As they say, everything happens for a reason. Jake’s loss turned out to be Bear’s gain. What was supposedly a returner QB1’s offense at BYU Cougars is now all Bear Bachmeier’s. Coach Kalani Sitake and offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick planned everything that would have suited Jake Retzlaff. But his untimely departure has passed on those perks, willingly or unwillingly, to the first freshman starter in BYU history. The Cougars didn’t plan it this way, yet here they are, hitching the wagon to an 18-year-old who suddenly gets the keys to an offense of a historic program.

The surprise twist is how Roderick’s adjustments for Jake are now serving as a launchpad for Bear Bachmeier. The OC pulled back the curtain on the play-call tweaks that were meant to ease Jake into the season. “Well, it wasn’t for him, it was actually for Jake. We streamlined our offense for Jake,” Roderick said. Asked how this will help Bear, he continued, “because we thought we were going to try to play as fast as we could this year and get more snaps. And it turned out to be a blessing in disguise, though it turned out to be beneficial for Bear because we trimmed down some of our verbiage.” For a freshman QB, that’s not just a perk. It means less jargon, quicker rhythm, and more chances to grow into the role without being buried by complexity.

But Bear Bachmeier isn’t just surviving on a simplified script. His coaches and teammates rave about the brainpower behind the arm. Roderick has called him “brilliant,” and his high school coach has long insisted Bachmeier owns a photographic memory, a rare gift for a young player stepping into an entirely new system. Add in the fact that he participated in spring ball at Stanford before enrolling at BYU, and you have a player who has already tasted Power Four speed and complexity. He’s not walking blind into the storm. Instead, he enters with both intellectual sharpness and a bit of field-tested experience. Exactly what a freshman needs when history is asking him to make it look easy.

And the roster around him? It’s built to soften the landing. In the backfield, LJ Martin and Sione Moa are capable runners who can control tempo and take pressure off Bachmeier’s right arm. At wide receiver, Chase Roberts provides the veteran glue, while Parker Kingston, JoJo Phillips, and Cody Hagen bring the speed that can stretch defenses vertically. Carsen Ryan at tight end offers that trusty safety valve over the middle, the kind every young QB leans on in third-and-medium situations. Most critically, BYU’s offensive line returns with significant starting experience. Perhaps the single most important factor in making sure Bear Bachmeier doesn’t spend September on the ground at LaVell Edwards Stadium.

Defensively, the Cougars are projected to be a top-25 unit, meaning Bachmeier doesn’t need to carry the weight of shootouts every Saturday. That cushion matters. A strong defense allows Kalani Sitake and Roderick to script easier game plans, lean on the run when necessary, and let Bear play with confidence instead of desperation. Special teams, also tracking as a top-25 group, add another safety net by tilting field position and creating short-field opportunities. Put it together and BYU’s architecture around their freshman QB looks as sturdy as it has in years. An ecosystem designed for steady growth rather than trial by fire.

What’s perhaps most striking is how Sitake’s culture aligns with Roderick’s track record. This staff knows how to develop quarterbacks, and they aren’t asking Bachmeier to be Superman on Day One. Instead, they’re setting the table for a controlled ascent, sprinkling in easy throws, high-percentage reads, and enough pace to keep defenses honest. For a program that has thrived on stability, this feels like the perfect balance between risk and reward. And it’s not just the current staff buying in. A former BYU legend recently explained why he believes Bachmeier can succeed.

Riley Nelson sees the blueprint for Bear Bachmeier’s success

Few voices resonate in Provo quite like former Cougar Riley Nelson, the man who steered BYU’s offense from 2009–12. Nelson isn’t just cautiously optimistic about Bear Bachmeier. He’s laying out a checklist that makes the freshman’s ceiling look sky-high. “A lot of reasons. He’s a four-star recruit with offers from Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, you name it. He’s a dual-threat at 6’2″, 225 pounds, with proven passing and running ability. He comes from a football family, has a high IQ, and his coaches rave about his memory and preparation,” Nelson told Ben Criddle.

That resume reads like the starter kit for a future face of the program. Nelson pointed out how much of a head start Bear has already: “He also got early college reps at Stanford before transferring, and he’s familiar with some of BYU’s personnel. Aaron Roderick called him ‘brilliant,’ and his high school coach said he has a photographic memory. Add in a favorable early schedule, six winnable games with three at home, plus a bye in Week Three, and he’s in a good spot.”

And then there are the tools around him that we discussed above. Nelson rattled them off with ease, weapons in Martin, Roberts, Kingston, Phillips, Hagen, and Ryan, plus an experienced O-line and a projected Top-25 defense. “Add continuity with the coaching staff, home-field advantage at LaVell Edwards, and even John Beck training him since middle school, that’s a solid foundation.” It’s rare when all the stars align for a freshman.