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What I'm Watching Closely as BYU Kicks Off Fall Camp

The Cougars kick off Fall Camp on Wednesday
Casey Lundquist|
BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier at 2026 Spring Camp
BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier at 2026 Spring Camp | BYU Photo

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Fall Camp has arrived for the BYU football program. The players report to camp on Monday for meetings and equipment fitting. Practices begin on Wednesday. As always, you can find our in-depth coverage of 2026 Fall Camp right here at BYU On SI.

Not every practice is available to the media, and the media is only permitted to watch a portion of practice. Still, BYU is generous enough to let the media view some meaningful portions of practice. If you know what you're looking for, you can come away with some meaningful insights. In this article, we will preview what I will be watching closely as BYU kicks off Fall Camp.

Is Bear Bachmeier ready to take the next step?

The last two Fall Camps have been headlined by quarterback battles. While the starting spot isn't up for grabs in 2026, there are still plenty of storylines surrounding the most important position. Two things can be true about Bear Bachmeier: 1) he was remarkable as a freshman and 2) there is still a lot of room for him to grow.

During Spring Camp, Bachmeier looked like a quarterback that was ready to take the next step as a sophomore. What would the next step look like for Bachmeier? In 2025, he put the ball at risk a little too often. He ranked 103rd in turnover-worthy play rate among qualified quarterbacks according to PFF data. Most freshmen struggle to protect the football, so it is reasonable to expect Bachmeier to progress in that regard this season. We'll be watching Bachmeier's decision making throughout camp and gauge whether he's primed to take better care of the football.

Next, Bachmeier will need to threaten defenses vertically. Even as a sophomore, Bachmeier was one of the better mid-range passers in college football. He ranked 16th nationally in yards per attempt on medium throws (between 10-20 yards). He ranked 19th nationally in accuracy rate on those same throws.

His efficiency dropped off when throwing beyond 20 yards. He ranked 107th in yards per attempt on deep throws. In the losses to Texas Tech, BYU desperately needed to stretch the Red Raiders vertically. At that point in his development, Bachmeier wasn't ready to make Tech pay for stacking the box. If BYU is going to reach the College Football Playoff in 2026, Bachmeier will need to threaten defenses over the top. We'll be watching Bachmeier very closely throughout Fall Camp.

2. Is the BYU defensive line ready to break through?

For as good as BYU has been the last two seasons, there has been one characteristic that has separated the Cougars from the average playoff team: a dominant defensive line. BYU spent 2023-2025 upgrading the talent at that position. In 2025, BYU finally had the talent to put together a great defensive line, but the talent was inexperienced. In 2026, they have the experience to break through.

BYU's best pass rushers could be a pair of sophomores in Nusi Taumoepeau and Hunter Clegg. Tausili Akana will be one of the better pass rushers as well. Veteran Bodie Schoonover will also be in the mix.

There is too much star talent to go another year without having a consistent pass rush from the defensive line. There should be times where the defensive line takes over during Fall Camp. That's something I'll be watching closely.

3. Who will emerge at wide receiver?

BYU is replacing the three wide receivers that played the most snaps in 2025: Chase Roberts, Parker Kingston, and Cody Hagen.

On paper, there is enough talent to feel optimistic about this unit. However, this room severely lacks proven production. Throughout Fall Camp, we'll be waiting to see who emerges as Bear Bachmeier's top targets.

It's pretty safe to assume that Jojo Phillips and Kyler Kasper will be in the core rotation. Behind those two, could a freshman step into a starting role right away? Talented freshmen like Legend Glasker and Jaron Pula will compete for playing time against returning wide receivers like Reggie Frischknecht, Tei Nacua, and Tiger Bachmeier.

All eyes will be on the wide receiver room throughout Fall Camp.

4. Will the new tight ends really turn out to be two of BYU's best players?

At the conclusion of Spring Camp, BYU's new tight ends drew rave reviews from coaches and players. Offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick went as far as calling Walker Lyons and Roger Saleapaga two of BYU's best players.

"I can't believe we've talked this long and nobody asked about those guys yet, because that's two of the best players on our team, and they've shown it this spring," Roderick said on Lyons and Saleapaga.

Lyons and Saleapaga looked the part during the spring. Given the questions at wide receiver, BYU really needs the tight ends to be reliable weapons in the offense. Can they live up to the praise and be two of BYU's best players right away? That's something we'll be watching during camp.

5. Will Kelly Poppinga put his stamp on this BYU defense?

BYU returns more production than almost any defensive unit in college football. The familiar faces on defense will be led by new defensive coordinator Kelly Poppinga. Poppinga has said publicly that he won't be changing the scheme too much. He will also be mentored by Gary Andersen and Kalani Sitake who have experience running the same scheme that Jay Hill ran at BYU.

Still, Poppinga will have the creative liberty to put his stamp on this BYU defense. What will that look like? That's what we'll be watching during Fall Camp. Bronco Mendenhall's scheme included some exotic linebacker blitzes. It wouldn't be surprising to see Poppinga use the linebackers in creative ways, especially considering the talent at that position.

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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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