BYU Football: Bear Bachmaier Set To Be First True Freshman QB To Start Season Opener

Bear Bachmaier is set to make history for the BYU football team if he wins the starting quarterback job over McCae Hillstead in 2025. The Cougars have had a number of talented freshmen come through the program and start games under center but none of them have done what Bachmaier is on schedule to accomplish this season. If he wins the starting job, which is beginning to look like a realistic possibility, Bachmaier will become the first-ever true freshman to start the season opener and take the team’s first snap of the season.

BYU QB Competition Is Nearly Over

The BYU football team got an early surprise during the offseason when senior QB Jake Retzlaff transferred to Tulane in order to avoid a lengthy suspension for violating the university’s Honor Code, leaving the door open for a true quarterback competition during fall camp. 

With less than two weeks to go before the start of the BYU football season, the QB competition is finally coming to an end. 

By nearly all accounts, Bachmaier has taken control of the race ahead of McCae Hillstead and Treyson Bourget, despite getting a late start following his spring transfer from Stanford.

Both Hillstead and Bourget have been in the program for over a year, giving them a head start in Aaron Roderick’s offense. But Bachmaier has been a quick study and has arguably the highest ceiling of any player in the QB room, which could play a role in him ultimately winning the job. Bourget and Hillstead have both had trouble taking care of the football, which is an absolute priority for the Cougars if they want to compete this season.

No matter who gets the start under center, expectations will be sky-high for the Cougars in 2025. Retzlaff led the program to one of the best seasons in school history last season, as BYU finished with an 11-2 record, including a 7-2 mark in the revamped Big 12 and a Valero Alamo Bowl victory over Colorado.

BYU Has Never Had A True Freshman QB Start The Season Opener

Bachmaier is on pace to become the first true freshman quarterback ever to start the season opener. 

That’s a remarkable fact when you consider the Cougars’ storied quarterback lineage, which includes legends like Ty Detmer, Steve Young, and Zach Wilson. While many freshmen have gone on to start games later in the season, they all had time to settle in before being thrust into the spotlight. Bachmaier, on the other hand, would be handed the reins from day one.

The feat is even more surpising considering he arrived in late-spring from Stanford, which fired former head coach Troy Taylor following a bullying investigation. 

Setting Realistic Expectations For Bachmaier At BYU

Projected Stats: 

• Passing yards: 2,950
• Completion Percentage: 62%
• Passing TDs: 22
• INTs: 9
• Rushing TDs: 4

Given that Bachmaier is a true freshman, it’s fair to wonder how well he will perform under center in a loaded Big 12 Conference. It’s important for BYU fans to remain patient and set realistic expectations for the 19-year-old in his first college season. 

Looking back at three former freshman QBs should give BYU fans some hope.

Jake Heaps (2010), Tanner Magnum (2015), and Zach Wilson (2018) are among the most recent examples of freshmen QBs who started multiple games for BYU in their first collegiate campaigns.

However, none of these quarterbacks were up against the level of competition that Bachmaier is set to face as a freshman. 

Heaps had the best season of his college career as a freshman at BYU, throwing for 2,316 yards with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He led BYU to a 6-5 record in games where he took the majority of the snaps.

Tanner Magnum might be the closest example to Bachmaier. He started every game after taking over in the season opener against Nebraska after Tayson Hill got hurt. In that game, he led an impressive comeback that culminated in an unforgettable Hail Mary to secure the win. That season, he led BYU to a 9-3 overall record as a member of the Mountain West Conference. He completed 59.9% of his passes for 3,377 yards with 23 touchdowns and 10 interceptions that season, which ended up being the best season of his career at BYU.

Magnum eventually would concede the starting job to another freshman, Zach Wilson, who went on to become one of the best quarterbacks in BYU history and the eventual No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. 

Wilson led BYU to a 4-3 record as a starter in his freshman season and finished the season with a perfect 18-for-18 performance and four touchdowns in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl against Western Michigan. As a freshman, he completed 65% of his passes for 1,578 yards with 12 touchdowns and only three interceptions.