- BYU's quarterback race sees McCae Hillstead and Bear Bachmeier leading reps.
- Offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick emphasizes their majority reps with first and second teams.
- Head coach Kalani Sitake supports Roderick's decision, no starter named yet.
PROVO — BYU hasn't named a starting quarterback for the season opener on Aug. 30 against FCS Portland State.
But the offensive staff may have taken a significant step forward over the weekend.
Offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick told media Tuesday that Utah State transfer McCae Hillstead and true freshman Bear Bachmeier received "the majority" of reps with the first and second team — at least, for now.
Though he didn't completely eliminate any of the four quarterbacks on the roster from contention for the job, such a move would seemingly leave Treyson Bourguet — the redshirt junior signal caller from Tucson, Arizona, by way of Western Michigan — as the odd man out. Coaches have also given backup reps to former Bountiful High star Emerson Geilman.
But the bulk of time with the "ones" and "twos" went to Hillstead and Bachmeier, who transferred to BYU with his older brother, Tiger, after going through spring practices at Stanford.
"As I mentioned Saturday, we can't keep going equal reps with three guys anymore," Roderick said. "Right now, McCae and Bear are getting the majority of the reps with the ones and the twos, and that's where we're at for right now."
In terms of college experience, the decision seems clear. Hillstead started four of the eight games he played in as a true freshman at Utah State, when the former Skyridge High standout threw for 1,062 yards and 11 touchdowns with eight interceptions on a 59.5% clip.
He became the eighth true freshman to start for the Aggies in school history when he took to the field first against James Madison, a game in which he also set a freshman passing record by completing 25-of-47 passes for 399 yards and four touchdowns with three interceptions.
Like Bourguet, Hillstead spent two years in Provo, sitting behind former quarterback Jake Retzlaff and rehabbing a lower-leg injury that kept him out since his transfer.
But the 5-foot-10, 195-pound dual-threat signal caller who grew up in Springville before his family moved to Lehi prior to his sophomore season is hardly the only option.
Coaches have continued to be impressed by the upside of Bachmeier, a former four-star quarterback by Rivals from Murrieta, California, who was the No. 6 dual-threat quarterback in the country in 2025 and initially chose the Cardinal over interest from Oregon, Arkansas, Michigan and BYU, among others.
But after Stanford dismissed former head coach Troy Taylor in March, Bachmeier — along with his brother, a wide receiver and graduate transfer — committed to the school where both could contribute.
"The ability to come in and win games and Roderick's scheme and the pedigree of quarterbacks they have produced in history and recently is enticing," Bear Bachmeier told ESPN when he committed.
For Tiger Bachmeier, that has always meant sooner rather than later after the wide out caught 46 passes for 476 yards and two touchdowns over two seasons while finishing his degree in computer science.
Perhaps it's the same for the younger Bachmeier, whose older brother, Hank, played quarterback at Boise State, Louisiana Tech and Wake Forest.
"He's making those throws," Roderick said of Bear Bachmeier. "He throws a lot of completions. That's one thing, he doesn't take sacks and he's very accurate.
"He is throwing a lot of completions out here," he added for emphasis.
Head coach Kalani Sitake will ultimately have final say on the starting quarterback, but the decade-long coach of his alma mater won't stand in Roderick's way of the decision, either.
"I think A-Rod knows where he is going with everything," Sitake said. "The key is, we settled it on the field. I don't control it; it's the players. If you want to win the spot, it's there for the taking. Our job is to put them in position where they can win the spot, and that's for every position including quarterback."
No deadline to name a starter has been established, but both coaches would prefer one is named before kickoff Aug. 30. Sitake said the team, which was leaving for a non-football outing after Tuesday's practice, would transition from training camp to game prep for FCS Portland State a week to 10 days before the season opener.
"The sooner, the better," Roderick said. "Once it's clear, we'll make the move. As soon as it's clear to us who it is, we'll make that statement."
