Hard work will pay off! Well, Gerry Bohanon, the quarterback of the BYU Cougars, exemplified this. Before joining BYU, Gerry played for both the Baylor Bears and the South Florida Bulls. His dedication to football was so intense that Baylor’s head coach, Dave Aranda, once joked about Gerry arriving so early that he wondered, “Is he sleeping here?” No surprise they call him a ‘workhorse.’ But that drive? It comes from his mother.

Gerry’s mom, Juanita Bohanon, played a huge role in shaping his work ethic. Gerry often talks about how he tries to “outwork” her every day. “I try to basically outwork my mom every day. She’s doing it, so why can’t I? What reason do I have to complain?” he said. For Gerry, it’s more than just football and school—he’s inspired by his mom’s hustle to provide for him and his siblings. You can really feel the strong bond between the two.

With his mom as his motivation, Gerry strives to be the best, both on the field and academically. Yes, academically too! Gerry earned a bachelor’s degree in health, kinesiology, and leisure studies from Baylor and is finishing his master’s in sports pedagogy at South Florida. Impressive, right?

As for his football career, Gerry had solid runs with both Baylor and USF before landing at BYU. After four seasons and 27 games at Baylor, where he completed 57% of his passes for 1,070 yards and six touchdowns, he transferred to USF in 2022. Sadly, injuries slowed him down at USF, but with his family’s support, especially from his mom, Gerry is ready for his next chapter at BYU.

Meet another support system of Gerry Bohanon

Gerry Bohanon Jr.’s father, Gerry Sr., had a strong influence on his family values and humble nature, though it wasn’t highlighted as much as his mom Juanita’s role. Still, Gerry Jr. is deeply connected to his family. His teammate, Dillon Doyle, a linebacker at Baylor, once shared, “He’s been asking everyone for extra tickets for his family since it’s his first start.” That shows just how much Gerry cares about his loved ones.

Besides being surrounded by a supportive family, Gerry is “blessed with some athleticism too.” He led Baylor to a 21–7 victory over Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl. As a starter, Gerry helped Baylor achieve its best-ever season (12–2) and set a school record. Teamwork is a big part of his success, and Gerry strongly believes in its power to bring results.

Now with the BYU Cougars, Gerry is gearing up for the challenges ahead. Even though he’s just started with the team, he’s already been named to the Comeback Player of the Year Watch List, Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List, and East-West Shrine Bowl Watch List. It’s exciting to see what’s next for him as his journey continues. Let’s see what he’s got in store!

Till then, do watch this ES Think Tank podcast interview with Doug Sanders for more interesting talks on NIL and college football.