It was all sunshine in Provo last fall. BYU was 9-0, marching toward the College Football Playoff like a team possessed. Jake Retzlaff was dealing, fans were dreaming, and Kalani Sitake’s Cougars looked like world-beaters. Then November hit like a cold slap. Two brutal losses, and that dream was toast. The Cougars salvaged some pride with a bowl win over Colorado, finishing 11-2. But just as the dust was settling, the worst news hit. Retzlaff? Gone. Honor code violation. Now Tulane’s problem. And in his wake, a QB room full of question marks and one wild card named Bear Bachmeier.

Jake Retzlaff was supposed to be the guy for 2025, and take command of Aaron Roderick’s scheme. Now? Kalani Sitake is rolling into fall camp with three QBs who’ve never started a game in Provo. McCae Hillstead. Treyson Bourguet. And the shiny new freshman, Bear Bachmeier.

And speaking of Bear, he’s already talking like a vet. On July 23rd, he hopped on ‘Coug Connect’ and didn’t hold back when asked about the dynamic in the QB room: “Yeah, 100%. I mean, me, McCae, and Emerson (freshman QB) just went to Hungry Hawaiian, and we’re just, we’re kind of having that brotherly camaraderie, you know?” Bachmeier explained.

He wasn’t just spewing camp clichés either. “Competition is obviously going to enhance a lot of performance. So yeah, it’s just best for the team,” Bachmeier added. “The best guy’s going to play. Whoever executes the best is going to play. And whoever it is, I know there’s a great support staff, the number one defense in the Big 12, and guys on the perimeter that can go.” 

That kind of selfless, team-first attitude is what’s keeping this locker room afloat. Both Hillstead and Bourguet echoed this sentiment when they joined the same podcast in the weeks prior. No egos, no cold shoulders. Just three QBs quietly outworking each other. The result? A healthy war brewing in Provo. A new chapter with no guaranteed protagonist.

Let’s be real: McCae Hillstead looks like the safe bet. He’s got the experience. The Utah State transfer saw the field in eight games last year and logged over 1,000 passing yards. In spring ball, he showed his speed as he broke off some nasty scampers that turned heads. In Aaron Roderick’s playbook, mobility isn’t a bonus, it’s mandatory. And Hillstead looks like he’s the frontrunner.

Then there’s Treyson Bourguet. The Hollywood script in waiting. A walk-on with no promises and no scholarship. Just a lot of grit. He stuck around while others bolted. The kid’s got over 1,300 passing yards across his two years at Western Michigan and somehow keeps climbing. But let’s talk about The X-factor. The Bear in the room.

Bear Bachmeier is the true wildcard. The transfer from Stanford didn’t even participate in spring ball. No reps. No run throughs. He basically skipped the prologue and still might steal the whole show. At 6’2”, 225 pounds, with a cannon for an arm and decent wheels, Bear checks every box on paper. But paper doesn’t win you games. Still, the Bachmeier bloodline is full of fast learners. His older brother Hank started Week 1 at Boise as a true freshman and beat Florida State. Tiger, now a wideout at BYU, led the Pac-12 in receiving yards as a freshman. With all of these options at QB, coach Kalani may have what it takes to get over Retzlaff’s exodus.

Can Bear Bachmeier be QB1 over McCae Hillstead and Treyson Bourguet?

The odds say no. But Bear’s never been a guy who plays by the odds.

Across all of FBS last season, just 14 true freshmen hit 100+ dropbacks at Power Four schools. Only one started Week 1: Dylan Raiola. We all know how that experiment went. Look, most true freshmen don’t start right away. Not because they’re not talented, but because the learning curve is brutal. In BYU’s case, that curve is as steep as a mountain cliff. Aaron Roderick’s offense isn’t exactly QB-friendly for newcomers. It’s intricate, based on timing, and requires a high IQ to execute. But if anyone has the mental chops to process it quickly, it might be Bear.

Academically, he’s a Stanford kid. He picked the Cardinals over Oregon and Georgia. Schools that don’t exactly hand out pity offers. His brother Tiger graduated from Stanford in 2.5 years. The kid’s got mental bandwidth. And that matters. Let’s not forget what’s ahead. BYU’s opening stretch? As soft a landing as you’ll get in the Big 12. Portland State. Followed by a return to Stanford. Then a bye. And then East Carolina. If you’re going to roll the dice on a freshman QB, this is the window.

And sure, he didn’t get spring reps, but neither did Zach Wilson in 2018. Roderick still handed him the reins midway through the season. Wilson didn’t start Week 1 either. That’s the pattern here. If Roderick believes you’ve got the juice, you’ll get the shot, even if it’s later than Week 1.

Now let’s talk upside. Bachmeier’s ceiling is skyscraper-high. He had a 92/14 TD-to-turnover ratio in high school when you also count rushing scores. Offers from Power Four blue bloods. Film that make scouts lean forward. If BYU’s going to chase long-term success and not just short-term stability, Bachmeier might be the rocket they ride.