Bear Bachmeier to become first BYU true freshman to start a season at quarterback

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Bear Bachmeier will be the first true freshman to start a season at quarterback in BYU history.

Bachmeier emerged from a three-way competition to replace Jake Retzlaff and the team announced he will be the starter Aug. 30 against Portland State in a quirky social media post on Tuesday.

“What's up Cougar Nation, this is QB1 Bear Bachmeier," Bachmeier said in an X video post of an AI bear wearing his No. 47 jersey while walking through the woods. "Excited to get this season going."

BYU had an unexpected quarterback competition this fall after Retzlaff opted to transfer to Tulane rather than face a potential seven-game suspension from the school. Retzlaff had a sexual assault lawsuit against him dismissed, but acknowledged having consensual sex in his defense, a violation of the school’s honor code asking students to abstain from premarital sex.

That left the Cougars with a competition between Bachmeier, McCae Hillstead and Treyson Bourguet. McCae previously played at Utah State and Bourguet at Western Michigan, but Bachmeier impressed head coach Kalani Sitake and his staff enough to beat out the two more experienced quarterbacks.

A four-star recruit out of Murrieta Valley High School in Murrieta, California, Bachmeier initially committed to Stanford and was with the Cardinal in the spring before opting to transfer to BYU.

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