BYU's Offense is Preparing to Unleash Quarterback Bear Bachmeier

BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier against Stanford | BYU Photo

BYU true freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier is "right on schedule" according to offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick.

"I think he's playing very well," Roderick said on Coordinator's Corner after the Stanford game. "I know that the stats are going to come as he grows and we get into games where we're going to have to open it up a little more...down the road that's coming. We're gonna have to throw the ball more and as he grows, we'll just keep getting better and better. And right now he's right on schedule."

BYU has been intentional with their development plan for Bachmeier through two games. While there hasn't been a need for Bachmeier to do much through the air, Roderick had Bachmeier taking baby steps in his development plan.

BYU Quarterback Bear Bachmeier against Portland State | BYU Photo

Roderick knows that BYU will need to be more aggressive on offense to win games against better opponents.

"We've been fairly efficient so far [in the passing game]," Roderick said. "We just, we haven't really unleashed it yet and we haven't needed to be as aggressive as we'll have to be in some other games. So obviously the first game we didn't need it at all. The second game here we were in control, so we wanted to be super smart, and as we as we progress it's going to open up more and more...you get in conference play, you're not going to win just being conservative all the time. So it's a work in progress. Bear is a work in progress and our offense is as well."

Roderick modeled the plan for Bachmeier after the one used to develop Jake Retzlaff.

"Well, if you think about last season, we did almost the same thing with Jake. Early in the year, we played it pretty conservative, pretty safe, and then as he got more experience and he started to play well, we opened it up a little more."

Roderick highlighted Bachmeier's ability to protect the football, even as a true freshman.

"I thought Bear did a great job. I know the stats aren't super impressive or anything like that, but taking care of the football against that type of pressure we had, they were blitzing almost every play the other night...I was really impressed. He got hit pretty hard a couple of times, hangs onto the ball, and he never put the ball in jeopardy. He didn't, there weren't any throws where he's throwing it to the other team or anything like that. We'll just keep getting a little bit better every week and we'll be where we want to be."

While Bachmeier hasn't thrown any interceptions, he hasn't been perfect either. Roderick pointed out a sack that Bachmeier took late in the first half that put BYU out of field goal range.

BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier against Stanford | BYU Photo

"One of Bear's only mistakes of the game was taking that sack in [the two-minute drill]. He could have found a checkdown...he just had to hold on to it a little too long. We had a checkdown opportunity there...I think he'll learn from [that] and he'll find a checkdown next time."

Bachmeier and the BYU offense will look to take a big step forward after the bye week. Bachmeier had only only two weeks of full-time reps with the first-team offense once he was named the starting quarterback. He will have increased his time with the first-team offense by 50% by the time BYU takes the field against ECU. As star wide receiver Chase Roberts noted in the postgame press conference, developing a passing attack takes time.

BYU might need its passing attack to be more aggressive as early as next week. The Cougars will take on an ECU team that has thrown for 373 yards per game this season. The Pirates have also been stingy against the run, allowing 55 rushing yards per game.

Bachmeier's first real opportunity to "let it rip" could come next week.