About 35 years ago, Gatorade began airing a series of commercials urging consumers to follow the lead of basketball superstar Michael Jordan and “Be Like Mike” by not only drinking the sports beverage, but emulating Jordan’s athletic greatness.
This year, BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick’s message to second-year starting quarterback Bear Bachmeier is to be like former Cougars standout QBs Zach Wilson and Jaren Hall.
In other words, Roderick would like Bachmeier to complete 70% of his passes, throw for 30 touchdowns and have fewer than 10 interceptions.
“When you’re running the football well, throwing it efficiently, getting those explosive plays, that’s where the points come, and so I do expect us to take a step forward,” Roderick said. “We were good on offense last year. I expect us to be better this year, and I’m gonna be disappointed if we’re not.”
— BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick
“Those (benchmarks) have been the years when we’ve been really great on offense. Zach did it. Jaren did it,” Roderick said in an April 2 news conference wrapping up the 11th spring camp under head coach Kalani Sitake. “When we’ve had our best years on offense, those have been the benchmarks, right around 70% completion range, 30 TD passes, single-digit picks.
“If you are doing that, and you have a solid run game, and you’re taking care of the football, you are going to score a lot of points.”
In his junior year, Wilson completed 73.5% of his passes (247 of 336) for 3,692 yards and 33 touchdowns, with just three interceptions as BYU went 11-1 against a pandemic-diluted schedule that did not include a single Power Five opponent at the time. Those stats, and a spectacular performance at BYU’s pro day, vaulted Wilson into being the No. 2 pick of the 2021 NFL draft.
In his fifth year in the program, the 2022 season, Hall completed 66% of his passes (257 for 393) for 3,171 yards and 31 touchdowns, with just six interceptions as the Cougars went 8-5 and beat SMU in the New Mexico Bowl (Hall did not play in that game).
The 2026 season will be Bachmeier’s second in the program, but clearly Roderick is setting the bar high for a second-year quarterback, based on how well the Southern Californian played as a freshman and without the benefit of having participated in spring camp in 2025.
“We don’t make a lot of statistical goals (because) sometimes stats can be misleading,” Roderick acknowledged. “There are definitely a lot of coaches and players who kind of use stats to sell something that may hide some deficiencies, or whatever.”
In 2020 and 2022, Wilson and Hall benefited from strong rushing attacks.
In 2020, Tyler Allgeier ran for 1,130 yards, Lopini Katoa had 444 and Wilson himself added 254 as the Cougars put together one of the most potent attacks in the country against an array of Group of Five schools that gave up video game-like numbers. BYU’s only loss in 2020 was a hastily arranged game at Coastal Carolina.
In 2022, Hall relied on his own legs and the rushing ability of Chris Brooks, Lopini Katoa and Miles Davis. Even Puka Nacua had 25 carries that year, for 209 yards.
Which brings us to 2026. Bachmeier’s best friend will be a rushing attack, keyed by Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year LJ Martin.
“What makes us an elite offense is … taking care of the football,” Roderick said, referring to the way Jake Retzlaff figured that out in his second year and helped the Cougars go 11-2 in 2024 after they had gone 5-7 in 2023 with a combination of Kedon Slovis and Retzlaff. “If we do that every week, and we do it the way we’ve done it the last couple years, that gives (us) a chance every week.”
Last year, in leading BYU to a 12-2 record, Bachmeier completed 65% of his passes (251 for 387) for 3,033 yards and 15 touchdowns, with seven interceptions. He also rushed for 527 yards and 11 touchdowns. Roderick said the rising sophomore is capable of even better numbers in 2026.
“When you’re running the football well, throwing it efficiently, getting those explosive plays, that’s where the points come, and so I do expect us to take a step forward,” Roderick said. “We were good on offense last year. I expect us to be better this year, and I’m gonna be disappointed if we’re not.
“I promise you, nobody, no fan, nobody out there has higher expectations than I do, and I’m expecting us to take a big step, and that starts with Bear,” Roderick continued. “Bear had a great year last year, and we’re expecting them to be even better this year.”
A day after Roderick, new defensive coordinator Kelly Poppinga and Sitake spoke to reporters after the final practice of spring camp, Bachmeier and several of his teammates participated in interviews at LaVell Edwards Stadium ahead of the annual alumni game, and the quarterback addressed those lofty expectations for him in 2026.
“I mean, I hope those numbers (are attainable),” Bachmeier said. “You always want to think those are possible. But statistics aside, we just want to see the win column go up.”
One of his expected weapons this season, junior receiver Cody Hagen, had not officially announced his medical retirement from football back then, but Bachmeier spoke confidently about the other returning receivers and newcomers, guys such as JoJo Phillips, Tiger Bachmeier, Oregon transfer Kyler Kasper and USC transfer tight end Walker Lyons.
“We are going to be a very balanced offense,” Bear Bachmeier said. “We have a great offensive line and obviously, with LJ and Sione (Moa) in the backfield and looking good, we will have a strong rushing attack. And we have got guys on the perimeter that can go. It is a multifaceted (attack) because we are going to be good everywhere.”
