Shortly after BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick confirmed last Tuesday that true freshman Bear Bachmeier will be the Cougars’ starting quarterback Saturday when they open their third season as a Big 12 member against Portland State, he was asked which veteran will be the primary backup.
It has always been assumed that it will be Utah State transfer McCae Hillstead, after he and the 19-year-old Bachmeier began splitting reps with the first-teamers two weeks ago, but Roderick said Western Michigan transfer Treyson Bourguet is still in the picture for that role.
“We’re still working our way through that. I don’t feel like we have to have a deadline on that,” Roderick said, noting that having two home games and then a bye week to start the season gives coaches the luxury of kicking that can down the road a little bit.
“All those guys have gotten so many reps in fall camp that when you get later into the season, you definitely have to focus in on who’s getting the reps. But in the first couple games, we’re going to run all the stuff we’ve been doing in fall camp,” Roderick said. “So I feel confident with either one of those guys, and we’re going to keep working our way through it. It’s very close between them.”
Almost certainly, one or both of the backups will see some playing time Saturday, as BYU hosts an FCS school — Portland State — that was smoked 42-0 by another FCS school — Tarleton State — on Saturday afternoon. The Vikings appear to be a perfect first-game opponent for BYU as it breaks in a quarterback who was taking snaps at Murrieta Valley High School last fall.
Bachmeier will become the first freshman to start a season opener at quarterback in BYU football history. The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder is expected to address the media for the first time as BYU’s QB1 on Monday via Zoom.
“I’m surprised it hasn’t happened here before,” Roderick said of Bachmeier’s history-making moment that will come shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium. “There’s been so many good players play here. We feel like he’s ready for it, and I think the whole team trusts him and is looking forward to seeing him go out there and do his thing.”
Head coach Kalani Sitake said BYU has had its eye on Bachmeier since he played in one game as a freshman at Murrieta Valley and isn’t surprised that he has been as good as advertised so far.
“We know that he was in the mix at Stanford when he was there (before entering the transfer portal after spring practices,” Sitake said. “We saw something in him way back when he was in high school. And we’re excited to have him here, and excited to have him a part of our team. I’m really excited that he’s going to lead us in the first play on offense.”
Portland State, which went 3-8 last year and was picked to finish 10th in the Big Sky Conference, actually put up some resistance early against Tarleton State before its defense crumbled in the second half. The Texans were picked to win the United Athletic Conference this year, and feasted on the mistakes of PSU quarterbacks Gabe Downing (who started), Tyrese Smith and John-Keawe Sagapolutele.
Not that it should matter much, but Portland State coach Bruce Barnum didn’t name a starter for the BYU game after the beatdown on Saturday.
BYU stays at home after Saturday’s game and hosts Stanford on September 6, then has a rare bye week in September before traveling to East Carolina on September 20.
The Cardinal opened their season in Week 0, losing a 23-20 heartbreaker at Hawaii on a last-second field goal.
BYU’s depth chart is due Monday
Along with hearing what Bachmeier has to say on Monday, BYU fans should also get a first glimpse of the depth chart, as the school traditionally releases one five days before its opener.
“I am just gonna do what everybody tells us to do,” Sitake said when he was told that University of Utah coach Kyle Whittingham has said he probably won’t publish a depth chart. “… So yeah, we will probably have a depth chart. We will see. I don’t know. I think you kind of can figure it out.”
Hillstead and Bourguet quite likely will get the “or” designation between their names at QB2.
Offensively, the skill positions are mostly set: LJ Martin and Sione Moa as the RB1 and RB2, Utah transfer Carsen Ryan as TE1 and Chase Roberts, Parker Kingston and JoJo Phillips as the three starting receivers.
On the offensive line, Isaiah Jatta (left tackle), Andrew Gentry (right tackle) and Bruce Mitchell (center) can be penciled in. If he’s healthy, three-year starter Weylin Lapuaho will man one of the guard spots. At the other guard spot, Austin Leausa, Sonny Makasini and Southern Utah transfer Kyle Sfarcioc are in the mix, with Leausa also capable of playing tackle.
“There are still some good battles going on (at offensive line),” Roderick said last week. “Carsen Ryan’s definitely our starting tight end. He’s gonna play a lot of snaps there for us. And LJ and Sione are our top two running backs, for sure. And Chase, JoJo and Parker are our top three receivers, but I think you’re gonna see Tiger (Bachmeier) and Cody Hagen play.”
Defensive depth chart more of a mystery
BYU lost key starters or part-time starters John Nelson, Blake Mangelson, Tyler Batty, Isaiah Bagnah, Jakob Robinson, Harrison Taggart and Crew Wakley on defense, so the depth chart on that side of the ball is less settled.
Look for Utah transfer Keanu Tanuvasa and Snow College transfer John Taumoepeau to be the interior defensive line starters, at least until Oklahoma State transfer Justin Kirkland returns from a knee injury.
At defensive end, expect to see a lot of “or” between names, as a lot of candidates look to fill two spots: Returning part-time starter Logan Lutui, special teams ace Bodie Schoonover, Texas transfer Tausili Akana and versatile lineman Viliami Po’uha are in the mix.
Veterans Jack Kelly, Isaiah Glasker and Siale Esera are the most likely starters at linebacker, but don’t count out UCLA transfer Choe Bryant-Strother, who has been pushing Esera at Mike LB all camp.
At cornerback, the candidates are Mory Bamba, Evan Johnson and Tre Alexander. Jonathan Kabeya, who is perhaps a candidate to be the starting nickel, will begin the season on the injury list.
BYU has safeties aplenty, most notably veterans Tanner Wall and Talan Alfrey and fast-rising sophomores in Faletau Satuala, Tommy Prassas and Raider Damuni. Defensive coordinator Jay Hill said last week that redshirt freshman Jarinn Kalama has also had a strong camp.