BYU QB Bear Bachmeier leads offense in scrimmage, earns praises from Kalani Sitake

The BYU football team went through a heavily-detailed scrimmage Saturday morning at LaVell Edwards Stadium, which featured strength on the offensive side of the ball. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier reportedly looked crisp during the 11-on-11 drills.  BYU coach Kalani Sitake said afterward there were a mixture of live plays and thud plays. Nevertheless, the second scrimmage was apparently a success as the season opener against Utah Tech is now three weeks away. The scrimmage was closed off to the media, but Sitake met with reporters via Zoom after. “I thought (both the offense and defense) had some moments,” Sitake said. “I probably give a slight edge to the offense today. Because I thought the offense had more big plays than I would like to have seen from the defense."  This is good news for the Cougars, who come into the season with the two-headed monster of Bachmeier and running back LJ Martin. There has been an emphasis on getting BYU's receivers up-to-speed ahead of the season. But Sitake was pleased with where the team is at right now.“I know all the questions will be about the receivers. I thought the receivers had a really good day today,” Sitake added.  One receiver to keep an eye on as the season starts is Oregon transfer Kyler Kasper. The 6-foot-6, 215-pounder will be looking to step into a starting position after being rarely used with the Ducks. Reggie Frischknecht and Legend Glasker should also be on the radar in the BYU WR room. Sitake praised Bachmeier for his precision in the pocket and out shined almost everyone on the field.   “A lot of it was because the quarterbacks were doing a great job getting them the ball, the timing of everything, and then the line did a good job blocking and protecting,” Sitake said. “I was pleased with the way the receivers blocked downfield. That’s why we were able to have a lot of success in the run game." Martin, who had offseason shoulder surgery, will be a key factor in BYU's offense. After his first 1,000-yard season, the El Paso, Texas native will be looking to stack up more yards and scores in 2026. Bachmeier plays a critical role in his success as well. Being able to set the offense up in favorable situations to allow Martin more touches will be the game plan.  Sitake's focus will be to keep the offense consistent heading into the season. The defense wasn't lagging by any means, but the "sizzle" plays weren't as noticeable. This wasn’t due to a lack of execution or lack of strategy. BYU's offense plays at a different level, which forces the defense to play up to that standard. All things considered, the Cougars' defense might face their toughest opponent in practice every week.  More BYU Cougars News: Former BYU star Taysom Hill wont return to Saints BYU Basketball faces Big Ten opponent in Maui Invitational BYU's Bear Bachmeier tops $12.5 million QB in latest rankings for 2026 season BYU football announces jersey patch deal with $4.3 billion tech company