Bear Bachmeier’s second season at BYU is starting to look like a real jump, and the clearest signs are showing up in the details that usually separate a promising quarterback from a productive one.
At the halfway point of fall camp, the offense got the better of the last major scrimmage, with Bachmeier throwing four touchdown passes. Media members weren’t allowed to watch the session, but the reports coming out of camp have been steady: he played well, he’s throwing with better accuracy, and he’s operating with more confidence inside Aaron Roderick’s system.
That tracks with what Roderick said back on the first day of fall camp, when he pointed to improved throwing accuracy as something Bachmeier was ready to show. So far, that’s exactly the word from inside the program.
There’s also been a noticeable physical change. Bachmeier has dropped about 13 pounds during the offseason after cutting sweets and following a strict plan from BYU’s strength and conditioning staff. That kind of work shows up in a quarterback’s movement and stamina, and it’s part of the broader sense that he’s arriving at this season in better shape and sharper form.
The biggest leap, though, may be in how he’s seeing the field. Bachmeier did a solid job protecting the ball and avoiding turnovers last year, and Roderick expects even more of that this season.
The offensive coordinator has also said the young quarterback’s decision-making has improved. He’s processing quicker, making the right reads and earning the freedom to make changes before the snap.
Dick Harmon pointed to the kind of subtle quarterback craft that often signals a veteran in the making - little eye fakes, looking away from a primary target to move a safety, then coming back to hit the intended receiver. Those kinds of details, he wrote, have been on display this fall.
The chemistry piece matters too. Bachmeier’s four-touchdown scrimmage came with some key defensive players held out, but it still stood out as a strong showing and a sign that he’s getting comfortable with a new group of pass catchers. Legend Glasker, JoJo Phillips and Reggie Frischknecht all appear capable of stretching the field, and Bachmeier has the arm to connect on those shots.
If that passing game keeps stressing defenses, it should open things up for LJ Martin, Sione Moa and the rest of the run game. It also makes Roderick’s job easier.
For BYU, that’s the kind of development that matters. A productive quarterback changes the shape of the whole offense, and this fall Bachmeier looks like he’s moving into that role. The Cougars begin the season Sept. 5 against Utah Tech at LaVell Edwards Stadium, and all signs point to a quarterback who has taken a clear step forward.
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