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Notebook from the First Day of BYU Football Fall Camp

The Cougars kicked off Fall Camp on Wednesday
Casey Lundquist|
BYU offensive and defensive lines square off on the first day of 2026 Fall Camp
BYU offensive and defensive lines square off on the first day of 2026 Fall Camp | BYU Photo

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BYU Cougars

PROVO, UT - The BYU football program kicked off 2026 Fall Camp on Wednesday. The Cougars were in their shells (helmets only, no pads) for day one of camp. The media had the chance to observe the last 10 or 15 minutes of practice, and BYU shared practice clips from the remainder of practice.

Here is our practice notebook from day one.

Play of the Day

In his interview with the general media, star RB LJ Martin mentioned the play of the day from the offense: a long touchdown pass from Treyson Bourguet to redshirt freshman wide receiver Jared Esplin. Esplin got behind safety Joseph Douglas and backup quarterback Treyson Bourguet made a great throw for the score.

Esplin prepped just down the road from BYU's campus at Timpview High School. He joined the program as a designated student athlete (formerly known as walk-on) for the 2025 season.

Legend Glasker Gets Behind the Defense...Again

Legend Glasker was a standout performer in Spring Camp. He consistently got behind the defense and made plays. We marked Glasker as a potential breakout candidate after seeing him in the spring.

On day one of Fall Camp, Glasker got behind the defense again. In one-on-one drills, Glasker caught a deep ball from fellow true freshman Enoch Watson. Glasker beat Crew Clark with a hesitation step and Watson put the ball where only Glasker could grab it.

Roger Saleapaga Makes a Contested Grab

Speaking of standout performers from Spring Camp, Roger Saleapaga was another newcomer that consistently made plays back in March. Saleapaga was back at it again on day one. Treyson Bourguet fit a ball in a tight window and Saleapaga extended for the catch. He managed to hold on through the end of the catch.

The coverage from redshirt freshman Jordyn Criss was good, but Saleapaga's catch was even better. Going into camp, we projected Saleapaga to start alongside fellow tight end Walker Lyons. I expect Saleapaga to have a big role in BYU's offense.

Bear Bachmeier Back in Action

Bear Bachmeier didn't take any reps in the media portion of practice. The media only watched the backups live. However, Bachmeier did appear in a handful of practice clips. Bachmeier connected with his brother Tiger Bachmeier for the completion. Given the attrition at wide receiver, BYU needs Tiger Bachmeier to take a step forward in 2026. He is the only wide receiver on the roster that has surpassed 400 receiving yards in a single season.

In another clip, Bachmeier connected with Reggie Frischknecht for the chunk-yardage gain. Frischknecht is a wildcard for the BYU wide receiver room. If he is ready to take on a big role in 2026, the wide receiver room will be in a much safer position. Frishknecht joined the program and played sparringly in 2025.

Jojo Phillips Sighting

Returning wide receiver Jojo Phillips is stepping into a bigger role both on and off the field. Off the field, Phillips has taken on a leadership role, taking young wide receivers like Legend Glasker, Terrance Saryon, Jaron Pula under his wing. On the field, Phillips is trying to become the go-to wide receiver.

On day one, Phillips connected with Treyson Bourguet for a chunk-yardage gain that put the BYU offense inside the 10 yard-line.

LJ Martin Back in Action

For the first time since the Big 12 championship game, BYU star running back LJ Martin was back in action on Wednesday. Martin told the media that he was fully cleared for activity at the beginning of June. Martin will be the focal point of the BYU offense as long as he is healthy.

Fresh(men) Faces

A handful of freshmen appeared either in practice or on the practice highlights on Wednesday. True freshman running back Devaughn Eka was getting some run with the second-team offense. Eka is competing for the non-LJ Martin carries.

True freshman and surprise roster addition Journee Tonga got a carry with the third-team offense on day one. Tonga joins a BYU running back room with some depth concerns. Tonga is undersized at just 5'8 but he was highly productive in high school.

Justice Brathwaite had the best defensive play of the media observation window. Brathwaite jumped a long out route from Enoch Watson and nearly completed the interception. Brathwaite is the son of former speedy BYU running back Raylon Brathwaite.

True freshman safety Kennan Pula was getting reps with the second-team defense. At this point, we expect Kennan to be in the two-deep for the BYU defense.

Other Practice Notes

BYU added class of 2022 recruit Fisher Ingersoll on the roster. Ingersoll had an offer from BYU as a dual-sport athlete out of American Fork High School, but he opted to play baseball at TCU instead. On day one, Ingersoll connected with Treyson Bourguet for a first down.

Against the third-team offense, BYU defensive lineman Kini Fonohema pressured Enoch Watson and likely would have sacked Watson if contact was allowed. Instead, Fonohema forced Watson out of the pocket which led to a misfire.

Two other running backs got carries in the media window or practice. Logan Payne and Lucky Finau both gained a handful of yards on their carries.

Andrew Williams Leaves For a Mission

Sophomore offensive lineman Andrew Williams was not listed on Wednesday's roster. BYU head coach Kalani Sitake explained that Williams decided to submit his mission papers. Williams will return to the program after his mission.

Williams was expected to compete for a spot in the two-deep. He leaves the Cougars with less depth at offensive tackle. If Paki Finau or Andrew Gentry goes down with an injury, Siosiua Latu-Finau and Bott Mulitalo look like the next in line. Utah State transfer Jr Sia could also factor in at that spot - he played right tackle for the Aggies last season. In the spring, Sia primarily played offensive guard.

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Casey Lundquist
CASEY LUNDQUIST

Casey Lundquist is the publisher and lead editor of BYU On SI. He has covered BYU athletics since 2020. During that time, he has published over 3,500 stories that have reached millions of readers.

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