Surely there must be a “cultural” and “mindset edge” of some kind in Provo. Otherwise, how could Bear Bachmeier become the first true freshman to start a season at quarterback in BYU Cougars history? Where some are busy showing Lambos and NIL money to attract recruits, the pastor in coach Kalani Sitake stepped with religion and values. It’s your choice after that.

That choice is what Kalani Sitake has doubled down on as he guides BYU through the turbulence of modern times. Asked how BYU’s culture impacts its recruiting and momentum, Sitake didn’t blink. “Yeah, our mission is always going to be aligned, as a football team, it’s going to be aligned with the University and with BYU and the mission of the University, and then it’s going to be aligned with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And so, even though we’re in different times now than we’ve ever been before with Transfer Portal and how it is, and NIL, and now with RevShare, and what’s going on with being able to pay student-athletes, not just football players, but student-athletes all together, so we’re in the mix. I mean, when we have rules and we have laws that are given to us by the NCAA or by the University, we follow them, but we’re going to make the best out of it.”

Kalani Sitake was even more pointed about what he sees as BYU’s unique lane. “But our focus will always be on what we think makes us different and makes us unique. Our focus will be on being disciples of Christ, and that doesn’t mean you have to be perfect; it just means your intent and what you’re trying to be focused on is there. And so, as we are allowed to do these things with NIL and with RevShare and things like that, we still want guys that fit the program, fit the culture, and the mission of the school, the football program, and the church.” That’s why the Mormon coach feels positive and tranquil about his team. Though he isn’t expecting anybody to do the same, and also admits he might not be perfect.

And yet, if you need proof of how serious BYU is about holding the line, just rewind to this fall. The Cougars had an unexpected QB competition after Jake Retzlaff opted to transfer to Tulane rather than face a potential seven-game suspension from the school. You see, if they can suspend an incumbent starter just before the season, they can do anything. The result? Bachmeier taking the job and rewriting school history.

Outside voices find the BYU experiment fascinating. “I have always found BYU to be an absolutely fascinating case study in college sports, particularly football,” said Berry Tramel, longtime Tulsa World columnist. “They have a worldwide brand, a worldwide reach, yet they seem to strive to be ‘not of the world,’ in a religious sense.” That tension—being global but defiantly different—makes the program both puzzling and magnetic in a money-driven era. It’s one thing to market tradition, but another to live it when the transfer portal and NIL bidding wars dominate the landscape.

So can a roster of clean-living, God-fearing, scripture-reading athletes really thrive in a cutthroat environment where collectives call the shots? The numbers suggest yes. Nearly half the roster—56 players—have served missions in 22 countries and collectively speak 10 different languages. Six coaches, Kalani Sitake included, have served missions. That shared backbone reinforces his “love and learn” culture, one that doesn’t chase short-term hype but builds long-term trust. In a sport driven by margins as thin as a shoelace, culture can be the extra edge.

Whether BYU can scale it against the machine of the Big 12 remains to be seen.

Kalani Sitake and staff always knew who’d be starting at from the jump

Yeah, you could say the writing was on the wall the moment Bear Bachmeier stepped into Provo. For BYU fans, this wasn’t some fairy tale that materialized overnight. The freshman’s maturity had been showing in camp for weeks, and the way coaches and teammates talk about him, it’s clear why he was always going to win the job.

Kalani Sitake doesn’t exactly hand out praise like free samples at Costco. But on Bachmeier, the head coach was blunt: “Yeah, I mean, he doesn’t act like a regular freshman. I mean, I think when you’re playing that quarterback position, you have to have, I mean, you’re the voice that echoes the play to the team. So you have to have a certain presence about you. And you can see it. You guys have been around him. You can see it on him.”

That presence, Sitake emphasized, doesn’t mean fake bravado. “I also just want him to be himself and not feel like he has to be anybody else. And he can just be who he is and be the best version of himself. That’s going to be good enough.”

The rah-rah duties? Sitake waved them off. “I don’t expect him to get out there and be the rah-rah guy like Batty was for us last year. I think Keanu can handle that. And Chase Roberts can handle that stuff.”

Even OC Aaron Roderick wasn’t shocked: the decision didn’t surprise the team one bit. In other words, BYU saw the freshman’s presence, his work ethic, and his maturity—and the verdict was inevitable.