Quarterback Bear Bachmeier is entering his sophomore season at BYU.

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Last year, Bear Bachmeier was one of the biggest surprises in all of college football.

The former composite four-star recruit was an under-the-radar transfer after leaving Stanford, but he quickly won the starting job in Provo after Jake Retzlaff left the team. 

Now, he’s the face of the Cougars and one of the best quarterbacks in the Big 12. He finished his redshirt freshman season with 3,033 passing yards and 15 touchdowns, along with 527 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. With a year of experience behind him, there’s no reason he can’t, and won’t, be one of the best gunslingers in the nation. 

Making the BYU offense even more explosive will be running back L.J. Martin, who has the tenth-best returning BiteScore in the country at 7.70. Martin logged 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. 

Those two together should make for one of the scariest combos in the country, let alone the conference. Even if the roster isn’t completely rounded out, those two will have the firepower to bring the Cougars far. 

On defense, safety Faletau Satuala emerged as one of the best safeties in the country. He recorded 84 total tackles, one sack, four deflections and three interceptions during his sophomore campaign. He’s joined by Cal transfer linebacker Cade Uluave, linebacker Isaiah Glasker and cornerback Evan Johnson.

Head coach Kalani Sitake has a great roster on his hands and they certainly will be sniffing around the College Football Playoff. Bachmeier and his brother, Tiger, Martin and more will shoulder that responsibility.

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