- BYU will start true freshman Bear Bachmeier as quarterback on Aug. 30.
- Bachmeier, a former four-star recruit, is the first freshman to start at BYU.
- Coaches and teammates praise his maturity leadership and quick learning of the playbook.
PROVO — BYU football is looking to do something it has never done before in 2025.
The Cougars have whittled the starting quarterback competition down to one, and true freshman Bear Bachmeier will get the nod Aug. 30 in the season opener against Portland State, offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick told reporters after Tuesday's practice.
"He's earned the job," the Cougars' play caller said. "He's had a great camp, and he's our guy."
The decision, which was first reported by ESPN, makes the former four-star recruit by the 247Sports composite ranking the first true freshman to start a season opener in BYU football history. Bachmeier earned the starting job after a three-man competition with a pair of backups and Division I transfers from a year ago in McCae Hillstead and Treyson Bourguet.
Bachmeier enrolled early at Stanford to compete for the starting job with the Cardinal, but transferred alongside older brother Tiger after the Cardinal dismissed former head coach Troy Taylor amid an investigation alleging gender bias and cultural concerns within the program.
He then transferred to BYU and began chasing the starting quarterback spot after Jake Retzlaff left school in July following a now-dismissed lawsuit that resulted in a violation of the school's honor code.
But what the three-time All-Inland Empire honoree from Murrieta, California, lacks in collegiate experience, he makes up for in upside. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound signal caller totaled 6,810 yards and 59 touchdowns during his storied career at Murrieta Valley High, including 1,724 yards and 33 touchdowns on the ground.
From an early point, coaches saw potential in Bachmeier that was validated in competing with Hillstead and Bourguet. Roderick did not tell the team of the decision, outside of announcing it in a meeting with the four quarterbacks earlier Tuesday morning. But other players felt the decision solidifying itself, he said.
"He's very mature, man," said Roderick, who added Bachmeier "learned the whole playbook" in his short time in Provo. "Our players gravitate towards him. He's a good leader; all of these guys are good leaders, but it's rare to see a freshman who can lead the team the way he does."
That includes his defensive teammates — the ones charged with bringing him down for the past month of training camp.
"I'm super impressed with him," said fifth-year senior Jack Kelly, the veteran linebacker from Kearns High by way of Weber State. "Being able to learn the playbook that fast and execute at the level he has has been awesome to see. He's super decisive, he makes good reads, doesn't throw turnovers or fumble the ball. He's had a really good camp."
The younger brother of former Boise State, Louisiana Tech and Wake Forest starter Hank Bachmeier also had interest from Alabama, Arkansas and Boise State, among others, prior to ultimately signing with Stanford.
Bachmeier grew up playing running back and middle linebacker — which is why he still wears No. 47, and plans to continue with the jersey at BYU. Earlier in camp, he also explained the origins of his unique name and his older brother, BYU wide receiver Tiger Bachmeier.
"Tiger's real name is James," Bachmeier said, explaining that his older brother is named after his dad's grandfather. "When my dad was growing up, his grandpa would always tell my dad, 'get over here, Tiger.' And he thought that was cool.
"So he names his son James IV 'Tiger' when he had a kid," he added, then with tongue firmly in cheek: "And then he said, the best one's got to be named Bear."
Bachmeier will land as a Division I transfer within the BYU program, but his .8933 rating by 247Sports out of high school would've put him just outside BYU's top-25 recruits since 247Sports first started tracking recruits in 2000.
"In practice, he's proven that he deserves it," Roderick said.
