have another strong, solid core of leaders,” Doman said. “But what does that look like in the weight room? What does it look like four weeks from now or in June? If they are going to rally like I think they will, (Jake) is going to lead this team in every aspect — that means he’s the first guy there, the last guy to leave, the first guy in line. He just has to lead by example.”

Retzlaff threw for 2,947 yards and 20 touchdowns and rushed for 417 and six touchdowns as he led the Cougars to a first-place tie in the Big 12 and a No. 13 final ranking in the AP Top 25.

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“His projection and growth have been outstanding,” Peterson said. “I’d like to see a higher completion percentage (57.9) and as he goes into his senior year, I think he will accomplish that. I think you are looking at a really good, strong, fundamental BYU football team.”

For a few minutes on Friday, the 42 alums on the field will turn back time and feel young again. That’s the magic of the alumni game. Retzlaff, who is in his prime, will be watching from the sideline with plenty of good examples to follow — but he too is on the clock.

“I remember feeling that way going into my senior year,” Doman said. “This could be it, so don’t lose anything. We just fought and competed all year long and it created a culture of winning. I didn’t want to lose one (practice) rep, and if he doesn’t lose a rep, it will have trickling effects down to the whole team.”

Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com.