Utah’s excursion into Laramie will be contested for a while until the Utes pull out the hammer, and Utah State hopes to ride Bronco Mendenhall’s success over Air Force in another home victory in Maverik Stadium Saturday night.

Utah is almost a four-touchdown favorite over longtime nemesis Wyoming, but when this game is in Laramie, it can have twists and turns and a lot of emotion.

There is no question that Wyoming fans, coaches and players will be sky-high to face the Utes. There is plenty of fodder.

• Getting a ranked team in War Memorial Stadium high in the Rockies.
• Facing a program that abandoned the Mountain West for the Pac-12 back in 2010, leaving Wyoming and other league entities to fend for themselves.
• Just general interstate animosity from the old days. Wyoming, the state’s only major sports program, doesn’t really like Utah ... or BYU.
• Memories of November 2007 when Cowboy Coach Joe Glenn flipped off Utah coach Kyle Whittingham from across the field after the Utes executed an onside kick with a 43-point lead.

These are the underpinnings for this matchup.

Fortunately for Wyoming, Utah has agreed to come to town.

Unfortunately for the Cowboys, Utah is more talented, deeper, faster, bigger and will ultimately win, likely by a big margin, and without an onside kick.

Wyoming is a stout team with a lot of pride. And the Cowboys will play hard.

The Cowboy defense is ranked sixth in total defense after two wins over Northern Iowa (31-7) and Akron (10-0), allowing 191.5 yards per game. Wyoming ranks No. 17 just ahead of Utah in rushing defense, allowing just 74 yards on the ground per game.

This will be a good visual for Ute QB Devon Dampier and company.

Northern Iowa’s coach, Todd Stepsis, was impressed with Wyoming’s offensive line.

“Their O-line is all over 300 pounds or more. We’re going to have to send waves at those big guys. They have dynamic athletes on the edge on offense and they’ve got a receiver that gets the ball in his hands, and you take a deep breath.”

He ranked the Utes the 10th-best team in the country. Now his team has to play them

This isn’t same Air Force team Mendenhall faced when he was at BYU. Will that matter?

In Logan, Utah State has not had a good record against the option attack of Air Force, going 3-5 in recent history. Conversely, Mendenhall went 6-1 against AFA while at BYU and beat the Falcons last year in his only year at New Mexico.

The Falcons’ impressive option attack took a hit when the NCAA ruled that cut blocks, so important to what AFA does, are illegal and banned for safety reasons. Since 2022, cut blocks outside the tackle box have not been allowed. It was a key ingredient Falcon offensive linemen used to create quick openings. This was key in their blocking schemes to get opposing linebackers and defensive ends out of the play.

This week’s predictions

• Utah State 31, Air Force 28
• UCLA 17, New Mexico 14
• Arizona State 27, Texas State 17
• Pittsburgh 24, West Virginia 21
• Baylor 42, Samford 7
• Arizona 28, Kansas State 21
• Houston 24, Colorado 21
• Texas A&M 34, Notre Dame 31
• Texas Tech 37, Oregon State 17
• Georgia 31, Tennessee 28
• Alabama 24, Wisconsin 21
• Clemson 31, Georgia Tech 24
• Oregon 42, Northwestern 7
• Utah 37, Wyoming 14

Last week: 11-4; overall: 20-6 (.769)

“I grew up in Salt Lake City and I’m a Utah fan, but I’m not a BYU hater,” Finau told a gathering at Cougar Day at Riverside Country Club earlier this week. Finau, along with former Masters champion and Presidents Cup captain Mike Weir, joined Hall of Famer Johnny Miller and other PGA Tour players at BYU’s key fundraiser.

Both Finau and Weir praised the experiences they’ve had as members of international competition — calling it a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

As a kid, Finau quickly grew to love Utah with his friends and the special attention given him and his brother Gipper by former Utah football coach Ron McBride. As a highly sought-after junior golfer, he was recruited by everyone in the country before giving a verbal commitment to BYU head coach Bruce Brockbank and director of golf Todd Miller to play for the Cougars.

But with professional opportunities, including participation on The Golf Channel’s popular “Big Break” series, he turned professional, which has led him to a career ranked as one of the top players in the world.

Reacting to comments by BYU vice president Keith Vorkink, who praised Brockbank and Miller and BYU’s nationally ranked team for setting high standards off and on the golf course, Finau said Vorkink summed up exactly what BYU is all about and he buys in.

“We know that integrity and the character of the type of individuals you hire to become the coaches and the players you recruit and it all starts at the top,” said Finau.

How Tony Finau puts faith at the center of his golf career

“Bruce and Todd, I’ve known for many years. They recruited me when I was young, in high school and if I would have gone to college, I verbally committed to play at BYU when I had the opportunity — to be with Bruce.”

Finau thanked BYU donors for building a practice facility in American Fork at the other end of Fox Hollow’s driving range. It has covered hitting bays, chipping and putting greens and allows players to work out year round.

Finau said he uses that facility as much as BYU players do, and he brings along his son Jraice, an aspiring junior golfer who is making a splash nationally.

“I have to say thank you for building that over the last decade and sustaining it. You are not only helping the BYU players but I’ve benefited from that. My son practices there as well,” Finau said. “I think that’s been a big part to have a facility where guys can come and practice and continue to shine.

“That’s the hard part about playing golf in a state that doesn’t have golf all year round. So, if you are going to attract guys, not only with high character, but great players, if you have a facility, I think that can be an attraction to these guys, just to play all year round. You have that at that BYU practice facility near Fox Hollow.

“You can’t say enough about Bruce and Todd and the players you have this year. I wasn’t blowing any smoke when I told (athletic director) Brian Santiago, sitting next to him, that you have a special group of guys on this team. I think they are going to do incredible things over the next handful of years for BYU.

Looking back on Mike Weir’s Masters victory — 20 years later

“They are great young men, great players, and I like the way they carry themselves,” he continued. “I know many of them individually and again, the integrity and character they display is really unprecedented. I’m excited to watch them this year.

“I am a Utah fan. Sorry if people don’t know that. If anybody knows me personally, I’m a Utah guy. I grew up in Salt Lake City, but I find myself hanging around BYU fans all the time.”

Finau said he’s become close friends with former BYU and NBA star Danny Ainge and Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith.

“I’m not like a normal Utah fan and don’t like BYU, but it’s hard for me to not love the energy, the people. Some of my best friends and my mentors like Ryan and Danny. I love these guys, and they’ve really turned my heart to just be a Cougar more than anything else. By the end of the day, I love BYU. I love supporting these guys.”

Finau, according to Miller, has supported BYU graduates who are now professional golfers on the different tours.

BYU and Utah will face off Monday in the Wohali Classic hosted by Utah at Wohali Golf Club near Coalville, Utah. It’s a two-day event and tees off the college golf season for both teams.

Asked about his Ryder Cup experience, Finau said he can sum it up in one word: Fun.

The 45th Ryder Cup Matches will be held in the United States from Sept. 26–28, 2025, on the Black Course of Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, New York. Europe is the holder of the Ryder Cup after its win over the United States in 2023 at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club.

Nursing an injury most of this season, Finau did not make the Ryder Cup team this year.

“It’s a lot of fun, no matter if you make the team or if you are a captain’s pick or play my way onto the top six on the team. It’s so cool in that month leading up to preparing,” he said. “There’s a lot of pressure there, but as they say, pressure is a privilege and I try to look at that way.

“I love that opportunity and the guys who are in there now, I think we have a great team. The European team is deeper, if I’m being honest, but I think the U.S. side looks good enough to win the Ryder Cup.”

Finau said having a home crowd is huge. He said it makes it tough to win when staged in Europe. “The U.S. hasn’t won over there since Johnny (Miller) played.”

Finau said at Whistling Straits, the last time the Americans won, a huge crowd created so much energy it was a huge advantage and led to a lopsided, landslide win, one of the biggest margins of victory in the legendary event.

Finau said he was so excited at the Ryder Cup he couldn’t sleep the nights before practice rounds, and on tournament days he did play, it was the same — no sleep. “The crowd gives us a huge advantage.”

When the event was held at The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal in 2024, Weir, the International team Presidents Cup captain, agreed about the crowd, but he also addressed the pressure a player feels, especially on the first tee.

“Tony is right, but I was always nervous and felt the pressure. Maybe he doesn’t feel that pressure, but on the first tee I’ve told younger players it is a pressure you’ll never feel again.”

Weir said that carrying the weight of playing for your teammates, country, and partner in alternate shot is incredible, like nothing else in the world.

True freshman Bear Bachmeier has been just fine. He’s had no turnovers, but he hasn’t been asked to take the team on his shoulders.

The competition is going to get tougher. ECU has a solid defense with talented athletes, and they’ll come after BYU’s freshman. This is an all-hands-on-deck kind of game for Aaron Roderick, Fesi Sitake, TJ Woods, Kevin Gilbride and Harvey Unga.

Of these coaches, look for Woods to elevate the play of the offensive line. He needs higher grades, better communication and better protection, and he must clean up some penalty mistakes that surfaced in the 27-3 win over Stanford.

Question of the week

How much of a load can Aaron Roderick expect his running back room to carry early versus later in the season?

Jay Drew: When it became official that Jake Retzlaff was leaving BYU, the pressure on BYU’s supporting cast of receivers and running backs intensified. No matter who was going to step in as QB1, the Cougars were going to need to surround him with plenty of helpers as he got accustomed to Power Four football.

Obviously, that man is Bear Bachmeier, a true freshman who, through two games, has played with maturity, poise and confidence. Aaron Roderick has given the 19-year-old QB the right amount of passing plays to this point to bring him along slowly. The running backs — primarily LJ Martin and Sione Moa — have stepped up and carried a big part of the offensive load.

As the Cougars get into the thick of their schedule, they will need more from Bachmeier, but that doesn’t mean the running game can go AWOL. BYU will need a good balance of passing and rushing to have a successful season. Roderick has said that the RBs room is deeper than most people think, with Jovesa Damuni, Enoch Nawahine and Preston Rex in spots 3 through 5. Another RB to keep an eye on as the season unfolds is walk-on Charlie Miska, who scored a touchdown against Portland State. Teammates and coaches say Miska has a lot of potential.

Dick Harmon: LJ Martin is the man right now. How BYU fares the rest of the season depends on him remaining healthy and productive. He is a workhorse and a star. He’s helping Bear Bachmeier ease into his role as a freshman QB, and his threat is keeping defenses aware.

At all costs, Aaron Roderick needs to keep Martin producing. He’ll need to monitor his reps and role. At the same time, he will need his experience to block in max protection schemes when BYU leaves seven blockers in to protect The Bear. Others can help, including tight end Carsen Ryan.

For BYU’s offense to run smoothly, it needs to be balanced. This also makes it easier for Bachmeier to progress and puts the onus on the offensive line and Martin’s backups to grow up fast and contribute.

I think defenses will come after Bachmeier, and East Carolina will lead the charge just as Stanford tried to do (three sacks). The run game is enhanced by Bachmeier’s ability to run. Right now, he’s tied with six other QBs for running touchdowns with three. He is the second-leading ball carrier (17) behind Martin (26), and A-Rod likes him to put that run threat on film for defenses to worry about.

Cougar tales

Here is a glimpse of our coverage of BYU’s 27-3 win over Stanford:

• Cleanup on University Avenue (Dick Harmon)
• What Stanford’s coach said about BYU (Jackson Payne)
• Another lights-out defensive performance (Jay Drew)
• Cougars to make most of week off (Jay Drew)
• In women’s soccer, BYU shut out Utah State 2-0.  No. 18 BYU women win volleyball tournament with sweep of Incarnate.

From the archives

‘Not a week off’: BYU will practice hard this week despite not having a game until Sept. 20 at ECU

A runner’s journey: After bottoming out, Dan Michalski found his stride

From X-verse

• JoJo Phillips undergoes surgery (@josiahphillips20)
• BYU defense leads country in run stops (@CFBHome)
• BYU attendance in West ranks No. 2 (@SuperWestsports)
• Bear, Tiger Bachmeier sing at retirement home (@hypetrainpod)

Extra points

• LJ Martin understands his role to help Bachmeier (Deseret News)
• Sitake concerned about QB protection (PFSN)
• BYU win over Miami turns 35 (Deseret News)

Fanalysts

Comments from Deseret News readers:

A-Rod, knowing the mismatch of the first two opponents, likely played very conservatively to not reveal much to future teams of a challenging Big 12 schedule.

Bear not having any costly turnovers has shown he knows how to play within himself and we’ll likely see him start to let loose as the season progresses.

— CapitalSky

Back in Lavell‘s day when Norm Chow was running the offense, complainers came out of the woodwork lamenting how the Cougars needed a real OC. Norm went off elsewhere to do pretty well for himself. Crowton took over and I missed praise for his offensive genius, and we experienced three straight losing seasons. It got too complex and the players couldn’t execute well enough.

The complainers will always be around like little yapping dogs, and we can ignore them. Others on this thread pointed out that Roderick is a pretty decent coach. He doesn’t need me to defend him. As long as the team keeps winning, people should be happy.

— Osgrath

Up next

• Sept. 11| 7 p.m. | women’s volleyball | @ USC
• Sept. 12|  7 p.m. | women’s volleyball |  LMU 
• Sept. 12| 7 p.m. | women’s soccer| Utah Valley
• Sept. 13 | 1 p.m. | women’s volleyball | Western Michigan
• Sept. 14| 8 a.m. | men’s golf | Wohali Classic, Coleville

Before taking 2-0 BYU to 1-1 East Carolina, there’s a lot to clean up, he told reporters after a 27-3 win over 0-2 Stanford on Saturday night.

He knows he’s got a defense capable of making huge plays, be it getting turnovers, sacks and stopping the run. But he also knows his freshman quarterback and rebuilt offensive line can see on film what adjustments need to be made in protections and execution of the run game.

In the meantime, LJ Martin has become a key cog of simply getting things done. BYU will need to keep him healthy and fresh.

BYU’s win over Stanford only proved that BYU is good enough against struggling teams. To stay undefeated, it will need to execute better and add far more than receiver screens, quick passes to the flats and have Martin clean up.

A holding penalty, false start and questionable goal-line call on a Martin pileup run proved costly for Aaron Roderick’s offense against the Cardinal.

Early bye week might be a blessing in disguise for BYU after offense's red-zone issues

3 big plays that stood out in BYU’s win over Stanford

That won’t get it done against the ranked teams BYU will face in the weeks to come (Utah, Texas Tech, Iowa State).

In the meantime, Bear Bachmeier’s progress is imperative.

Starting off against winless Portland State and Stanford, outscoring both by a combined 96-3, is a perfect platform for launching Bachmeier’s career.

At the same time, Stanford’s size and athleticism, especially on defense, became the best tutor Roderick could ask for in drilling home some lessons during the next 14 days.

The film sessions and emphasis on details will prove valuable.

“Start rolling,” said senior captain receiver Chase Roberts. He’s looking forward to the break.

“Healing up, resting up, as well as getting those reps with Bear, being able to get the pass game going and then getting on the same page and learning and growing and getting that confidence in each other as an offense, and just keep rolling,” said Roberts.

“I think we have a great start. I think it’s been a perfect first couple of games for us, and we’ll start rolling here.”

Aside from execution issues, I’d look for a deeper display of BYU’s offensive playbook, more crossing routes and deep post plays, as well as additions to screens, quick-outs and jet sweeps Roderick has centered on in the first two games.

Sione Moa, who romped to a TD Saturday night, said adjustments and improvements are expected in the coming weeks as they prepare for the trip to the Eastern time zone.

“I think it’s super beneficial just to see where we were at these past two games and then go from there, you know, Bear trying to get everything settled, trying to figure out everything. I think this bye week will definitely help us get that extra work.”

How much did the Big 12 help or hurt its cause in Week 2?

Here’s the kickoff time and broadcast info for BYU’s visit to East Carolina

The Big 12 enjoyed a decent if not successful weekend, with Baylor battling to defeat SMU and BYU’s win over another ACC opponent.

BYU joins Iowa State (3-0), Arizona, Houston, Texas Tech, UCF, Utah and TCU as undefeated brothers in the league.

Of course, those records have come from some FCS opponents, and Kansas State’s loss to Army at home was a setback, as well as ASU’s setback at Mississippi State.

One could say the Bachmeier project in Provo is ongoing and he’s looked good. He has not thrown an interception or lost a fumble. His ball security, Roderick’s top priority, has been right on. On Saturday, his receivers had four drops.

The offense is lucky the defense is covering their sixes.

On Saturday, Hill’s group proved it can field some impressive plays, with Raider Damuni and Faletau Satuala registering interceptions and Jack Kelly (strip sack), Isaiah Glasker, and Keanu Tanuvasa getting one sack each.

Hill’s defense has allowed 14 rushing yards in two games.

Sitake’s got Will Ferrin, a field goal kicker he doesn’t want to see except for PATs. He’s like a mortar launcher. Measure the distance, the trajectory, fire. He’s making everything his shoe touches from whatever distance needed.

That’s icing on top.

He was 4 for 4 against Stanford and has a school-record 22-straight field goal makes going.

Sitake knows his team will face far better opponents in the weeks to come. The QBs will be better, the receivers and backs and lines more productive. And the defenses will come after his Bear.

And he’s got to have his offense grow up.

Fast.

Utah’s got a hot, headline-making drive extender in Devon Dampier.

BYU’s got freshman Bear Bachmeier, who is leaning into being a potential big factor.

Utah State has the daring, fearless pig farmer in Bryson Barnes.

They’ll all be in action this weekend and it should be fun to watch what they do with completely different challenges.

Kyle Whittingham witnessed a near-flawless Utah offense in a bloated win over UCLA, where Dampier looked like a surgeon and his offensive coordinator, Jason Beck, a savant.

When will K-Whitt and Beck give Dampier the hook on Saturday against Cal Poly? When the lead is 50? One series in the third quarter, or at the half? How good is a Cal Poly team that beat San Diego, 41-17?

Aaron Roderick has the perfect platform to introduce Bachmeier to major college football after he registered five touchdowns on just 30 plays in a quarter and a half in the Cougars’ 69-0 win over Portland State. That wasn’t enough work, but it was ethical.

Stanford is going to come after Bachmeier Saturday and he’ll face pressure. He left Stanford after spring practice for Provo. That may be worth some emotion. Stanford returns ends David Bailey and Tevarua Tafiti, both QB hunters.

6 Big 12 games this weekend will impact the league’s national perception

What UCLA coach DeShaun Foster said about Devon Dampier

BYU OC Aaron Roderick dishes on Bear Bachmeier’s debut, lays out expectations

Roderick will counter that by deploying a physical run game to try and limit the distance on third-down plays. He’ll also give his rookie max protection with six or seven blockers. But how will Bachmeier respond against a P4 defense, and is Stanford any good?

Barnes will face a powerful challenge in College Station and intimidating Kyle Field. He was sacked six times by UTEP in a win in Logan last week. If the Miners can get to him a half-dozen times, what will this SEC defense do?

A&M’s defense features ends Cashius Howell and transfers TJ Searcy (Florida), Dayon Hayes (Pitt, Colorado) and top-50 Sam M’Pemba (Georgia). The tackles are five-star DJ Hicks and Albert Regis. Barnes must steer clear of these guys.

Whatever transpires against A&M, head coach Bronco Mendenhall and offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven will need to protect Barnes at all costs. He’ll need to slide and avoid taking on A&M tacklers in a macho showdown, which is his nature.

• USU needs Barnes and the goal for the local Aggies against road Aggies will be to return to Logan with as many players as possible in one piece. A&M beat UTSA last week 42-24. Kyle Field has a way of swallowing up visitors.
• Here’s what we know about this trio of local QBs so far:
• Dampier vs. a tackle-impaired UCLA defense: A scintillating 21 of 25 pass completions for 206 yards, two touchdowns. He was almost flawless. On the ground, he had 16 carries for 87 yards and a touchdown. He was better than advertised and far more dangerous than at New Mexico now that he’s surrounded by a mammoth offensive line and Whittingham’s defense.
• Bachmeier vs. an undersized, horrible Portland State defense: Seven of 11 completions for 97 yards, three touchdowns, 63.6 percentage with 227 pass efficiency in 30 plays. Rushed five times for 32 yards and two touchdowns. He was protected by play calls that set him up for easy throws and had little pressure. He showed poise, intelligence and didn’t cough up the ball. Obviously, Roderick wants him to be a game manager early on, not take it upon himself to win; yet, five TDs?
• Barnes against a middling UTEP defense: Nineteen of 28 completions for 233 yards, one touchdown. He had 29 yards and one touchdown rushing. He displayed confidence, leadership and moxie in his first action as a USU starter.

None of these guys has thrown an interception in a combined 64 pass attempts.

All are undefeated.

Predictions: Dampier accounts for four touchdowns and rushes for 100 yards and leaves in the third quarter. Bachmeier will be responsible for four touchdowns and play deep into the third. He will throw his first pick. Barnes should not play the whole game and will be lucky to throw for a TD and he will be intercepted.

Predictions

• Texas A&M 35, Utah State 9
• Utah 51, Cal Poly 0
• Illinois 28, Duke 17
• Iowa State 28, Iowa 21
• SMU 24, Baylor 21
• Texas Tech 52, Kent State 7
• Oregon 34, Oklahoma State 17
• Mississippi State 27, Arizona State 24
• Michigan 21, Oklahoma 17
• Kansas 31, Missouri 28
• Cincinnati 38, Bowling Green 14
• Kansas State 28, Army 21
• Houston 21, Rice 0
• Arizona 35, Weber State 7
• BYU 37, Stanford 10

Last week 10-1; overall 10-1 (.909)

Statistics from BYU’s blowout win over Portland State may not register with many college football analysts because the competition was so lopsided in favor of the home team.

That might slide, but it’s OK.

More importantly for defensive coordinator Jay Hill is how clean the team played. That includes how seamlessly BYU got into formations, avoided dumb penalties, misalignments, mental mistakes — things that commonly crop up even when playing against air, seven-on-seven, or 11-on-11 in practice.

On defense, Hill made 25 different defensive play calls in a 49-play game.

It would have been easy for players to mess up on that many calls.

“That’s one of the cleanest first games I’ve ever been a part of, in all three phases (offense, defense and special teams), ” Hill told reporters this week leading up to Saturday’s game against Stanford, now in the ACC.

Hill lets that stand as the big takeaway.

Even so, the statistics of that game go into the record books, just like other Big 12 teams last Saturday when Texas Tech beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Arizona State defeated Northern Arizona, West Virginia won over Robert Morris, the 46-7 Kansas win over Wagner, Kansas State’s 38-35 win over North Dakota, and Iowa State’s 55-7 bashing of South Dakota.

This is the closest starting position battle on the BYU football team in 2025

Jernaro Gilford earned a promotion by turning BYU’s DBs position into a strength

No. 25 Utah’s stats this week against Cal Poly are expected to be just as gaudy as those BYU and their Big 12 brothers registered. And, of course, they’ll count.

Examples?

Today, BYU ranks No. 1 in total defense, rushing defense, scoring defense, fourth-down conversion percent defense, red-zone defense and first-down defense. And that’s just defense. On offense, the numbers are equally mined from Portland State and include a No. 1 ranking for scoring offense and rushing offense.

Nuts.

Hill said this week he wants to continue the goal of being a multiple-look defense.

Cougars wary of ‘talented’ Stanford ahead of Saturday’s Power 4 showdown

“We want multiple fronts, multiple coverages and multiple blitzes that come from all directions,” said Hill.

This is what Stanford coach Frank Reich referred to as an NFL-type defense.

Speaking earlier this week, Reich explained in his weekly press conference, “Their schemes are very sound defensively. I feel like I’m watching an NFL defense with everything they do. I mean, they do a little bit of everything. They’re multiple in every way. Their pressure package is quite sophisticated. (It’s) a lot of stuff you see at the NFL level, and they do a good job of executing it.”

BYU head coach Kalani Sitake used his contract extension to get resources to keep his entire coaching staff intact. This is a good thing, maybe a great thing. But, it also means Reich will have film of what each of those position coaches like to do with schemes and personnel.

“That’s one of the cleanest first games I’ve ever been a part of, in all three phases (offense, defense and special teams).”

BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill

Still, Sitake counts staff continuity as huge because his returning players have the benefit of building on what they’ve learned the last year or two under Hill, linebackers coach Justin Ena, D-line coach Sione Po’uha, defensive ends coach Kelly Poppinga and cornerbacks coach Jernaro Gilford. Hill coaches the safeties, the QBs of the defense.

Said Sitake of Hill’s defenders, “They’re in the system now. There are a lot of guys who have been here for a while and who have spent a lot of time with Jay Hill and the entire defensive staff. Having the whole defensive staff intact and returning was huge for us. I’m really thankful we were able to hang on to our coaches. Jay Hill’s done a great job with the defense. Really, really happy with what he’s done, and looking forward to what they can accomplish even more this year, and especially Week 2 against Stanford.”

Commented Hill: “We’ll get their best shot.”

That will include a physical run attack that will test BYU’s defensive front seven in ways Portland State could only fantasize about.

Stanford poses a myriad of challenges for BYU on Saturday and Cougar coaches are scrambling to prepare for a far more physical battle with the ACC team from California.

“We’ll get their best shot and their best game,” predicted offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick on Monday. “They also have the advantage of having the week off after losing at Hawaii to prepare for us. Our defense will see film of Stanford defending a run-and-shoot offense, which we do not run. So there’s a challenge there to adjust to what they do.”

This will all add to the pressure on freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier, who finds himself facing a team he left in spring to transfer to BYU. No doubt Stanford will be coming for him with blitzes and pressures. He’ll need to grow up fast.

Following a blowout win over Portland State, Cougar coaches are wary of Stanford’s talent. On the other hand, Stanford’s coach Frank Reich made an observation that BYU’s defense looked like an NFL-type unit.

Cougar Insider predictions

Question of the week: In BYU’s blowout win over Portland State, the Cougars played their starters the first half before reserves continued to pour it on in the second. What do you expect to see Saturday against Power Four Stanford from BYU starters? What will stand out? What will receive more exposure? And what do you think the final score will be?

Jay Drew: BYU fans who expect Saturday’s game against Stanford to go like last week’s game against Portland State did are probably in for a rude awakening. The Vikings are one of the worst teams in the Football Championship Subdivision. The Cardinal is a mid- to lower-level Power Four team. There’s a huge difference.

I fully expect it to be a four-quarter game, despite the fact that BYU is playing at home, at night and is almost a three-touchdown favorite. Stanford has some decent talent in the trenches, isn’t bad in the skill positions, and has a serviceable, veteran quarterback. Plus, the Cardinal has had an extra week to prepare for the Cougars.

My hunch is that Bear Bachmeier will face constant blitzing, and BYU’s offensive line will be put to the test. Stanford’s defense isn’t bad. Portland State’s defense was really bad — one of the worst units to ever play at LaVell Edwards Stadium, in my opinion.

What will stand out? Probably BYU’s rushing attack, led by LJ Martin and Sione Moa. Hawaii ran the ball well on Stanford, and I suspect that BYU will, too.

Prediction: BYU 31, Stanford 21

Dick Harmon: In Stanford, BYU will face a bigger, stronger, deeper team than it did in the opener. No question the contrast will be evident. But what you’ll see in this game is a chance to see more of BYU’s first-string players. BYU’s second- and third-string defenders only defended 12 plays in the second half last week. Jay Hill’s first-team defense will have a chance to display what it can do as an improved unit from last year, and that should be enlightening.

Offensively, look for offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick to use maximum protection for Bear Bachmeier. That means there will be seven blockers to protect him, many times with backs LJ Martin and Sione Moa in the backfield to help with the pressure. This will put pressure on BYU’s rushing attack, priority No. 1. It also means JoJo Phillips, Chase Roberts, Parker Kingston and Carsen Ryan will need to get open and make plays.

BYU will win this game, but it will be tougher and exactly what Bachmeier needs to progress and get experience facing pressure. We should find out more about his abilities in this game than the last. BYU’s defense gaining turnovers will be the key to this game.

Prediction: BYU 37, Stanford 17

Cougar tales

BYU’s opening win over hapless Portland State proved historic and a record-setting affair. It was the largest margin of victory of the early college season and vaulted BYU to No. 1 in scoring, rushing and defense. Here are some of our headlines and stories from the victory:

• Special teams picks right up where it left off (Jay Drew)
• Here’re three plays that stood out (Dave McCann)
• What Portland State’s coach said about BYU (Jackson Payne)
• Crushing win proved little, but here’s what we learned (Jay Drew)
• Did Bachmeier’s debut preview what’s to come? (Dick Harmon)

From the archives

Bear BachmeiBYU’s starting QB was raised with a ball in one hand and a book in the other

10 years in, Sitake still ‘living the dream’

From the X-verse

Ryder Lyons accounts for seven touchdowns as Folsom beats Serra 56-42. @ryderly0ns

The BYU commit threw for four scores, ran for three more as Bulldogs move to 2-0 on season.

✍️: https://t.co/LfJlqztFRq pic.twitter.com/cgETx1UhdU

— MaxPreps (@MaxPreps) August 31, 2025

After week 1, BYU and Utah lead ESPN FPI Rankings. pic.twitter.com/i56wNy8amn

— Brigham's Brigade (@BrighamsBrigade) September 1, 2025

Highest Pressure Per Pass Rush among FBS DTs, Week 1:

1) Keanu Tanuvasa, BYU: 40.0%
2) Xion Chapman, FIU: 35.7%
3) Auckland Asiata, Fresno State: 33.30%
4) Damonte Smith, MTSU: 31.8%
5) Demeco Kennedy, Purdue: 30.0%
6) CJ Nunnally IV, Purdue: 28.6%
7) Byron Turner Jr., Tulsa:…

— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) August 31, 2025

Extra points

• Women expected to rise to the top of cross-country (Deseret News)
• Looking at history of BYU and Stanford (KSLsports.com)
• Bachmeier scores local car dealership sponsorship (KSL Sports)

Fanalysts

Comments from Deseret News readers:

I think BYU showed a lot. They won like they should have. Had to pull Bear at halftime. They returned the best D in the Big 12 and it showed. Their line is huge and BYU has speed. Give BYU credit (like the D News will for Utah after they beat Cal Poly).

— 3grandslams

Here’s what we learned:

When the media put a huge burden on Bear’s shoulders by saying a high school player would struggle to lead the team, they were wrong. He did just fine.

When the line was “43,” Bear and teammates eclipsed that before halftime. In fact, they beat the line by 26 points, using four different QBs.

This game was no different than in past years when the uties would open their season at home against North Dakota or Southern Utah, yet the Y got nothing but grief and disrespect while the Utes got a free pass from local media types.

So there’s those things that we learned. Only the media was surprised with Bear’s performance but because it didn’t fit their narrative, they poo-pooded it, along with a record-tying field goal and a crowd of just under 65,000 fans in the largest stadium in the conference. After last season, it’s expected and observed.

— Holy-Schamoly-What Baloney

Up next

• Sept. 4| 6 p.m. | women’s soccer | Arkansas
• Sept. 5 | 6 p.m. | women’s volleyball | Northern Arizona
• Sept. 5 | 9 a.m. | cross-country | Provo
• Sept. 5 | 6 p.m. | women’s volleyball | Wichita State
• Sept. 5 | 8:15 p.m. | football | Stanford
• Sept. 8 | 9 a.m. | men’s golf | Cougar Day, Provo

Yes, of course, comparing what Manning faced in Columbus against the mighty Buckeyes to what Bachmeier did against a now 0-2 FCS Portland State team is ludicrous. PSU has now been outscored 111-0 in two games, almost 70 of that from the Cougars.

But in Week 1 of college football, it is all about perspective. If you do that, Bachmeier’s historic true freshman start was a curious exercise; only a beginning with chapters yet to be written, a career yet to blossom with little, albeit impressive, evidence of ability.

And it thrilled the largest crowd in LaVell Edwards Stadium since playing TCU 16 years ago.

“He was really calm under pressure and went through his checkdowns,” BYU running back LJ Martin told KSL radio. “We wanted to make it easy for him in his first game.”

There’s still much to learn about Bachmeier in the weeks to come. He didn’t face a TCU or Utah blitz or pressure. He wasn’t sacked or even hardly harassed. He was kind of protected. He wasn’t asked to make all kinds of throws. His script was simple and vanilla.

But in the competitive realm he played, comparing his Saturday to six other Big 12 quarterbacks who faced FCS competition Saturday, the kid did just fine.

He didn’t fumble.

He didn’t mess up the play clock.

He didn’t throw an interception, trip over a yard stripe, bumble a snap, cause the offense to get a penalty or even make a glaring, embarrassing error. It didn’t appear he forgot any formations or schemes. His execution was top-drawer.

Bear Bachmeier’s background: BYU’s starting QB was raised with a ball in one hand and a book in the other

3 takeaways from BYU’s season-opening win over Portland State

That’s mostly because BYU absolutely dominated undermanned and undersized Portland State 69-0, outgaining PSU 606 to 51 total yards. It was BYU’s largest shutout since a 65-0 win in 1988 (New Mexico) and largest margin of victory since defeating UTEP 83-7 in 1980.

Bachmeier’s services were barely needed when his offense produced 468 on the ground, the most-ever by a Kalani Sitake-coached team.

When Bachmeier left the game for good at halftime, he’d thrown only 11 passes, many of them uncomplicated throws requiring little progression of reads — just simple timing throws. That’s all offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick asked of him in a kind of incubation experience to major college football.

Before BYU’s coaching staff put Bear in hibernation for Stanford next week, he’d completed seven of those 11 throws for 97 yards, three touchdowns and had run for two more in basically 19 minutes.

The kid played a hand in five touchdowns.

“I think he did a great job,” said Sitake. “Once he got hit I think he settled down. He had good demeanor and great presence out there and I think the guys felt great about how he handled things.”

Bachmeier’s job in this game became evident early. He was to be a game manager for the first two quarters, letting Martin carry a big load. Martin had 131 yards on eight carries (16.9 yards per carry) in the first half. He was to rely on BYU’s defense and special teams to do their work, and they did, with a Jack Kelly blocked field goal return for 57-yard touchdown as BYU’s first score of the game.

Bachmeier’s historic start as BYU’s first freshman got off to a slow start. Because of a Portland State forced fumble on Cougar returner Parker Kingston and Kelly’s blocked FG return TD, he only had five plays with 2:33 remaining in the first quarter.

Highlights, key plays and photos from BYU’s 69-0 win over Portland State

On BYU’s second possession, Martin gained 52 yards on two carries to Portland State’s 4-yard line when Bachmeier hit Chase Roberts on a quick receiver delay for a 4-yard TD. It was the first score of his college career and came on the ninth play of his debut, a four-play 54-yard drive.

On his third career possession, Bachmeier ran a bootleg right, pulled up and hit tight end Noah Moeaki across the middle of the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown. It was his second TD of the day and it came on his 16th career play. At that stage he was 3-of-6 passing, but the offense was averaging 7.8 yards per play and BYU led 21-0 with 9:52 to play in the first half.

On Bachmeier’s fourth possession, the 20th play of his career, there was a 360-degree pivot toss to receiver Cody Hagen, who took the end-around 57 yards for a touchdown and a 28-0 BYU lead.

As BYU’s defense began to dominate the line and smother PSU, Bachmeier would get three more possessions of the game before halftime brought in sophomore McCae Hillstead in relief to begin the third quarter.

On his fifth possession following a PSU fumble inside its own 10, Bachmeier called his own number at the 4-yard line and dove in from the 1-yard line for a touchdown to give BYU a 35-0 lead with 6:15 left before intermission. It was his 22nd play of the game. He was 4-of-7 passing for 26 yards but the offense was averaging 9.8 yards per play.

• Bachmeier’s sixth possession began at BYU’s own 9-yard line but a 25-yard Martin run and two passes to tight end Carsen Ryan — making his debut as a Cougar — gained 47 yards. Bachmeier hit Ryan on a 22-yard post pattern at the goal line and Ryan lifted the under-thrown pass off the helmet off safety Isaiah Green for an impressive TD catch and 42-0 BYU lead. It was Bachmeier’s 10th pass of his college career and 26th play of the game and he was 6-of-10 passing.

On Bachmeier’s final possession of the game he ran 11 yards up the middle, hit Hagen for a 24-yard gain and after Martin galloped for 11 yards, the young rookie used a QB draw play to rip up the middle of PSU’s defense and dive into the endzone from 3 yards out to put the Cougars up 48-0 with 49 seconds to play in the first half.

He exited the game with five touchdowns accounted for on his 30th play of the game. His quarterback rating was 227.7. The offense he was operating gained 364 yards and had not punted at that point in the game. His defense had held PSU to 44 yards, most all of that coming on the first possession of the game.

The only way you can even begin to make comparisons of what Bachmeier encountered in BYU’s win over Portland State is to look at what other Big 12 quarterbacks did against FCS competition this weekend.

His quarterback rating (227.7) Saturday is comparable to Kansas QB Jalon Daniels (210), behind Iowa State’s Rocco Becht at 261.3 and Texas Tech’s Behren Morton (256), far better than Kansas State’s veteran Avery Johnson (134.9), and West Virginia’s Nicco Marchiol — all against FCS foes.

Kansas beat Wagner 46-7, and senior star Daniels completed 18 of 25 for 280 yards with four touchdowns and one interception. He had a 210 rating.

West Virginia beat Robert Morris 45-3, and Nicco Marchiol completed 17 of 20 for 224 yards and one touchdown.

For Iowa State’s return from Dublin and win over Kansas State, seasoned redshirt junior QB Becht completed 19 of 20 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns in a 55-7 win over South Dakota.

No. 17 Kansas State’s sophomore QB Avery Johnson was 26 of 41 for 305 yards and two TDs in a 38-35 late fourth-quarter win over North Dakota. Johnson had to play the entire game and his team was behind just before the end.

At halftime of Big 12-defending champion ASU’s game with Northern Arizona, Sam Leavitt was 13 of 19 for 151 yards and one touchdown for a 152 rating in a 17-6 halftime score.

In Lubbock No. 23 Texas Tech QB Behren Morton played sparingly in a 67-7 blowout win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, completing 16 of 18 passes for 201 yards and four touchdowns.

Of his runs, Bachmeier said he was ready.

“You kind of go back to your innate nature and make guys miss,” said Bachmeier of his runs. “It’s football, you want to get hit and settle into the game.”

His college debut was a great moment, he said. Especially with a sellout crowd and the atmosphere Saturday night.

“It was crazy, it was surreal, your heart starts beating, it was a great experience.”

Quarterbacks Devon Dampier and Bear Bachmeier will fast become household names in Utah in the coming weeks and their play will go a long way in determining how BYU and Utah fare in the conference race.

BYU won seven Big 12 games last year; Utah just two, with injuries playing a huge role.

Heading into this week, BYU should easily defeat FCS Portland State and it will benefit Bachmeier in his first start that he won’t need to carry the team on his back when the Cougars are bigger and deeper than their opponent and favored by 43 points.

On the other hand, UCLA may have film on Dampier and Jason Beck’s offense from New Mexico, but they have no clue how Utah will deploy him behind what many say is the league’s top offensive line with Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu.

Utah has a real mystery to throw at the Bruins in how they’ll deploy Washington State transfer Wayshawn Parker and Lobo transfer NaQuari Rogers behind that O-Line.

UCLA has a similar mystery because of new Tennessee transfer QB Nico Iamaleava working with new offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri from Indiana, a team that led the Big Ten in scoring last season.

‘A natural leader’: What one of Devon Dampier’s high school coaches said about Ute QB’s leadership skills

Bear Bachmeier’s background: BYU’s starting QB was raised with a ball in one hand and a book in the other

Both Utah coach Kyle Whittingham and UCLA’s DeShaun Foster are in stealth mode, cloaking their practices and information. It’s all about secrecy, trying to gain some kind of an edge.

It’s like they’re hiding the patent for a cancer cure.

The Bruins are starting from scratch on offense and the defense lost nine starters including everyone considered a star.

Utah, on the other end, has questions on the defensive line, but are expected to field a tough, aggressive physical version of themselves that will be too much for UCLA.

Utah should win this game on the road in the opener despite not getting a cupcake with an actual P4 opponent from the Big Ten. Foster has far too many questions to answer for this first game and the Utes should get out of Westwood in good shape.

Why the 2025 season could be one of the most critical in Kyle Whittingham’s career

In Provo, the mystery is all about the freshman Bachmeier and how he’ll do. Oh, he’ll experience a win, but how will he look? Will he be in control, look like a leader, make good decisions and avoid turnovers in what will be a packed stadium for his debut?

Aside from the Bachmeier storyline, the mystery about BYU against Portland State is how long BYU coaches will leave some of their first-team players on the field to risk injury. Coaching science calls for BYU’s staff to get work out of key players, demand execution, post their performances on film, and then let second- and third-team players get some needed experience.

What BYU needs to be hyper focused on as heavy favorite in season opener

Another question is whether BYU’s defense can shut out Portland State, just as FCS power Tarleton State did last Saturday when reserves are on the field in the second half.

With Bachmeier, BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick told reporters this week his remarkable absorption of the playbook may have been enhanced because of moves made in the offseason.

BYU’s offensive coaches changed terminology and simplified play calls for expected returning starter Jake Retzlaff, now at Tulane. “It was to simplify some play calls and streamline it for Jake to play quicker. He played better when we went faster. We trimmed down some of our verbiage,” said Roderick.

The new format made it easier for Bachmeier to learn — at least intellectually — BYU’s offense in the months since transferring from Stanford last spring.

The key unknowns with the Utes and Cougars are the defenses. The league is about to find out just how good these units are.

Here are this season’s predictions

• Utah: 9-3 overall, 6-3 (tie) in league play. Ute offense finally complements defense.
• BYU: 9-3 overall, 6-3 (tie) in league play. Easier schedule helps ease in freshman QB.

Here are this week’s game predictions

• Ohio State 21, Texas 17
• Alabama 24, Florida State 21
• Virginia 17, Coastal Carolina 14
• James Madison 24, Weber State 21
• Utah State 17, UTEP 14
• Washington 31, Colorado State 17
• Arizona 24, Hawaii 14
• California 28, Oregon State 20
• Clemson 28, LSU 24
• Texas A&M 34, UTSA 17
• Utah 24, UCLA 17
• BYU 44, Portland State 0

It ranks right up there with stopping the run and stopping third-down plays, but it is a legitimate goal from a defense that was average at taking down quarterbacks in last year’s 11-2 season.

It took a long offseason of development, recruiting and conditioning former missionaries, but this version of Jay Hill’s defense will have more capable QB chasers on the field this season, which begins Saturday against Portland State in LaVell Edwards Stadium.

“I feel that’s been one of the main goals that we’ve been going through in fall camp,” said defensive end Viliami Po’uha, son of defensive line coach and former NFL tackle Sione Po’uha.

“We have more agile and faster guys than a year ago when we had Tyler Batty, John Nelson and Blake Mickelson, who were all more of bull rush-type rush, push, pull technique guys,” said Viliami. “This year, we can run more of our twist games, rush off the end. I think our inside tackles are bigger and quicker and will take on double teams, especially in our three-man fronts, and that will free us up to bring more pressure.”

Those defensive ends include a dozen bodies who will be deployed among the three-deep and include the group’s fastest end Sani Tuala, from Citrus College by way of Australia; Bodie Schoonover; Logan Lutui; Orion Maile-Kaufusi; Kinilau Fonohema; Texas transfer Tausili Akana; Hunter Clegg; Vincent Tautua; Siosefa Brown; and Nusi and John Taumoepeau.

‘He doesn’t act like a freshman’: Peers say BYU’s Bear Bachmeier is ready to be QB1, and he agrees

Some of those bodies, like JT (Taumoepeau) will be used as an inside tackle on four- and three-man fronts. Po’uha and Schoonover could also find themselves playing inside as Oklahoma State transfer tackle Justin Kirkland recovers from an injury.

BYU’s defensive front, led by Batty, had 20 sacks in 2024. The Cougars could have one-fourth of that total in the first two games this season, starting with FCS Portland State on Saturday.

“Tyler was our leader out there last year,” said Po’uha. “We had a lot of good examples last year like Batty, or Maddie, as the boys refer to him. He definitely set the standard on how we should play as a defensive end room and we’re just trying to take his culture that he left behind and amplify it and tailor it to us and how we can dominate the field.”

Po’uha said this 2025 group is young and it remains to be seen who will step forward as the firecracker leader Batty was last season.

He describes this group as “young and gritty.”

Po’uha appreciates playing on a defense where his father is a key coach, working with the defensive line.

“When I got into college football, he told me that I have nine or 10 coaches out there, but only one father, and that he will be leading with that role as my dad with me when we are out there, that being a father takes priority.”

His father has demanded hard work and accountability from him. “He said hard work and diligence will get you to the places you want to go.”

Surveying the schedule: Ranking BYU’s 12 games in 2025 by order of difficulty

Viliami’s grandparents on both sides immigrated to the United States from Tonga. His father Sione and BYU’s head coach Kalani Sitake were both born and lived their early years in Tonga.

Viliami has had the opportunity to go to Tonga twice in his life, the first as a 16-year-old kid who he described as a little self-absorbed.

To see the humble living conditions of the people of Tonga and return to his grandmother’s village opened his eyes and brought him out of his self-focused worldview — it changed his life, made him want to reach out and help others.

“The experience opened my eyes,” said Viliami.

Defensive end coach Kelly Poppinga told BYUtv’s “Coordinators’ Corner” audience he loves the depth at defensive end with hybrid-type players like Ephraim Asiata, who can play on the line as a defensive end as well as outside linebacker, a role similar to that of senior Isaiah Glasker, who drops into pass coverage.

Asiata was rated the No. 1 most productive player in fall camp, according to Poppinga.

“We have a slew of guys, the challenge is to find a way to get them all on the field,” said the defensive end and special teams coordinator, who followed Bronco Mendenhall to Virginia and coached at Boise State before returning to BYU.

“I think this group is as talented as I’ve seen since I was here in 2012 when we had Ziggy Ansah, Kyle Van Noy and Bronson Kaufusi. Now, they aren’t as experienced as that group, but they have as much talent as that group.”

Poppinga said sack totals for the season may interest fans more than him and called it a meaningless statistic. He said Tarleton State shut out Portland State last week and didn’t have one sack.

“What matters is pressure on the quarterback, and sometimes that doesn’t result in a sack, but it hurries and they might throw it before they want to,” he said. “We had a lot of pressure last year that resulted in us leading the country in interceptions and turnovers, and we did that without getting a lot of sacks.”

Po’uha represents a youth movement along BYU’s defensive line that Poppinga is excited about.

This season is all about BYU defensive coaches giving talent experience.

The opener is upon Cougar Town on Saturday when the Cougars host FCS Portland State, which lost to FCS-ranked Tarleton State 42-0 last Saturday. Just how much can we learn from this game where Kalani Sitake’s team is heavily favored by more than 42 points?

Well, that’s just it. You don’t learn very much in these games because they are usually over quickly and second- and third-team players are shuffled on the field early. On Saturday you can expect BYU to be up about 28-0 by halftime and a shutout is likely.

What BYU needs in this game boils down to two things.

First, come out healthy with no injuries.

Second, maintain focus and work on executing excellence from start to finish. Head coach Kalani Sitake has to emphasize to his players to do their jobs, avoid mistakes and play at a high level.

“We need to perform our best, regardless of who our opponent is,” he told the media Monday.

Cougar Insider predictions

Question of the week: Heading into Game 1 against Portland State, who do you predict will be the biggest surprise for BYU come Saturday, a player folks will be talking about over the weekend?

Jay Drew: Scanning the BYU depth chart that was released Monday, it occurred to me that there are a half-dozen or so candidates to be the biggest surprise for the Cougars in Saturday’s opener against Portland State. Since BYU should be able to name the final score, expect to see a lot of backups get significant playing time.

One player to watch, if the media viewing portion of preseason training camp practices were any indication, is backup tight end Keayen Nead. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound transfer from New Mexico and Weber State made several eye-popping plays in camp and has outstanding speed and size for a tight end.

Sure, Utah transfer Carsen Ryan got all the tight end attention in camp, and deservedly so. But Nead also looked good, and was singled out several times by offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick as a surprise of camp. Nead is the nephew of former BYU tight end Spencer Nead. He is listed as the co-backup at tight end with veteran Ethan Erickson, who just can’t seem to get healthy for an entire season after making a splash as a freshman returned missionary, and redshirt freshman Noah Moeaki.

Keayen Nead’s father played tight end for Idaho in 2003. Don’t be surprised if he makes a few catches against PSU and solidifies himself as TE2 in Roderick’s offense.

Prediction: BYU 48, Portland State 14

Dick Harmon: There will be some players who will leave some buzz after the season opener, albeit against a tremendous underdog in Portland State. I think Carsen Ryan will open some eyes as will the freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier, middle linebacker Siale Esera and defensive end Ephraim Asiata.

My pick for surprise of the week is receiver Cody Hagen. I think Chase Roberts, Parker Kingston and JoJo Phillips will start and get some reps, but then will be replaced early by Hagen and incoming freshman Reggie Frischknecht. I think both of these guys will make plays, but Cougar fans will come away impressed with just how fast and effective Hagen is on the field.

He has sprinter speed and great size. He is a deep threat and can get open across the middle as well as on quick ins and deep outs. Look for Hagen to get a great look and deliver come Saturday.

Prediction: BYU 44, Portland State 0

Cougar tales

Here are some of our camp stories from this past week:

• Peers: QB Bear doesn’t act like a freshman (Jay Drew)
• Football names team captains (Jackson Payne)
• Sitake releases depth chart (Jackson Payne)
• Cougars have chance to play backups (Jay Drew)
• Doman has advice for Bachmeier (Dave McCann)
• Bear isn’t the only BYU QB celebrating (Krysyen Elder)

In other notes, BYU’s women’s soccer knocked off ranked UCLA in a home match and here are the details.

From the Archives

‘Doesn’t surprise me at all’: What Bear Bachmeier’s former coaches are saying about his quick rise to QB1 at BYU

‘Fully bought-in’: How Isaiah Jatta left Coach Prime’s program at Colorado and found a home at BYU

From the X-verse

Ready to exceed expectations 😤 pic.twitter.com/EWU3rdyzK5

— Center Street Media (@CenterStMedia) August 21, 2025

Last year, the ESPN FPI gave BYU a whopping 0.06% chance of winning 10+ regular season games.

This year, they have given BYU a 26.13% chance. That's 436 times more likely than last year. pic.twitter.com/yHr3BMw5Ck

— CougarStats (@CougarStats) August 22, 2025

https://x.com/BrockHarris2026/status/1959796336896995748

Tough loss vs Cedar. 12 catches 147 yards 2 TDs @BYUfootball @TheStandard_Co @BlairAngulo @BrandonHuffman @adamgorney @ChadSimmons_ @MooseB90 pic.twitter.com/ol5asL9qhv

— Brock Harris (@BrockHarris2026) August 25, 2025

Extra points

• How Ryder Lyons fared in his season opener (Deseret News)
• Making game-by-game predictions (Lawless Republic)
• Midseason looms key for BYU football (Deseret News)

Fanalysts

Comments from Deseret News readers:

Chad is as great a person you’ll ever meet. He’ll never speak negatively about anybody. But I do think he should call it as it is. Jake quit on his team. He made a mistake, violation of team or school rules and instead of sticking with his team, doing all he can to support, coach them up, etc. he bailed. He did what he thought was best for him, debatable, and I’m not holding that against him. Gotta do what you gotta do, I’m just saying he quit on his guys and left the team in a bind. I don’t see what is so admirable about that.

— visitante

BYU will be exercising their right to “Bear’s arms” this season and I’m excited to see what he can do. BYU fans need to chill their expectations a bit. Last season we won several close games that could have gone either way. This season, like last, we will lose a game that we should have won and we will win a game we should have lost.

The Big 12 is a good conference and there are no easy games. We have to bring our A game every week to have a winning season, especially with an inexperienced QB.

— BYUSnowboarder

Up next

• Aug. 29 | noon | women’s volleyball | FDU
• Aug. 29 | 7 p.m. | women’s volleyball | Central Michigan
• Aug. 29 | 7 p.m. | women’s soccer | Auburn
• Aug. 30 | 4 p.m. | women’s volleyball | High Point
• Aug. 30 | 6 p.m. | football | Portland State

Utah travels to UCLA, BYU hosts Portland State and Utah State will open the Mendenhall era against UTEP on Saturday. It’s about time we get actual games and see these guys play against someone else.

Everybody loves a nice quarterback story this time of the year. They’re the faces of the program. Their roles are critical and their performances are scrutinized to oblivion.

Yes, the Devon Dampier story for the Utes is a tremendous storyline. What will he do? How can he use Jason Beck’s offense to lift Utah past its 2024 injury-plagued woes? Will he dash and dart his way to first downs and touchdowns behind a top-notch, respected O-line? Is he capable of executing the passing game at a high level with new receivers and backs so he doesn’t have to take a huge burden with his legs?

Oh, and this Bear story in Provo is intriguing as BYU starts a true freshman in Bear Bachmeier for Game 1 of the season. Never happened before. Is the gamble worth it? Is his offer sheet out of high school (Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas, Notre Dame, Michigan, Oregon, Stanford, Georgia) reflective of mind and athletic abilities?

All this QB stuff inside these Big 12 teams is captivating and tantalizing. No question it is the headline of August and September as teams enter the starting chute.

But let’s explore a different take on preseason week and chatter: Defense.

BYU led the Big 12 in defense last year and tied for the most forced turnovers in the NCAA. Jay Hill has assembled personnel more suited to what he needs to excel. And yes, that includes former Ute defensive tackle Keanu Tanavasa. The Cougar defense will take a step forward this season.

Utah’s defense had to shoulder far more than it should have in a disappointing 5-7 season in 2024. It didn’t receive the credit it deserved for what was asked after Cam Rising got hurt against Baylor and freshman Issac Wilson was thrown into the gauntlet.

This week, both Utah and BYU have the opportunity to shut out UCLA and Portland State. Both will deliver bad news to Big 12 offenses from beginning of the season to end and that may be a major factor in who makes it to Arlington. Let’s say these two defenses will have more to say about who the Big 12 champion will be than any other factor in the league.

Utah Utes

At Utah, defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley became a bogeyman for Pac-12 offenses. More than capable of applying QB pressure with a four-man rush, his man defense coverages became elite through Kyle Whittingham’s philosophy. The Utes set a scary standard for physical play, literally kicking butt and intimidating opponents with their dominating front-seven play.

The Big 12 is more physical than the old Pac-12, so it will be a challenge in Year 2, but Utah is built for it and Scalley is the difference if his transfers pan out.

Utah needs tackles Dallas Vakalahi and Aliki Vimahi to step up. Scalley needs production from defensive ends John Henry Daley and Logan Fano. Linebacker Landon Barton and nickel back Smith Snowden are huge keys in Scalley’s plans. He needs Elijah Davis and Blake Cotton to be lockdown corners and must get transfers (Auburn) JC Hart, and (Texas A&M) Donovan Saunders oriented and ready for reps.

Utah is missing some very talented defenders, but it’s a defense that regularly reloads and recognizes developmental prospects. The biggest challenge for Scalley is to fix missed tackles and get more turnovers than a year ago in the Big 12.

BYU Cougars

In Provo, Hill is king of the hill.

His transformation of BYU’s defense in such a short time was amazing, and he did so with overachieving linemen who were not exactly built for his schemes. Now, he’s got more of what he wants in Tanuvasa, Oklahoma transfer Justin Kirkland and returning John Taumoepeau. He will still deploy multiple-look fronts.

His defensive ends are more capable of getting sacks now that his middle tackles are a threat to gobble up blocks. They include Bodie Schoonover, Logan Lutui, Texas transfer Tausili Akana, Ephraim Asiata, Hunter Clegg, and Viliami Po’uha.

BYU’s linebacking corps is deep and talented, maybe the best in the Big 12, with league TFL leader Isaiah Glasker and Jack Kelly on the outside and redshirt sophomore Siale Esera in the middle. With Ace Kaufusi and Choe Bryant-Strother holding off Miles Hall as backups, that trio could start on most Big 12 teams.

Corner Evan Johnson, the highest-rated defender a year ago, returns at corner with returning starter Mory Bamba. The safeties are experienced Tanner Wall, Raider Damuni, Tommy Prassas and Faletau Satuala.

Hill’s defense must be far better at stopping the run and has to be more efficient in stopping third-down conversions this fall.

Utah State Aggies

In Logan, Mendenhall is doing what he is in the profession to do: To rebuild and fix.

There’s no bigger challenge before him than taking a newly assembled staff, coaching up 70 new roster players, and putting them on the field chasing Mountain West teams in hopes of a winning season and bowl berth.

On its face, this seems like the Battle of Thermopylae, the thousands of Persians against Greece’s 300 Spartans. And believe it, Mendenhall will bring that up often.

USU football isn’t the only Aggie appendage to lose key personalities to the transfer portal. On July 21, athletic director Diana Sabau left Logan for a post at Maryland. Back in Feb, USU president Betsy Cantwell left to be president at the University of Washington. Key figures who hired Mendenhall Dec. 6, 2024 are no longer there.

If this isn’t a chip on the shoulder for Bronco, what is? He dines on this kind of stuff.

USU’s defense was leaky last year and defensive coordinator Nick Howell will have his hands full converting that unit into stoppers. He’ll do so without All-MWC preseason corner Ike Larson, who was suspended for six weeks this summer.

Howell brought corners Noah Avinger, Bryson Taylor and safety Bobby Arnold with him from New Mexico and added P4 transfers, including safety D’Andre Barnes (Nebraska) to help.

Offensively, USU will be blessed with the return of Utah transfer and Pig Farmer Bryson Barnes, who did not have a full season but threw for 12 touchdowns and averaged eight yards per carry.

Offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven hauled in running back Javen Jacobs from New Mexico, and added Carlos Orr-Gillespie (Illinois), receiver Brady Boyd (Texas Tech), and quarterback Anthony Garcia (Arizona) to push Barnes.

Mendenhall’s biggest challenge falls within his wheelhouse — to build a winning culture, a fighting attitude to a program that has had three head coaches in three years and lost administrators en masse this past year.

Can he do it? The opener against UTEP at home will give us the biggest clue.

Bear Bachmeier has a nice ramp to begin his college career at BYU. As the first true freshman starter to begin a season in Provo, he’ll have two winnable games at home and a Big 12 schedule that many believe to be one of the easiest in the league in 2025.

While time will tell if this experiment works, offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick can always go back to experienced and talented McCae Hillstead if needed. But many experts believe Bachmeier has the brains and talent to pull this off as a true freshman.

An undertold story of fall practice is how all three QBs faced a very good and disruptive defense every session.

Question of the week

Is BYU’s receiving corps capable of playing at a high level this season? What are reasonable expectations?

Jay Drew: A lot of people, most notably BYU receivers coach Fesi Sitake, are high on the Cougars’ receiving corps this season. I will mostly agree with them, with a couple of reservations. Aside from Chase Roberts, there’s no high-producing receiver in the room. That could be a problem, as Roberts almost assuredly draws plenty of double teams.

JoJo Phillips has a lot of talent and a huge upside, but has never really done a lot in actual games. Same goes for Parker Kingston, WR3, although obviously the talented speedster from Roy is an outstanding kick and punt returner.

Getting Tiger Bachmeier out of Stanford was huge for Sitake, and the graduate transfer with two seasons of eligibility remaining has shown well in media viewing portions of practices. Don’t be surprised if Bachmeier becomes BYU’s second-most productive receiver in 2025.

He’s not a receiver, but tight end Carsen Ryan is poised to have a huge season. Keep an eye on him. I also think that Cody Hagen and Tei Nacua will play substantial roles, if they remain healthy. Both seem to be the future of the position at BYU.

Of course, little of this matters if QB1 can’t deliver the ball to these guys. That should always be kept in mind when discussing receiver performance in 2025. Just ask some of those guys from 2017 when nobody seemed capable of getting them the ball after Tanner Mangum got hurt.

Dick Harmon: BYU receivers are going to struggle hard. Check that, I think they will actually be just fine, maybe even very good. Why? Because Fesi Sitake has done a great job recruiting, developing, training and preparing his receiver room over the years. Look at Chase Roberts, see what he did bringing in Keelan Marion and Darius Lassiter. Remember what he did with Neil Pau’u, Dax Milne and Gunner Romney? I liked what Aleva Hifo and Talon Shumway did.

There is some young talent surrounding Roberts that only needs the chance to prove themselves and I think they’ll do fine. I think Cody Hagen and Tiger Bachmeier will join Tei Nacua in opening some eyes and don’t forget how a more mature, bigger and faster Parker Kingston might be.

But the biggest X-factor for the receivers is how Aaron Roderick and Fesi will use Carsen Ryan as a tight end, H-back and detached receiver off the line. I expect he will be used along with Roberts to set up defenses and that will free up some of the younger players. Phillips is talented, Hagen has sprinter speed, and can get deep. Of course, all this depends on the O-line and a new QB. It’s an 11-man offense, and all must step up. What I’m asserting here is that Fesi finds a way.

Cougar tales

With Kalani Sitake taking BYU through its final week of fall camp in preparation for its Aug. 30 opener against Portland State, here is a collection of Deseret News camp coverage and issues surrounding the program:

• BYU center settling in as CPU of O-line (Dick Harmon)
• Can BYU’s O-line protect new QB? (Jay Drew)
• If it’s Bachmeier, it will be historic (Dick Harmon)
• Can Texas transfer bolster pass rush? (Jay Drew)
• Why this BYU analyst sees football rise (Dave McCann)
• Austin Collie calls WR group to step up (Dave McCann)
• OSU transfer tackle nursing injury (Jay Drew)
• Santiago explains unique ticket situation (Jackson Payne)

From the archives

Will BYU football’s unique culture hinder or help in brave new world of college sports?

As college sports landscape continues to shift, verbal commits must still be taken with a grain of salt

From X-verse

Football Wins since 2005

207—Boise St
196—Oregon
176—USC
171—BYU
166—Utah
143—Air Force
142—Fresno St
139—Washington
138—SDSU
137—Stanford
133—ASU
131—UCLA
128—Nevada
120—Hawai'i
118—Cal
116—Ore St
115—Utah St
113—Arizona
110—Wyoming
107—WSU
102—SJSU
99—CSU
89—Colorado
79—New…

— SuperWest Sports (@SuperWestSports) August 19, 2025

CBS Sports' @ShehanJeyarajah joined us on @espnthefan to talk BYU Football expectations and Bear Bachmeier:

Q: What are you hearing about the Bachmeier situation at BYU, and why could he be the guy to lead the Cougars in 2025?

It’s fascinating. He’s a freshman who came over… pic.twitter.com/0r5RvRwCmU

— Ben Criddle (@CriddleBenjamin) August 18, 2025

Bear Bachmeir has a nice, tall release.
Hits Chase Roberts who is man covered by Mory Bamaba for a quick TD.
Can Bear be the next big Freshman QB storyline?
I see many things I like from him, but the Big12 is a rough and tumble world! pic.twitter.com/dCZng1TXvW

— Hans Olsen (@975Hans) August 15, 2025

Extra points

• Cougar freshman wins Utah Open (Deseret News)
• Offense to feature up and comers (Provo Daily Herald)
• Parker Kingston is a home run ready to happen (KSLsports.com)

Fanalysts

Comments from Deseret News readers:

Shouldn’t matter who starts for the first few games, BYU could just run the ball on every play and win (should win); however getting the young kid some experience playing under the lights, running the huddle, seeing how the D lines up and reacts sure can’t hurt.

— Packers

What would you rather have?

1) An inexperienced QB or experienced proven front line

2) An experienced QB and inexperienced front line

BYU is in good hands.

— Legion_of_Many

Up next

• Aug. 23 | 3 p.m. |women’s volleyball | @ Idaho State
• Aug. 23 |7 p.m. | women’s soccer | UCLA
• Aug. 29 | 12 p.m. | women’s volleyball | FDU
• Aug. 29 | 12 p.m. | women’s volleyball | Central Michigan
• Aug. 29 | 7 p.m. | women’s soccer | Auburn
• Aug. 30 | 6 p.m. | football | Portland State
• Sept. 6 | 8:15 p.m. | football | Stanford

No official announcement has been made, but that doesn’t stop projections and guesses.

Just as important, if not significantly crucial, is how that starter will be protected. How is BYU’s offensive line? Will this group be stout, strong and together? Or will it be a lumbering crew of mistake-laden big guys who need time to gel?

In football, many say the offensive line is the most important group. Depending on how that unit goes, the rest often follows.

Projected starting center Bruce Mitchell believes the group is on the right track.

And this group that TJ Woods is putting together is giant in size. They average about 6-foot-4 and about 315-plus pounds. They’ve got the size, height, weight and girth to move bodies around.

Is freshman Bear Bachmeier in the lead heading down the homestretch in the BYU quarterback derby?

Can BYU’s experienced offensive line protect an inexperienced quarterback in 2025?

If the techniques are sound and execution is at a high level, whoever is playing quarterback should have a chance to do some damage. If not, close your eyes.

“I feel a lot more comfortable,” said Mitchell. “I think the offensive line is a lot more comfortable. We’ve been in Coach Woods’ system for a year now, so nothing’s new to anybody, and that’s helping us out a lot.

“Last year, this time, I was still trying to learn everything, and I’m starting to really settle in at center. I feel like we’re doing pretty well and ready to show what we can do in the next scrimmage.”

Mitchell told media members Friday he still needs to work hard and improve his hands and footwork but he’s feeling comfortable and getting used to making all the line calls. He started at center last year when injuries forced him to switch positions from guard to center.

Will BYU football’s unique culture hinder or help in brave new world of college sports?

“Now it’s just executing it and getting all the offensive linemen on the same page,” he said.

As a former guard, listening to calls barked out by the center, Mitchell’s role was completely different. Now, as the center, he’s got his hands on the ball every play. Pre-snap, he has to be sure everyone knows where they need to be, who they need to pick up on a blitz, where a double team might go. He has to remember his own job, but know extensively the job of everyone else.

He’s the central processing unit.

“You start to see things differently,” he said. “You try to see the blitzes even if they are not coming to you, so you have to have the right protections.”

Mitchell more than proved himself this past season when he switched from the defensive line to third-string center. When starter Connor Pay injured his foot before the Arizona game in Provo, Mitchell stepped in and helped lead the Cougars to a 41-19 win. It was his first start as center.

In his ever-switching roles, from one side of the line to the other, Mitchell proved his versatility and skill. First, he’s smart and can absorb the mental challenge. Second, he’s a great athlete. Third, he has an attitude and humility that lends to adaptability — all great traits in a successful O lineman.

After two years playing defense, he made the switch in 2024 and immediately got called upon to play for injured guards Sonny Makasini and Austin Leausa, a role he played in the 38-9 win over Kansas State. Then Pay went down and having been trained to back up Pay also, he switched to center.

Oklahoma State transfer Justin Kirkland bolsters defensive line, but won’t play in Cougars’ opener

That’s called stage acumen in Broadway.

Mitchell will be surrounded by experienced guards in Weylin Lapuaho (38 career starts), and either Leausa, Makasini or SUU transfer Kyle Sfarcioc. The tackles are 6-6, 315-pound Isaiah Jatta and Michigan transfer 6-8, 315-pound and right tackle Andrew Gentry.

Mitchell insists this group has bonded by camping out and making an offensive line group trek to St. George. This past week, the entire group found themselves in a cabin by Jordanelle Reservoir.

“I feel like we have bonded. You have to have all five guys on the same page, and if one is off, you’re going to give up a tackle for loss or a sack. You have to have good chemistry. It’s a fun position and with all the off-the-field stuff, I feel like we have come together.”

This QB derby was thrust upon the entire offense when the expected returning senior starter, Jake Retzlaff, was suspended for seven games in the 2025 season for breaking school rules. He then transferred to Tulane.

This is no little thing.

It puts pressure on all of Roderick’s position groups, from the running backs and receivers to tight ends and linemen.

BYU’s offense is under a lot of pressure to get a good start out of the chute and prepare for the Big 12 opener at Colorado.

A 2025 projected upper-tier Big 12 team after an 11-2 campaign in 2024, Retzlaff’s departure watered down expectations. Roderick needed to reshuffle his priorities in the summer and stage a competition between three candidates who were robbed of reps in spring because Retzlaff was an established QB1.

Mitchell told reporters he has been more than impressed by the three guys thrown into the gauntlet through a dozen fall practice sessions.

“I think they’re settling in kind of like us as offensive linemen,” said Mitchell.

“I was impressed with how all the quarterbacks came out. I felt they were all really prepared. They took it very seriously.”

Why whittling down QB1 battle from 3 to 2 was the right call

Mitchell was so impressed that he approached all three — McCae Hillstead, Treyson Bourguet and Bear Bachmeier — and told them just that.

“It didn’t feel like the offense skipped a beat coming into fall camp. You can tell the quarterbacks are settling into their roles a little bit and, yeah, that they’re getting comfortable with the pockets we’re giving them.”

Mitchell said the QBs who are under scrutiny have boosted confidence in practices. He said even the defense they’ve been going against likes to see the QBs performing at a high level.

“It’s awesome when you know your quarterbacks are in sync and are in rhythm. You know it when they’re completing it every single play in the two-minute drive ... and get us in the right place. They are settling in.”

Quarterbacks might be the king of playmaking, but linemen, in particular the center like Mitchell, write the script.

In my opinion, the Cougars will replace senior starter Jake Retzlaff, who transferred to Tulane, with true freshman Bear Bachmeier.

It’s a gamble. It’s as rare as a bloody slab of sirloin steak. It’s something BYU’s quarterback factory, a system that’s passed for more yards than any other college football program, is not used to doing.

But these are times in the Big 12 when BYU must move forward and look to the future with a four-star recruit, a guy who signed with Stanford out of Murrieta High in California and had offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Michigan, Notre Dame and Stanford, to mention a few.

You bring a recruit like Bachmeier to Provo with the carrot of competitive NIL money, and challengers McCae Hillstead and Treyson Bourguet would need to rocket past him and make it clear to offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick that there was no other decision to be made but to pick one of them.

Is freshman Bear Bachmeier in the lead heading down the homestretch in the BYU quarterback derby?

What BYU’s starting QB candidates are saying about the competition as fall camp opens in Provo

Apparently, from practice reports and media availability sessions, that didn’t happen.

Instead, all of them had their moments, and Roderick and other coaches felt pressed to give Bachmeier first-team reps. Not all, but a significant number, more than a fair share.

Bachmeier, the younger brother of former Boise State, Louisiana Tech and Wake Forest quarterback Hank Bachmeier, displayed an impressive ability to digest Roderick’s complex offense. He makes solid reads, doesn’t take sacks and had a lot of completions.

And, more importantly in Roderick’s schemes, he has the ability to make the QB run a threat and gain yards when plays break down. He has decent speed, but his size at 6-foot-2, 225 pounds provides him with an extra tool to break tackles at the point of attack.

Meanwhile, Hillstead provides not only experience but sprinter speed. He can extend plays like Arizona’s Noah Fifita and has the arm to complete deep passes accurately. He is BYU’s best improviser to extend plays and gave BYU’s defense fits as the prep team QB.

Sources say Hillstead believes he was brought in to play and could help the Retzlaff departure situation. He has been in the program the longest and his maturity is valuable. Some liken it to several years ago when BYU kept an older and more mature Jaren Hall on a string while they propped up freshman Zach Wilson, who ultimately started over Hall en route to being the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

There are plenty in Hillstead’s corner, including those who covered him at Utah State, former BYU offensive coordinator Brandon Doman and Alpha Recruits owner Will Snowden, the former Cougar and father of Ute cornerback Smith Snowden. Hillstead’s reputation among Utah prep experts is sterling and respected.

At this stage of fall camp, Roderick and the offensive coaches must keep all quarterbacks engaged and challenged in a competitive atmosphere where they believe they can start, lead and win. There’s always the draw of the transfer portal looming.

You let all QBs get their beaks wet. Give them a taste. That’s why many QB starters are not named until close to game week and the start of school. BYU begins fall classes Sept. 4.

Will BYU football’s unique culture hinder or help in brave new world of college sports?

The other thought, according to sources, is that Roderick could start Bachmeier in the season opener against Portland State but bring in Hillstead after the first or second quarter, then evaluate what they saw and revisit their decisions for the Stanford game the following week.

It would be easier to start Bachmeier and bring in Hillstead in relief if he stumbled badly. It would be a little tougher to start Hillstead, and if he stumbled, go to Bachmeier. That would be a lot of added pressure on the freshman. BYU saw this exact thing when freshman Jake Heaps replaced an older Riley Nelson.

The time has come to give the BYU starting QB 90% of the reps and prepare for the opener. Could this happen on Monday?

A big part of this QB dilemma is that all three candidates have faced perhaps the best defense they’ll see this season. Jay Hill’s side of the ball has been impressive. A great defense can retard the progression of an offense early, but can also become a strength because it eliminates a false sense of excellence.

Historically, BYU has not had a true freshman quarterback start a season opener, which makes the potential for Bachmeier to do so in 2025 a significant milestone.

While no true freshman has started the season opener, a few have played significant roles during their freshman seasons. In 2018, true freshman Wilson did not start the season but played in nine games, starting seven after taking over midseason.

He completed 120 of 182 passes (65.9%) for 1,578 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions. He also rushed for 75 yards and two touchdowns as BYU finished 7-6, including a 49-18 win over Western Michigan in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Wilson threw for 317 yards and four touchdowns in that bowl game.

But remember, Wilson played an independent schedule in 2018, unlike the Big 12 slate that BYU’s new starter will face in 2025.

Max Hall, a redshirt freshman in 2007, started all 13 games for the Cougars but was not a true freshman. He threw for 3,848 yards, 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, leading BYU to a 10-2 regular season and 17-16 win over UCLA in the Las Vegas Bowl.

It’s tough to see a true freshman rise up and lead a team to a double-digit season. It takes a tremendous talent, a lot of confidence and growth early and a good head.

It also requires a team to have an outstanding defense to absorb QB mistakes and overcome possible bad field positions. Luckily for whoever starts, BYU could have a better defense than the one that led the Big 12 last season.

A true freshman also needs an outstanding supporting cast, including an elite offensive line. It remains to be seen if BYU’s O-line fits that utility.

Here are four true freshmen who have started at the Power Four level in recent years. They succeeded because of all of the above factors. Their careers proved it in college and beyond.

Trevor Lawrence (Clemson, 2018)

Season results: Completed 259 of 397 passes (65.2%) for 3,280 yards, 30 touchdowns and four interceptions. Rushed for 177 yards and one touchdown. Led Clemson to a 15-0 record and the national championship, defeating Alabama 44-16.

Impact: Lawrence’s poise and arm talent made him an instant star, setting the stage for two more national title appearances and being the No. 1 overall NFL draft pick in 2021 just ahead of Wilson.

Jake Fromm (Georgia, 2017)

Season results: Completed 181 of 291 passes (62.2%) for 2,615 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Rushed for 55 yards and three touchdowns. Led Georgia to a 13-2 record, reaching the national championship game (lost to Alabama 26-23 in overtime).

Impact: Fromm stepped in after Jacob Eason’s injury and led Georgia to an SEC title and a near-national championship, showcasing remarkable poise.

Dylan Raiola (Nebraska, 2024)

Season results: As one of the only true freshmen to start Week 1 at a Power Four school in 2024, Raiola threw for 2,999 yards, 18 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, leading Nebraska to a 6-6 record and a bowl appearance.

Impact: Raiola, a five-star recruit, brought stability to Nebraska’s quarterback position and showed promise as a future star.

JT Daniels (USC, 2018)

Season Results: Completed 216 of 363 passes (59.5%) for 2,672 yards, 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Led USC to a 5-7 record, missing a bowl game.

Impact: Despite a losing season, Daniels showed flashes of brilliance, becoming the first true freshman to start a season opener for USC since 2001.

Could Bachmeier come in and complete 60% of his passes, approach 2,800 yards, deliver a dozen-plus touchdowns through the air and three or four on the ground with 300 or 400 yards rushing and have under 10 picks?

If he does that, it would be impressive. If he starts and BYU gets eight wins, that would be a success.

The success of true freshman quarterbacks is rare at the Power Four level due to the complexity of college offenses and the physical demands of the position.

If BYU starts Bachmeier, and it appears it will happen, it would be historic in Provo. He has a great starting ramp with Portland State and Stanford at home before going to East Carolina, then the Big 12 opener at Colorado.

Portland State is a great opener for a rookie. Stanford is rebuilding with a new staff and Bachmeier and his brother, receiver Tiger, fled that program to Provo.

This is an intriguing situation.

And a gutsy call for BYU coaches to make.

McCae Hillstead, Treyson Bourguet and Bear Bachmeier will likely never forget the battle they’ve had this summer to replace departed Jake Retzlaff. The QB1 derby has forced all of them to meet the challenge and be better. A race is always good unless it goes on too long and nobody separates themselves from the other two.

After the weekend, offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick met with head coach Kalani Sitake and pass game coordinator/receivers coach Fesi Sitake and the decision was made to narrow reps to USU transfer Hillstead and true freshman and former Stanford commit Bachmeier.

Then, Bachmeier took the majority of the reps as QB1. This is fascinating because it shows that this freshman, a four-star recruit with offers from Michigan, Notre Dame and Stanford, to name a few, has pushed the others hard enough that coaches must choose to go with experience (Hillstead) or evaluated raw talent (Bachmeier), who is higher on charts like Rivals and 247sports, that track those traits.

In last Saturday’s initial 100-play scrimmage, BYU’s defense dominated and the offense misfired and looked sloppy, according to coaches. On the other hand, the offense had no turnovers, a primary goal by Roderick.

Meanwhile, the preseason AP Poll released this week has BYU and Utah just outside of the top 25.

Question of the week

With Saturday’s scrimmage challenged by “sloppy” play by the offense, is this an area of concern for Aaron Roderick as he breaks in a new QB1?

Jay Drew: Head coach Kalani Sitake and offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick both mentioned sloppy, penalty-filled play by the offense in last Saturday’s scrimmage at LaVell Edwards Stadium. It might just be an anomaly. We will learn a lot more after the Cougars’ next scrimmage.

I’ve got a feeling that it could be a season-long issue. We’ve already seen some screw-ups and one bad snap in the media-viewing portions of fall camp practices. Without a seasoned, veteran quarterback, that’s probably to be expected. But what happens when BYU’s offense, and whichever QB gets the starting job, starts facing live bullets?

Expectations are high for this offensive line after the way TJ Woods’ unit performed last year. But don’t forget that three key pieces are missing — Connor Pay, Caleb Etienne and Brayden Keim, and those guys won’t be easy to replace. Not only were they dominant, but they mostly played mistake-free. If there are more reports of sloppiness and procedural penalties after the next scrimmage, it is probably time to hit the panic button.

Dick Harmon: No school has passed for more college football yards than BYU. During that time, Cougar staff members have figured out how to get offenses in sync, develop quarterbacks, and protect them. Oh, there have been ups and downs. When you break in a new QB1, it takes time.

I remember when Steve Young came in for Jim McMahon at Colorado. He struggled, but led BYU to a win. When Marc Wilson came in for Gifford Nielsen at CSU in 1979, he set an NCAA record with seven touchdown passes. We can remember Baylor Romney coming in and “rising up.” Nobody can say Christian Stewart in for Taysom Hill was a failure.

Just because one of 11 is gone doesn’t mean a team defaults to failure. But a senior returning starting QB is huge.

The sloppy play in the first scrimmage is concerning, but not unusual. Offenses must execute and timing and choreography is everything. Seeing an offense struggle early is simply football science. Hold off on the panic. Defenses are not as nuanced and can just tee off. I think some of BYU’s offensive struggles in the first scrimmage was the result of just how good Jay Hill’s defense is. Word is that tackle Keanu Tanevasa is exploding things up at the point of attack and that is leading to jitters.

While we still have to see if offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick can elevate one of these three QBs as he did with Jaren Hall, Zach Wilson and Jake Retzlaff, he did make a curious statement Monday when he told reporters the offense was just where he wanted it to be. He praised the run game.

BYU’s offense will take its biggest step forward when it isn’t auditioning three or even two QBs to be the starter. Once one of these guys is given the reins and gets 90% of the reps, the offense will find more continuity and chemistry from the line to the backs and receivers.

Cougar tales

BYU’s defense, as expected, has taken early dominance in fall practice sessions as the offense held tryouts for QB1 and centered on execution. Here are our camp stories from the past few days:

• DB Beasley finds home on Provo campus (Jay Drew)
• Does the RB position lack depth? (Jay Drew)
• Coaches promise QB clarity soon (Jay Drew)
• Leadership surfacing for BYU football (Dick Harmon) 
• QB role at BYU demands these things (Dave McCann)
• A-Rod: There’s beginning of a separation (Jackson Payne)

From the archives

Big 12 projections all over the place as voices line up to opine

Mitch Mathews reflects on his own season of change at quarterback

From the X-verse

Here are #4 #leadership lessons I learned from my Head #Football Coach, LaVell Edwards of @BYUfootball. Under his leadership, I aspired to lead like him. pic.twitter.com/SL4nrR3Zqj

— Dr. Derwin L. Gray (@DerwinLGray) August 9, 2025

ARod stressed that one of the most important things on offense is not turning over the ball.

Since 2020, BYU has had an average of 1.13 turnovers lost per game, which is the 15th lowest in the nation.

From 2020-2022, their 0.82 turnovers per game was the lowest in FBS.

— CougarStats (@CougarStats) August 11, 2025

Longtime BYU pledge backs off.

IMO, BYU will be in the market for a high school QB who will join the roster for 2026. Could also go to the portal, but they’ll need players to join right away. https://t.co/gVMnGyPpxz

— Jeff Hansen (@rakoto10) August 5, 2025

Extra points

• Breaking down scrimmage with Fesi Sitake (KSLsports)
• BYU most dissed team by AP voters (Jeff Fuller)
• Provo 5 for 5 in creating pro players (@BYUMBB)

Fanalysts

Comments from Deseret News readers:

Enough of this. Let’s play already. I am a little disappointed that after two weeks they haven’t whittled it down to two yet. I find it hard to believe that at least two of the QBs haven’t separated themselves by now. Reps with the first team are at a prime this close to the start of the season.

— Valhalla

I’m guessing the Bear is a lot better than the coaches realized. They thought Hillstead would distance himself quickly but the competition is very close. We could probably beat Portland State with the other freshman QB, but Stanford will be ready to blitz the heck out of whoever we play, but especially a freshman.

— CA.Reader

Up Next

• Aug. 14| 6 p.m. | soccer | @ Minnesota
• Aug. 18 | 7 p.m. | soccer | @ Cal Poly
• Aug. 23 | 3 p.m. | women’s volleyball | @ Idaho State
• Aug. 23 | 7 p.m. | soccer | UCLA
• Aug. 29 | 12 p.m. | women’s volleyball | FDU
• Aug. 30 | 6 p.m. | football | Portland State
• Sept. 6  | 8:15 p.m. | football |Stanford

A year ago, the favorites crashed, and those picked to hover around the bottom of the standings rose up.

It was a remarkable exercise of hole diving and resurrection.

ASU was picked last and won the Big 12 title game. Utah was picked to be the champion and struggled to win five games.

You have to like this league for its competitive value. One year ago, any team could beat any other team on any given week, and that might just be the case again this year.

Oh, you have your favorites, and some teams are simply better than others, but injuries, momentum, consistency, turnovers and long road games have basically made predicting the standings an exercise in tossing darts.

Phil Steele predicts Baylor to win the Big 12, with Utah second and Iowa State third. Like many experts, he believes in Bears quarterback Sawyer Robertson and pays tribute to Utah’s great defensive reputation and imported offensive coordinator Jason Beck and QB Devon Dampier. He throws the defending champ a bone at No. 4 but declares Iowa State will finish third. He has BYU No. 8.

Alex Kirshner of Opta Analyst picks Kansas State to win the Big 12 with Baylor second, followed by Kansas, Texas Tech and ASU at fifth. He has BYU No. 7 and Utah 13th.

See the evidence? It’s a crapshoot.

Brett Ciancia of “Pick Six Previews” has an extensive look at the season, Steele’s product. He uses an endorsement by Stassen.com to declare he has “the most accurate college preview since 2014.”

In 2024 Ciancia had Utah picked No. 1 and Baylor way down at No. 12. He had Kansas State No. 2 and Oklahoma State at No. 3. He had UCF, Arizona, Iowa State and TCU tied at No. 6 and projected BYU next to last at No. 14 before the Cougars finished 11-2 and were ranked in the Top 10 for a week.

Last year, the Big 12 pistol-whipped Ciancia’s preview.

In 2025, Ciancia has ASU to win the Big 12 and defend its title. He has Baylor and Texas Tech tied at No. 2 followed by the Utes at No. 4. He has TCU and Kansas State tied at No. 5, Iowa State seventh and BYU No. 8.

The Always Talkin’ Podcast has Baylor and ASU playing for the Big 12 title with Utah 7th and BYU 9th.

Looking at every matchup in the Big 12 for the entire season, “First and XII --A Big 12 Podcast” projected the total records for all the league teams in 2025. The projection has Iowa State at 11-1, ASU, BYU, Texas Tech and Baylor at 10-2, TCU to finish 9-3 and Kansas State and Utah at 8-4.

Kelly Ford at Statswar says Big 12 teams have a 32% chance to win at least four league games and no team has better than a 32% chance to win at least seven conference games. He has Kansas State No. 1, followed by No. 2 ASU, No. 3 Baylor, No. 4 Texas Tech, BYU at No. 5 and Utah No. 8 behind TCU and Kansas.

At PEAratings, Kansas State is picked No. 1, followed by TCU, then Baylor. BYU is 8th and Utah 14th.

As one can see, these projections are all over the place. Generally, Baylor and Kansas State are considered the top teams with ASU somewhere near the top.

For the locals, all these projections generally have Utah and BYU in the middle of the pack in a league that will be famous for upsets, victims of sneaky comebacks and strange scores.

This is a league of quarterbacks. The Big 12 has perhaps the deepest QB group of any conference in the country, and that puts a premium on Utah’s Dampier and whomever BYU chooses to take the reins. The clock is ticking, however, and the sooner the decision is made in Provo the better.

Bottom line?

Hold on to your tailgate plates. This is going to be fun, and no matter the source, remember, no one is an expert in predicting the Big 12. Nobody knows how it will turn out.

It’s roulette.

They can do it silently. Do it by example. Speak up, maybe yell a little, or a lot. But they’re the guys on a football team that take charge, men who teammates listen to and want to follow and not disappoint.

It’s been that way since men tasked themselves with others to fight, hunt, or go steal somebody’s land.

BYU lost a good leader in Jake Retzlaff and they’ll sorely miss him. He was energetic, positive, confident, supportive until he slipped up off the field and disappeared when the Cougars were on the threshold of the 2025 season.

So, who is going to step up?

On offense, it will be senior receiver Chase Roberts, and to a lesser “outspoken” extent, running back LJ Martin.

BYU’s recipe for naming its starting QB will be a slow-cook process

On defense, two leaders expected to stand out are transfer defensive tackle Keanu Tanuvasa and safety Tanner Wall.

They’re believable achievers who work hard, and when they speak, others listen.

This past week, Roberts explained how he hopes to lead BYU this season.

It’s basic Spartacus stuff.

“I pride myself in that I want to be the best possible leader I can be,” Roberts told the media.

“First, making plays on the field. I think that’s the best way, and then making sure everyone’s in the right place, being confident on and off the field, putting my arm around them (teammates) and making sure that they’re OK, that their lives are in balance, at least they are striving to be, and helping out in any way I can.”

Should running back depth be a concern for Cougars in 2025?

Meanwhile, on the other side of the line, head coach Kalani Sitake and defensive coordinator Jay Hill have found a sword-and-spear gladiator in Tanuvasa. They don’t have to even wind him up, he’s already spinning when he wakes up.

“He’s, always been an explosive player, but seeing him work with Sione (Po’uha) and with Gary (Andersen) and with Jay in the system, I think we’re leaning on his leadership,” said Sitake.

“He’s done a great job getting the energy up. You see it at the end of practice. The defense has been like that every practice that he’s been involved in, so I think it’s the things that he does off the field that helps our team more than anything. But it helps out too that he’s very disruptive.”

Sitake said Martin is bigger, stronger and faster, and because he’s more mature and knows the playbook, it’s a natural step up for him to be a leader on offense.

“Instead of trying to memorize stuff, he has ideas and thoughts on how we can block things. That’s when you know you have a guy that’s kind of a veteran, and we can count on him. The first two years he didn’t talk much and now he’s speaking up, and guys are listening.”

Wall was leading BYU as a special teams player and second-string safety.

The mantle of a BYU quarterback is a heavy load

“You don’t need to be a starter to be a leader, but it helps that he’s had a significant amount of reps and starts under his belt,” Sitake said of Wall. “We can lean on him and others know what he says makes sense, and if it’s true, we abide by it.

“It takes great guys who want to follow and humble guys who want to follow in order for a leader to excel and Tanner has always been comfortable saying the right things at the right time.”

On Saturday, Sitake will take his team through its first major scrimmage. This event, expected to go upwards of 70 or 80 plays, will go a long way in giving coaches signs of who may lead in the QB race to replace Retzlaff.

The candidates are USU transfer McCae Hillstead, Western Michigan transfer Treyson Bourguet and freshman Bear Bachmeire.

BYU needs one of these guys to not only separate himself from the others as a playmaker, but also as a leader. QBs always wear that mantle.

“We’ve told them we want them to make it hard for us to decide,” said Sitake.

Making it hard begins with delivering big plays, completing drives, avoiding mistakes and leading the offense to TDs.

Not a big ask, right?

A three-school journey, from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City and now Provo, has brought a 6-foot-4, 250-pound tight end to BYU’s offense with designs that this former four-star Utah high school athlete will make a significant contribution.

How will BYU’s offense utilize Utah/UCLA transfer tight end Carsen Ryan?

At Utah in 2024, Ryan made 10 catches for 113 yards and one touchdown. He operated in an offense that struggled after projected starting quarterback Cam Rising injured his hand against Baylor early in the season.

Will Ryan get more production in Aaron Roderick’s offense in 2025 as a transfer portal addition to the Cougars roster?

Yes.

Roderick needs Ryan’s size, speed, maturity and hands in his offense. He needs a safe, big athletic target as he breaks in a QB to replace Jake Retzlaff.

On the BYU defense, there is no QB competition

This local QB has decommitted from BYU

Suddenly, those short routes out of the backfield, those quick hitters out of motion sets, those middle-of-the-field crossing routes and quick curls, digs and hooks at the linebacker level are safe calls, and part of BYU tradition.

He needs defenses to worry about more than covering Chase Roberts and other receivers when he aggressively sends them deep to stretch the field. He needs Ryan in pro pass protection.

What’s the over/under for Ryan’s receptions, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30?

Well, let’s break it down.

In a receiver-oriented passing attack in 2024, converted receiver tight end Keanu Hill had 12 catches. Ryan has to have more than 12, or why bring him in with NIL money?

BYU’s defense had 22 interceptions last year, three each by Jakob Robinson, Tanner Wall and Isaiah Glasker. Ryan just has to get more catches than defensive players did in 2024, right?

Roberts led BYU in receiving with 52 catches, followed by Darius Lassiter’s 45 and Keelan Marion at 24. Parker Kingston had 13, even though he was used a lot as a jet sweep threat.

Ryan isn’t going to get 52 catches. That’s an unreasonable expectation even if BYU has had seasons where the tight end was a huge emphasis, such as with Dennis Pitta (83 in 2008 and 62 in 2009), Mitch Mathews (73 in 2014), Chris Smith (68 in 1990), Gordon Hudson (67 in 1981 and 1982) and Jonny Harline (63 in 2005).

The use of the tight end is almost a necessity to help QBs, as proven by Steve Young (Hudson), Detmer (Smith), Max Hall (Pitta). But they have to be physical and fast, and have some height and good hands.

Roderick knows this as well as anyone.

Perhaps this is what he sold four-star 2026 class recruit Brock Harris (Pine View High) to get him to commit to the Cougars this past spring. Harris is the No. 5 tight end recruit in the country and No. 2 recruit in Utah, according to 247 Sports.

BYU tight end Carsen Ryan wants to deliver a big-time season for his hero

Where are BYU and Utah ranked in the preseason coaches top-25 poll?

And remember that rival Utah has been emphasizing this for the past several years with tight end coach Fred Whittingham, who was in the offense with Detmer and Smith at BYU in the late 1980s and ’90s.

BYU needs to get back in the tight end business and has neglected it since Isaac Rex tied for the NCAA touchdown total by a tight end (12) in 2020. In his healthy seasons, 2020 and 2023, Rex had 37 and 34 receptions, respectively.

In 2025, expect Ryan to get more touches because he needs to be targeted. With talented upperclassman LJ Martin coming back, look for him to be called upon to take on a significant load to help whoever comes in at QB. He’ll certainly get passes thrown his way on delay and wheel routes out of the backfield.

But it is reasonable to put targets for Ryan higher than Hill got last year when Roberts and Lassiter were the main guys for Retzlaff.

If he performs at a high level, Ryan should triple his receptions from last season at Utah, and the over/under would be over 30.

Ryan would like that.

Following last Friday’s practice, Ryan said he’s ready and anxious for his number to be called.

“I definitely like coming out for quick out route, but I like a bit of a dig route and some seam routes. I like going over the middle. I’ll do whatever I can do to make it easy for the quarterbacks. I feel I can get open and get through my breaks and create space — that’s my favorite stuff,” said Ryan.

Losing Retzlaff after all that invested time was a downer, admits Ryan, and the entire offense feels it. But it’s also forced everyone to work harder and try to help by performing their parts more effectively every practice.

“They (the QBs) have been getting better each day. We have to work on the chemistry every day and allow them to develop and figure out who will start. It’s our job to help with the timing, be in the right spot and position so the quarterback doesn’t have to call it out and can focus on his reads and progressions.

“We just want to get better each day, and that’s all you can ask for right now.”

Ryan said he’s telling the truth when he declares he doesn’t know who the favorite for quarterback is right now.

“They’ve all shown a lot of great stuff, they are great guys and it’s a close battle right now. I can’t say who it will be. Anyone can take it.”

In the tight end room, Ryan hopes senior Ethan Erickson quickly returns from nursing an injury, because he’s experienced with the offense and his knowledge is valuable. Ryan believes freshman Noah Moeaki and New Mexico transfer Keayen Nead will be contributors and credits both for being good blockers in 12 personnel sets.

Yes, Ryan is a quick-fix transfer for BYU’s offense, a move Roderick made to enhance that position group. The investment was pitched and made. Roderick did find Rex 12 touchdown catches a few years ago with 37 catches.

Now, how will he use Ryan?

Rueckert is Young’s first commitment in the class of 2026 after monster gains in the transfer portal and the signing of projected No. 1 NBA draft pick AJ Dybantsa in the class of 2025.

What does it mean for BYU basketball?

It means momentum.

Question of the week

Question of the week: With the addition of ESPN Top 70 recruit and Utah’s No. 1 prospect in the class of 2026, Dean Rueckert of Timpview High, what does this local addition say about Kevin Young’s recruiting at this point in time?

Jay Drew: It probably wasn’t an absolute necessity for second-year BYU basketball coach Kevin Young to land four-star prospect Dean Rueckert out of nearby Timpview High, but in some circles it might have been viewed as a bit of a setback if Young hadn’t signed the local, given the coach’s unbelievable recruiting success since he arrived in Provo some 16 months ago.

Rueckert, a 6-foot-8 small forward who is ranked as the No. 68 prospect in the country in the class of 2026, has not always been a slam dunk for BYU, according to several sources who follow local prep recruiting much more closely than I do. So Young should be credited for doing what was necessary to get the young man in Cougar blue.

What was necessary was winning, which is and always will be the surest way to get local recruits, especially those with offers from the other top in-state programs, Utah and Utah State. Rueckert is probably one of those kids who wouldn’t have chosen BYU if the Cougars were still in the West Coast Conference. So BYU’s Big 12 membership almost certainly was a factor as well.

Rueckert is Young’s first commit from the 2026 class, and one of those guys who should be able to immediately contend for playing time because he can shoot the basketball with the best of them. At that level, shooting is at a premium.

Lest he become another Kanon Catchings, he should continue to focus on improving his defense, a weakness that ultimately kept Catchings off the court in Young’s system.

Dick Harmon: One of the pillars of BYU’s athletic department is to recruit and add the best talent from those who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Of course, BYU will not get them all, but with the commitment of five-star QB Ryder Lyons and now Rueckert, that emphasis is partially fulfilled in major sports in the class of 2026.

It would have been an embarrassment to add five-star elite players like AJ Dybantsa and Robert Wright III and then lose a four-star like Rueckert, who is literally across the street. It is also interesting that Kentucky’s Mark Pope may have avoided recruiting Timpview after former Thunderbirds Jake Wahlin and (former Cougar) Hunter Erickson ended up at Utah during his tenure in Provo.

Rueckert is an elite shooter who can handle the ball at 6-8 and plays above the rim. He’s a perfect addition for Kevin Young’s uptick in adding athletic drivers and finishers because he can put it up from beyond the arc and put it on the floor and attack the rim.

He’s smart, with a great feel for the game. His confidence level is off the charts. After hitting the weight room and getting stronger so he can hold off defenders on screens and be a factor on the pick-and-roll, he’ll definitely be a future star — a Tyler Haws with height, or a faster, more nimble Kevin Nixon.

What this signals is Young can deliver the local star and get in the conversation with the elite on a national level. No wonder the Marriott Center sold out for this season. The student section (ROC) sold out in an hour. It’s a whole new world and BYU fans want a part of it. The momentum Young has created is unprecedented.

Cougar tales

Fall football camp entered its second week in preparation for the season opener against Portland State. Here is a collection of our camp story headlines:

• Could this defense be better than 2024? (Jackson Payne)
• Where BYU and Utah rank in preseason coaches poll (Brandon Judd)
• A-Rod will slow cook his QB decision (Dick Harmon)
• Retzlaff departure causes expectations to drop (Jay Drew)
• What QB candidates say about the competition (Deseret News)
• Sione Moa anxious to prove himself (Deseret News)
• LJ Martin wants to pick right up from bowl game (Deseret News)

From the archives

Tiger Bachmeier, a graduate transfer from Stanford, is ready to earn his stripes all over again

Raider Damuni is making his case at strong safety

From X-verse

BYU checks in at No. 23 in the preseason Coaches Top 25 poll. pic.twitter.com/4q3loNspbp

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) August 4, 2025

What’s it like playing in a Jay Hill Defense?

Tre Alexander & Jonathon Kabeya break it down@therriannn @iamjonathann_2 @CoachJayHill pic.twitter.com/4d8nEAyJPe

— CougConnect (@CougConnect) August 4, 2025

FERRIN, ROBERTS, GLASKER NAMED TO PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS ALL-BIG 12 PRESEASON TEAM

BYU kicker Will Ferrin, linebacker Isaiah Glasker and wide receiver Chase Roberts were today named to the Pro Football Focus 2025 All-Big 12 Preseason Football Team.

A total of 26 individuals from 13… pic.twitter.com/JGV1f4zDON

— Ben Criddle (@CriddleBenjamin) August 4, 2025

Extra points

• This local QB decommits from BYU (Deseret News)
• Retzlaff praises BYU teammates, coach (Deseret News)

Fanalysts

Comments from Deseret News readers:

Another 4* recruit coming our way … this is just getting routine.

— WalkerTexasRanger

The freight train is running with no brake! Another stellar 4*!!! Is this really real?!

— RR

“BYU’s defense was the best in the Big 12 in 2024. Could this year’s edition be better?”

Last year, BYU won games because of the defense, and them getting turnovers, creating short-field situations. The offense was a near basement-dweller in almost every stat. For the first time in a long time BYU has been able to rely on its defense to win games, and score points.

Considering BYU’s continuing mediocre offense, and QB play, the team will be even more reliant on the defense.

Hiring Jay Hill has been BYU’s most important coaching addition since ... Bronco.

— Majmajor

Up next

• Aug. 6 | 8 p.m. | women’s soccer | Southern Utah
• Aug. 9 | 7 p.m. | women’s soccer | Utah Tech
• Aug. 14 | 7 p.m. | women’s soccer | Minnesota
• Aug. 18 | 7 p.m. | women’s soccer | Cal Poly