When BYU landed Stanford’s Bachmeier brothers out of the transfer portal last May, the conventional thinking was that junior receiver Tiger Bachmeier would make an immediate impact for the Cougars, while true freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier would take some time to develop behind incumbent QB Jake Retzlaff.
Two weeks later, that thought process started to change, as Retzlaff was the target of a civil lawsuit alleging sexual assault. The lawsuit was dismissed at the request of both parties on June 30, but Retzlaff, facing a seven-game suspension for violating BYU’s honor code, eventually transferred to Tulane.
It’s just been good to see him thrive in the culture that we have, and for him to be a big brother, not just to Bear, but to others.
— BYU coach Kalani Sitake on Tiger Bachmeier
Bear Bachmeier won the starting job on Aug. 19, beating out McCae Hillstead and Treyson Bourguet, and has far exceeded expectations, leading BYU to a 10-1 record while earning Big 12 Freshman of the Week honors six times.
His incredible rise to a possible Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year candidate has been well-documented.
Then there’s Tiger, who has not been able to get on the field nearly as much. Although he has appeared in all 11 games, Tiger has recorded just six catches for 53 yards and one rushing attempt, for 2 yards.
He’s had one kickoff return, for 21 yards, and five punt returns, for 48 yards.
Some big brothers would be jealous, perhaps even bitter, that their younger brother was getting all the limelight and accolades. But not this guy.
“I am super stoked for him, and his success,” Tiger said last week. “I am absolutely thrilled. He’s doing great, and I am having a lot of fun with it.”
Head coach Kalani Sitake and passing game coordinator/receivers coach Fesi Sitake both said independently that Tiger’s response to his diminished role and his brother’s ascendence has been refreshing and heartwarming.
“He’s been amazing just with his leadership, because he works hard all the time. When you look at the stats, they don’t jump out of you, but he does all the little things right,” Kalani Sitake said. “He blocks, runs the right routes. … I mean, he’s not perfect, but man, he’s close to it, and he’s a perfect teammate. It’s just been good to see him thrive in the culture that we have, and for him to be a big brother, not just to Bear, but to others.”
Tiger has struggled to get a lot of reps because the receivers ahead of him on the depth chart — Chase Roberts, Parker Kingston, JoJo Phillips and Cody Hagen, primarily — have played well. Phillips and Hagen have missed games with injuries, but seem to be healthy for No. 11 BYU’s final few games, beginning Saturday against UCF (11 a.m. MST, ESPN2) at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
“Tiger is always ready. Every time his name is called, he’s ready. He knows what to do,” Fesi Sitake said. “As smart as he is, he’s had to go through some growing pains (learning) the nuances of the offense. Every week he’s progressively gotten better. I love where he’s at.”
When will Tiger Bachmeier’s time come?
At Stanford, Tiger led all Pac-12 true freshmen with 36 catches for 409 yards in the 2023 season. In 2024, he didn’t get as much playing time, but was listed as a co-starter and made 10 catches for 67 yards. He also had a punt return for a touchdown.
When he arrived at BYU, he told the Deseret News that he and Bear weren’t a “package deal” and that both players made the decision to choose the Cougars independent of one another.
Last week, he said he would love to do more, but understands the circumstances that have led to his current role on the team.
“No matter where I am in life, I’m not going to be OK with where I am now,” Tiger said. “Whether I have 100 catches or one catch, I am always going to say I need more. I need more here, there, there. I’m always going to have that drive to me. That’s just my competitive nature.”
Having graduated from Stanford in two and a half years with a degree in computer science, Tiger is a junior in eligibility and working on an advanced degree at BYU.
He said the transition has been fairly seamless.
“It hasn’t taken too much of adjustment. Football is football. But it was definitely an adjustment to the (passion) of the fan base, that’s for sure,” he said. “Seeing everyone in the stands after that Portland State game, 60,000 people still in the stands when we were up (big), that was pretty crazy. … There is no other stadium environment that’s really like that. It is such a unique environment. I love it.”
A front-row seat to Bear’s breakout season
Not only are Bear and Tiger doing great things for the BYU football team, they are helping coach a women’s intramural flag football team on campus. Bear coaches the offense and Tiger directs the defense, with another friend acting as the head coach.
The team was scheduled to play in the second round of the playoffs last Thursday, when the Cougars were en route to Cincinnati for their big game with the Bearcats.
Tiger compared watching the team improve to watching Bear experience so much success.
“Yeah, it’s been really cool. Getting to see that flag football team win is kind of like a similar feeling, like you’re seeing the success, the ups and downs and mistakes, all that,” Tiger said. “You are just happy for everything that’s going on, regardless of how it goes. … It is nice to have a hand in (both) and be able to feel like you’re making that difference. He’s doing great. I’m having fun with it.”
The brothers live together in a three-bedroom condominium near campus. The third bedroom is reserved for visits from family members and guests. The setup has given Tiger a front-row seat to not only Bear’s on-field exploits, but the demands on the QB’s time as his fame has spread nationwide.
“His circle is pretty small. So the only (phone calls) that get picked up are the ones that are really going to be valuable,” Tiger said. “So yes, his phone is always ringing, but he keeps those people important to him really close. Just watching him go through that has been kind of funny. It has been interesting, but he’s handled it well and it has been a fun experience for our family.”
‘We aren’t in Southern California any more’
As Bear’s local and national profile has risen, the brothers find themselves staying inside their place near campus more and more. Bear is extremely popular with BYU fans in Provo, and Tiger’s engaging personality has also won over a lot of people along the Wasatch Front.
“We are not in Southern California any more,” Tiger noted.
Whether they are out for dinner, coaching the flag football team, shopping at the local grocery store or singing and playing music at a local senior living home in Provo, the brothers are always recognized and celebrated.
“Honestly, I love that. I love being able to be recognized. We have a few spots we love to go to, and we just love food, so it is all good,” Tiger said. “We always love people coming up to us, taking pictures.”
Tiger said it never gets old, and Bear doesn’t mind it, either.
“If there ever comes a point where we (don’t like it), that means we’re just not being humble anymore. We just want to be able to help people out,” Tiger said. “I love taking pictures. I think I have a great smile. It has been fun. And all the kids are, they’re super cute, and they’re just so overjoyed to see you.
“I remember when I was a kid, and I was able to get pictures with my idols,” Tiger continued. “That meant the world to me. So to be able to be in that position is awesome.”
