Bear Bachmeier’s arm strength is showing up in a way it didn’t last season, and the early 2026 numbers back up what the eye test is saying.
As a freshman in 2025, Bachmeier did plenty right while helping lead the Cougars to 12 wins and improving as the year went on. But the deep ball was a clear weak spot. PFF ranked him 80th in deep ball accuracy among qualified quarterbacks, and long throws were rare throughout the season.
BYU’s longest completion in 2025 came on a deep ball to Chase Roberts against WVU, a throw that traveled 42 air yards. That was an exception, not a trend. According to a custom database powered by Sports Info Solutions (SIS), Bachmeier completed only three passes in 2025 that traveled 30 air yards or more.
His longest attempt last year was a deep shot to Parker Kingston on the opening play of the game. Kingston caught it, but landed out of bounds, and the ball traveled 48 yards in the air.
Bachmeier also had a deep throw to Reggie Frischecht against Utah Tech that was catchable but not on-target, and it fell incomplete. The catchable and on-target classifications are based on film review from SIS.
That’s why what happened against Arizona stood out. Bachmeier hit Legend Glasker on a deep shot that helped the Cougars close out the win over the Wildcats.
Glasker got behind his defender, and Bachmeier delivered a ball that traveled 57 yards in the air and 50 yards from the line of scrimmage. It had to travel that far to keep the cornerback from making a play, and in air yards it was the longest completion of Bachmeier’s career by a wide margin.
A BIG 61-yard pass puts @BYUfootball knocking on the door! 👀 pic.twitter.com/kyaztZiI2V
The difference matters because it changes how defenses can play BYU. Last season against Texas Tech, the Cougars needed to threaten vertically, but Bachmeier wasn’t ready to make those throws.
The Red Raiders stacked the box and shut down the run. After the season, Texas Tech head coach Joey McQuire said Tech’s plan was to stack the box and force Bachmeier to beat them with his arm.
He couldn’t do it, and BYU’s offense stalled in both matchups.
Arizona tried a similar approach on Saturday, stacking the box to stop the run. At times, all 11 Arizona defenders were within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. This time, Bachmeier had enough arm strength and accuracy to make them pay.
If that deep ball keeps showing up, it changes everything for BYU’s offense. Defenses won’t be able to crowd the box the same way, and the rushing attack gets room to breathe.
In just two weeks, Bachmeier has already thrown two catchable deep shots. That could be the edge that separates BYU from the best teams on its schedule.
In Other News...
BYU Fans Just Earned Praise Cougar Supporters Will Love
BYUs home crowd picked up some unexpected praise after the recent game at LaVell Edwards Stadium, this time from Les Fifita, the father of Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita. After the Wildcats visit to Provo, he publicly thanked BYU fans for the kindness and hospitality his family experienced, describing a game-day atmosphere that went well beyond the usual back-and-forth of a high-profile college football matchup.
Fifita said BYU supporters welcomed his family, offered food and drinks, and treated them with respect throughout the event. He also tied the experience to something bigger than one Saturday afternoon, saying it shaped how he thinks about running a youth football league, a reminder that the reputation of a fan base can travel well beyond the stadium. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Is Suddenly In A Big 12 Conversation Fans Will Love
BYUs strong start has put the Cougars in a familiar but still noteworthy spot for this early stretch of the season: part of the broader Big 12 conversation while bigger-name programs keep soaking up the national spotlight. LSUs emphatic win over Clemson and Texas comeback at Ohio State have dominated the headlines, and even Alabamas physical showing against Kentucky has drawn more attention than most of the teams quietly building momentum. In that kind of crowded landscape, BYU has managed to keep itself in the mix with a start that deserves a little more notice.
The challenge now is whether the Cougars can turn that early traction into the kind of resume that forces the rest of the Big 12 to take them seriously. Notre Dame, Indiana and Miami have all spent time in the same category of teams off to strong openings but not yet fully embraced by the larger national discussion. For BYU, the next few weeks will go a long way toward showing whether this is just a good start or the beginning of a much louder conference race. [Read more 🡒]
Bear Bachmeier Is Putting BYU In Rare Quarterback Company
Bear Bachmeiers start at BYU has already put him in rare company, with his 14-2 record through 16 starts matching the mark former quarterback Brandon Doman posted at the same point in his own college career. The comparison is more than a curiosity, too, because Doman sees the same steady traits in Bachmeier that helped define his own run in Provo, pointing to his leadership, composure and consistency as signs of a quarterback who has settled into the offense with confidence.
The broader conversation around Bachmeier also has a familiar BYU feel because of the way he has paired with LJ Martin to give the Cougars a productive offensive tandem. It is the kind of quarterback-run game combination that invites memories of Domans era with Luke Staley, and it is part of why Bachmeiers place in program history is beginning to draw attention even with plenty of season still ahead. [Read more 🡒]