BYU is heading into the 2026 season with plenty of buzz around the program, but one spot in the offense is still very much a work in progress: wide receiver.
The Cougars have to replace the three receivers who logged the most snaps in 2025 - Chase Roberts, Parker Kingston, and Cody Hagen. That turnover would be enough on its own, but the timing made it tougher. Kingston and Hagen left unexpectedly after the January transfer window, which forced BYU to lean on the players already in the building.
Even with that uncertainty, Kalani Sitake isn’t sounding alarmed. At Big 12 media days on Tuesday, the BYU head coach told Voice of the Cougars Greg Wrubell that he feels good about the group he has.
"This year, I think people are wondering about the wide receiver position," Sitake told Voice of the Cougars Greg Wrubell at media days. "If we didn't have any talent there, I'd be really concerned, but the fact that I've seen the guys play...we have some great, capable guys that, along with the timing that they're able to [create] with Bear from spring ball to now, I feel really encouraged about."
Quarterback Bear Bachmeier echoed that confidence in a separate interview with Wrubell.
"I feel really confident in those guys," Bachmeier said. "They've been working their tails off and yeah, they're going to be dangerous."
From what was seen in spring camp, Jojo Phillips and Kyler Kasper look like the most likely players to carry major roles in the offense. If the season opened today, those two would be the projected starters.
BYU also brings back three receivers who already have at least a year in the program: Tiger Bachmeier, Reggie Frischknecht, and Tei Nacua. That trio will be battling for spots in the rotation once fall camp gets rolling.
Frischknecht, in particular, stands out as a possible wild card in a receiver room that needs fresh production in 2026.
The Cougars also added three true freshmen who signed in December: Legend Glasker, Jaron Pula, and Terrance Saryon. All three are considered among the most talented receivers on the roster, though their path to playing time will depend on how quickly they adjust. Aaron Roderick said at the end of spring camp that he expected Glasker to contribute right away.
Pula is another freshman with a chance to push for immediate snaps, especially after spending a full offseason in Provo. He’s a name that could move up the depth chart quickly.
When fall camp begins in a few weeks, the receiver room will be one of the biggest storylines around BYU. The Cougars typically use five or six receivers in the rotation, and as many as three or four of those spots are up for grabs.
In Other News...
Bear And Tiger Bachmeier Are Giving BYU Fans A New Reason To Cheer
Bear Bachmeier and Tiger Bachmeier have already given BYU fans plenty to talk about on the field, but on Monday night they are set to show a different side of themselves. The quarterback and receiver will team up with their uncle Don as the Music Bachs for a free concert at the American Fork Amphitheater, part of the Harrington Center for the Arts Concert in the Park series, with a mix of rock and country songs on the bill.
For the Bachmeier family, it is a chance to bring a hobby that has mostly stayed private into a public setting. The brothers have performed before at retirement homes, but this will be their first live show in front of a general audience, which adds a little extra curiosity to a summer event that already has a built-in BYU connection. [Read more 🡒]
Big 12 Suddenly Has A Texas Tech Problem BYU Fans Will Notice
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark and Texas Tech administrators have been trying to put the Brendan Sorsby mess behind them, meeting in Fort Worth in an effort to smooth over a dispute that has lingered through the offseason. The episode has already left a mark around the league, with Texas Tech feeling like it was left to absorb the fallout after the conference collectively decided the quarterback would not be allowed to play, and the whole situation has only added to the sense that this is more than a routine eligibility matter.
For BYU fans, the part worth watching is how much this has widened the gap between Texas Tech and the rest of the Big 12. The Red Raiders have gotten public backing from some coaches, including Kalani Sitake, and the tension has spilled into the open in ways the conference would rather avoid. Even with the meeting meant to calm things down, the underlying question remains whether Texas Tech and the league are really on the same page yet. [Read more 🡒]
Big 12 Media Day Brought Two Massive BYU Revelations
Big 12 Media Day gave BYU a little bit of everything, from conference-level concern to a couple of revealing comments from the Cougars own people. Commissioner Brett Yormark addressed the broader climate around league games, while Kalani Sitake was asked to weigh in on the ever-moving playoff conversation and said he is not making the decisions, even if he believes a 24-team field would make the most sense.
The more intriguing BYU nugget came from Bear Bachmeier, who peeled back the curtain on one of the seasons most memorable moments. His touchdown run against Utah looked like a designed burst of improvisation, but Bachmeier said the play did not unfold the way it was supposed to, which makes the clip feel a little different now. For a program that expects every detail to matter in Big 12 play, it was the kind of candid admission that only adds to the curiosity around what BYU has coming next. [Read more 🡒]