Saturday is a major Jewish holiday. Here’s what BYU’s Jewish quarterback said about his decision to play

As BYU fans party with Fox Sports’ “Big Noon Kickoff” in Provo, ESPN’s “College GameDay” is putting a spotlight on quarterback Jake Retzlaff’s faith.
“College GameDay” released a video Saturday about Retzlaff’s experience as a Jew at BYU, as well as his decision to play on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism.
“I just can’t wait for the game because it’s going to be a special day that there’s a Jewish kid playing football on Yom Kippur because if that makes headlines that means I get to be another light for somebody else and that means I have to win. I’ve got to go win the game,” the BYU quarterback said.
On Yom Kippur, which began Friday night at sundown and ends Saturday night, most Jews spend the day fasting, praying and attending religious services.
The holiday, which is also known as the “Day of Atonement,” celebrates God’s promise of forgiveness and the importance of reconciliation, as the Deseret News previously reported.
Retzlaff’s mom, Maxanne, told “College GameDay” that she supports his decision to play. She said she taught her kids to make the decisions that serve their communities best.
“We’ve taught them to try to be part of both worlds. That’s the way he can best contribute to the community that he’s in right now,” she said.
Retzlaff also stayed with the BYU football team last fall during Yom Kippur, telling the Deseret News at the time that he didn’t want to let down his “brothers.”
“For me, (Yom Kippur) is a big deal. It is a huge holiday,” he said. “I will tell you, though, at the end of the day, I owe it to my brothers on this team that I will be on the field on game day and (for) practices,” the BYU quarterback said.
In the “College GameDay” video, Retzlaff spoke about how much he’s enjoyed his time at BYU so far, including the opportunity he’s had to teach others about his faith.
“As a culture we love to point out the differences in each other. But we have way more similarities. That’s something I’ve gotten to discover here is that so many guys are so much like me,” said Retzlaff, who is one of three Jews on campus.
In his own interview with “College GameDay,” BYU football coach Kalani Sitake spoke about welcoming Retzlaff to BYU and feeling confident that he would be able to feel at home.
“(We) thought he was a great fit for our program as an individual. We encouraged him to live his religion freely. BYU’s always been about embracing others and their religion,” Sitake said.