After a long waiting period, BYU football has named its starting quarterback. And on paper, he's a total question mark. A true freshman. A late addition. For heaven's sake, he's a QB who wears the number 47. Try it: name one other thrower who has ever donned such a brash and random double-digit jersey -- this is a text-only article, but if I could wait for your response, I would.
By running with Bear Bachmeier at QB, offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick is placing a hefty bet on a player unproven at this level of competition. A player whose playbook study time was significantly below that of his peers. A player who has never even watched from the sidelines. That's about as freshman as a freshman could be, yet he impressed BYU's decision-makers to such a degree that they're handing him the keys to the Porsche.
No matter how skilled, mature, or prepared a player may seem, youth is an inescapable attribute of anyone whose age still starts with a 1. He may make a wrong turn. He may run a stop light. He'll almost certainly scratch the paint job while backing into a crowded parking lot. These are the terms of trusting a youngster; inexperience is a flaw, no matter how muted.
"Bachmeier is going to lose BYU some games," admits CBS analyst Shehan Jeyarajah. "Even the most talented quarterbacks are prone to mistakes in their youth. In his first full year as a starter, Retzlaff threw 12 interceptions and had multiple picks in five games. Without experience to fall back on, that's often the price of playmaking."
Here's the good news: BYU football is set up to alleviate those mistakes. Well-tested and proven capable of erasing a quarterback's miscues. With a straightforward series of failsafes to keep Bear's youth from tanking the season, the 2025 season may provide a perfect proving ground for a player still fighting to keep his feet beneath himself.
Scheduling Cushion
The first of these failsafes is the schedule. Facing FCS Portland State, a weakened Stanford team at home, East Carolina, and another floundering P4 program in Colorado is a stroll through Candyland if BYU remains similarly strong compared to last year's bunch.
Inexperience is slowly erased with every game played, and he'll need to be comfortable in the backfield before squaring off against the meat of the Big 12 slate. Get comfortable on the bunny hill before braving a black diamond, right?
No victories are ever guaranteed in college football, but Bachmeier's initial competition is relatively tame compared to many other P4 programs.
Jay_Hill_Defense.exe Installed Successfully.
Jay Hill was hired as the defensive coordinator and associate head coach of the BYU football program with one goal in mind: revamp BYU's defensive identity and renovate the house that had grown a bit weak and unfurnished.
In his second year at the wheel, Hill's defense staked itself in the Earth and declared to the nation that BYU's defense is a force to be reckoned with. It all came to fruition against the Big 12 Conference last season.
Top-25 Kansas State didn't reach double-digits against Hill's front. Utah failed to score entirely in the second half of the Holy War. Colorado didn't breach the scoreboard until 6:14 remained in the third quarter. This year's defense will be replacing some key contributors with a surplus of talented understudies and should be able to negate many of Bear's shortcomings, as they did with Retzlaff regularly in 2024.
Playmakers Across the Field
Best of all, Bachmeier has an incredible bunch of players on the offense who make plays happen. Chase Roberts may be the best wide receiver in the entire Big 12 this season, LJ Martin is expected to thrive in his junior season, and Tiger Bachmeier, Bear's brother at wide out, has built-in chemistry with the young quarterback.
Bear Bachmeier is wading through uncharted territory, but he's not alone. Not by a long shot. This team is built to endure setbacks. Plenty of hype is surrounding BYU's special freshman playmaker, but when freshman mistakes rear their head, he's set on a strong enough foundation to weather the incoming challenges of the season.