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Bear Bachmeier’s still young, but he’s getting older with BYU’s offense and the connection he must have with his receivers and Aaron Roderick’s scheme.
At the halfway mark of BYU’s fall practices, the offense had the upper hand in the last major scrimmage of fall practice as Bachmeier threw four touchdown passes.
Here is a roundup of our camp stories of late:
- Esera explains his weightier role in 2026 (Jay Drew)
- Rush ends determined to hike sacks (Jay Drew)
- Bear: We had the upper hand today (Jay Drew)
- ‘Rexes are offensive guys’ (Jay Drew)
- Sitake says receivers will be fine (Jay Drew)
- Growing legend of Legend (Jay Drew)
- Moa has aspirations for 2026 (Jay Drew)
Question of the week
Has Bear Bachmeier really made a step up in his second season?
Jay Drew: By all accounts, Bear Bachmeier has made some significant strides between his standout freshman season and his second season at BYU — which will begin Sept. 5 when the Cougars host Utah Tech at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
Of course, media members were not allowed to watch last Saturday’s scrimmage, but I have been told that Bachmeier played well, and has especially improved his throwing accuracy. That’s what offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick told me we would see when I talked to him the first day of fall camp, and apparently Bachmeier delivered.
Bachmeier also looks to be in better shape, having dropped about 13 pounds during the offseason by avoiding sweets and adhering to a fairly strict regimen laid out for him by BYU’s strength and conditioning staff.
Bachmeier did a pretty good job of taking care of the football and avoiding turnovers last year, and Roderick said to expect more of that in 2026. In particular, the young QB’s decision-making skills have improved, the offensive coordinator said.
Dick Harmon: I predicted weeks ago that Bachmeier would become one of the more productive quarterbacks in a long line at BYU. He certainly will be among the Big 12 leaders this season.
So far since spring, we’ve heard nothing but good reports on Bachmeier’s mindset of working hard, preparing hard and honing his skills. Little things like looking away from his prime receiver to get a safety to move, and then coming back and hitting that target. Those eye fakes are what make a veteran QB effective in confusing defenses. This little technique and many others have been on display with Bachmeier this fall.
He is processing quicker and making the right reads, and has earned the right to make changes before snaps.
Throwing four touchdown passes in last Saturday’s scrimmage, even with some key defensive players held out, is an impressive feat for a quarterback of any age at BYU. It shows Bachmeier has built chemistry with this new receiving corps. It appears Legend Glasker, JoJo Phillips and Reggie Frischknecht are more than capable of taking the top off of the secondary and that Bachmeier has the arm to make it work.
If Bachmeier and Company can stress defenses with the pass game, it will make LJ Martin and Sione Moa and others all that more impactful. Roderick’s job becomes easier.
This is a great sign for the Cougars. Without an effective, playmaking QB, I’ve failed to witness a BYU team make noise over the years.
Cougar tales
University of Kentucky athletic administrator Marc Hill has been hired as deputy athletic director at BYU. Former running back Curtis Brown talks publicly about the drowning of his youngest child in this piece. Here’s the story behind Steve Young’s appearance at the Disney Legends event.
BYU is ranked in the top 15 for only the second time in school history in the AP preseason poll released this past week. Here is the skinny on the poll.
Mory Bamba and Zach Wilson were singled out for their NFL performances this week and Brandon Judd has the scene covered here.
From the archives
From X-verse
Extra points
- Kalani’s building, but needs more help (Deseret News)
- Tanner Wall’s travels are remarkable (Deseret News)
- Guru predicted recruiting impact (Deseret News)
Fanalysts
Comments from Deseret News readers:
Oh, how this world could use more LaVell Edwards. Just imagine how much better life would be if we all tried to emulate the remarkable qualities he embodied — his humility, his steadiness, his genuine care for people, and the way he lifted everyone around him. The example he set still feels like a roadmap for the kind of character our world desperately needs. — Meckofahess
Right. If my bosses told me to “do more with less” I’d be sure to let them know I could do more with more. And if they fired me I’d be happy to take my talents elsewhere. So should Kalani. I have a feeling the next big offer that comes his way he’s going to take it because it sounds like he’s getting really tired of the same old garbage. — Steve24/7
Up next
- Aug. 22 | noon | women’s volleyball | Utah Tech
- Aug. 22 | 7 p.m. | women’s soccer | USC
- Aug. 27 | 7 p.m. | women’s soccer | Minnesota
- Aug. 28 | noon | women’s volleyball | @ Florida State
- Aug. 29 | 3 p.m. | women’s volleyball | @ Florida Gulf Coast