After a season in which BYU won 12 games for the first time since 2001, optimism resurfaced. The Cougars’ resurgence was led by head coach Kalani Sitake and an unlikely starter. A true freshman, Bear Bachmeier, won the starting quarterback job with a strong camp performance. The head coach discussed his thoughts about plans for his sophomore signal caller.
BYU HC Kalani Sitake Aims to Challenge QB Bear Bachmeier to Top
During the previous offseason, BYU lost its starting quarterback when Jake Retzlaff left the program due to an honor code violation. Entering fall camp, true freshman Bachmeier competed for and secured the starting job.
Over the course of 14 games in his freshman year, Bachmeier led BYU to double-digit wins, a Big 12 championship game appearance, and a bowl victory. Now entering his sophomore campaign, the coach wants more from his quarterback. Sitake spoke to Ben Griddle of 103.9 ESPN The Fan (Salt Lake City) regarding the next steps for Bachmeier.
“Developing that connection (with his receivers). He’s starting to deal with the tight ends, too. It’s really nice to see Bear knowing the offense now and seeing that we can push him to the limits of his learning ability.”
Last season, Bachmeier completed 64.9% of his attempts for 3,033 yards, 15 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Plus, he added 527 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. The rising sophomore landed at No. 30 in the PFSN CFB QB Impact Rankings. While Sitake did not explicitly discuss which challenges lie within the offense, it is clear that improvement from Bachmeier is still expected as the team faces its next set of obstacles.
In addition, roster changes could affect how the BYU starter moves the offense next season. First, the team’s leading receiver, Chase Roberts, graduated after last year. Roberts’ 14.9 yards per catch and six scores had given Bachmeier the advantage of a six-foot-four vertical threat who stretched defenses.
On top of that, tight end Carsen Ryan, who was valued for his pass-catching ability and strong blocking, also graduated following the previous season.
As a result of these departures, BYU enters the new season with a mix of new faces and veteran holdovers. The team’s top returning receiver, Parker Kingston, is a slot wideout who works well underneath and has enough burst to move past the chains. Jojo Phillips is a versatile target on the outside who could pair well with Kingston.
Perhaps Bachmeier’s two biggest advantages, for the most part, return. The offensive line, except for the graduating left tackle Isaiah Jatta, returns 80% of its starters. Operating in the wide zone spread, linemen must possess both agility and power.
Additionally, the run game remains a cornerstone of Sitake’s offense. In this context, the return of LJ Martin should alleviate pressure from the passing game. Martin led the Big 12 in rushing yards (1,305) while averaging 5.5 yards per carry, maintaining consistency as the team adjusted elsewhere.
BYU’s schedule begins with an opening-week money game against Utah Tech, followed by challenging matchups. From September 12 to October 10, the Cougars will play three conference games–Arizona, TCU, and Iowa State. Later in the year, the team will host Notre Dame and, following that, renew hostilities with archrival Utah on November 7.
Last season, Bachmeier was an unexpected threat to opponents. Now, with prior success and a better grasp of the offense, he enters the season as a known factor. The question is how he will adapt his game to stay ahead of defenses.
