It was all sunshine and smooth throws in Provo — until it wasn’t. BYU came out hot last fall, rattling off a 9-0 start with Jake Retzlaff dealing heat in OC Aaron Roderick’s offense. Cougar fans were dreaming big, maybe even Playoff big. But then November rolled in like a bad storm. Two brutal losses knocked the wind out of their sails, and just when a bowl win over Deion Sanders’ Colorado started to patch things up, the real bomb dropped — Retzlaff was out. Honor code strike. Packed his bags and left town. Now Tulane’s QB headache. And in his place? A QB room with more questions than answers, and one wild card with a name built for headlines: Bear Bachmeier.

OC Roderick isn’t in a hurry to crown a QB1. Meeting with reporters on August 1 at Zions Bank Practice Field, he shut down any hopes for a quick decision. “No, not ready. Need more time,” Roderick said. “We’re giving equal reps to three guys — and you guys know who the three are — and they’re doing a good job. It’s too soon to try to measure any separation. I think we need to give everybody more opportunities before we start to make any kind of decisions. It’s going to be a minute.”

Those ‘three’? Utah State transfer McCae Hillstead, Western Michigan transfer Treyson Bourguet, and the upside-potential freshman, Bear Bachmeier. Hillstead looks like the safe bet. He’s got actual college snaps — over 1,000 passing yards last year — and his spring ball scrambles turned heads. In Roderick’s scheme, mobility isn’t a bonus; it’s part of the blueprint. Bourguet? He’s the Hollywood Rocky Balboa walk-on story. No scholarship, no promises, just grit and over 1,300 career passing yards. He’s the guy who stuck around when others bolted.

But the talk of the town right now? All about the Bear. The host tossed out a question on Bear Bachmeier’s potential: “What did Bear Bachmeier show you in summer that said he warrants being in a three-man race with guys that have been in the program already?” Aaron Roderick kept it real.“It wasn’t really about summer. It’s just what he was in high school, and just how quickly he’s been able to learn. He’s very smart. Very, very smart. And so he’s up to speed. He needs reps — as far as chemistry with his teammates — but in terms of knowing what to do, he’s been dialed every play.” Bachmeier skipped spring ball entirely and still might crash the party.

At 6’2” and 225 pounds, with a cannon for an arm and wheels to boot, he checks every box on paper. He’s also absurdly smart — Stanford commit smart — and, according to Roderick, already “dialed every play” despite having zero college snaps. That mental edge runs in the family. Brother Hank started Week 1 at Boise as a true freshman and upset Florida State. Brother Tiger, now a BYU receiver, led the Pac-12 in receiving yards as a freshman at Stanford.

Bachmeier’s high school numbers are video-game stuff: 92 total touchdowns to just 14 turnovers, plus offers from Oregon, Georgia, and half the Power Four. The only thing holding him back? Reps. But if BYU is going to roll the dice, their early schedule is the perfect window: Portland State, Stanford, a bye week, then East Carolina. Soft launch before Big 12 chaos.

The QB race isn’t just about Week 1 — it’s about whether BYU plays it safe with Hillstead or gambles on Bachmeier’s skyscraper ceiling. Short-term stability vs. long-term fireworks. And while Treyson Bourguet is the underdog with the grit, it’s hard to ignore that BYU hasn’t had this much pure upside at QB since Zach Wilson.

Aaron Roderick loses another key offensive player

Jake Retzlaff isn’t the only loss Roderick has to manage. On Friday, BYU confirmed that running back Pokaiaua Haunga is stepping away from the team for personal reasons. The former Timpview High star had all the makings of a Swiss Army knife weapon — 1,600+ receiving yards and 18 touchdowns in high school, plus the ability to line up in the backfield. As a freshman, he played in five games, racking up 81 rushing yards and adding five catches for 43 yards. “The only thing I can say about that is he’s got some personal issues and he’s not going to be with us this year,” Roderick told reporters, keeping details under wraps.

Haunga’s departure stings, especially in a backfield that was already thin in 2024. BYU dealt with a carousel of running backs last season due to injuries, and Haunga had just started to carve out a role. His versatility made him a matchup headache — now that role will need filling. There’s still hope for reinforcements.

Senior Hinckley Ropati might return if the NCAA approves BYU’s appeal for an extra year of eligibility. Since arriving in 2020, Ropati’s been snake-bitten by injuries, never playing a full season. Even so, in eight games last year, he managed 436 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns. Not really the RB1 numbers you expect from your RB.

“We’re waiting,” Roderick said. “We’ve appealed with the NCAA for another year. I believe he should get another year from what I know about the case. But I don’t know if that will happen or not. We would love to have him back.” The Cougars have the pieces for another run if they get QB1 right and find some stability in the run game. But with Retzlaff gone, Haunga stepping away, and a freshman QB making a serious push, this fall camp isn’t about maintaining momentum from 2024 — it’s about redefining it from scratch.