BYU’s fall camp begins subsequent week. We at the moment are lower than 40 days away from BYU kicking off the 2026 season towards Utah Tech. Kalani Sitake leads BYU into his eleventh season on the helm. His squad is coming off of one of the vital spectacular seasons at school historical past, ending 12-2 with a Big 12 Championship Game berth and ranked eleventh within the closing AP ballot, tied for his finest end as head coach. That can be a tricky season to high in 2026. Still, the Cougars will attempt.
What are the highest three storylines heading into camp for the Cougars?
Advertisement
Who is catching passes from QB Bear Bachmeier?
We all know who QB1 is in Provo. That wasn’t the case this time final 12 months. Then Bachmeier took the reins and put collectively a marketing campaign worthy of being the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year. His dual-threat abilities together with a maturity past his age led the Cougars to an explosive season. Unfortunately, a number of key items of that offense are gone for varied causes. Receiver Chase Roberts and tight finish Carsen Ryan aged out, making an attempt their hand at NFL camps this fall. Cody Hagen retired. Parker Kingston is not with the workforce or the varsity after going through severe authorized hassle.
That leaves the Cougars with out their high three pass-catchers from a season in the past. Returning is Jojo Phillips together with gamers like Tiger Bachmeier, Tei Nacua and Reggie Frischknecht who had been down on the depth chart final season. The two largest arrivals on offense through the switch portal got here through Kyler Kasper from Oregon and Walker Lyons from USC. Those two salvaged what may have been a disastrous offseason for BYU’s passing assault. Both have expertise catching passes within the Big 10. Kasper is a 6-foot-6 receiver, one of many tallest receivers BYU has ever had. Don’t neglect about gifted children Jaron Pula and Legend Glasker, both.
While it is actually a brand new trying group, it would not have a scarcity of expertise or expertise. They simply must gel with Bachmeier in time for the 2026 schedule to warmth up.
Advertisement
How totally different will the protection look beneath new DC Kelly Poppinga?
This was fairly a loud offseason for BYU. First, Penn State got here calling about Kalani Sitake, basically forcing BYU’s hand in giving him an extension. Then, after Kyle Whittingham and Utah parted methods, he got here the top man at Ann Arbor and introduced former BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill together with him to Michigan. Hill had remodeled BYU’s protection into the most effective within the Big 12 and even your complete nation. Can they replicate a unit that ranked nineteenth in scoring final 12 months?
Poppinga takes over after spending 4 seasons because the Cougars’ particular groups coordinator and defensive ends coach. The gamers converse glowingly concerning the system in place. There could also be a couple of totally different wrinkles however count on the identical aggressive assault beneath Poppinga that made Jay Hill so profitable in Provo. It actually helps that a couple of main pillars are again on the workforce in defensive deal with Keanu Tanuvasa, linebacker Isaiah Glasker, and defensive backs Evan Johnson and Faletau Satuala. Indeed, Jack Kelly is gone, getting picked within the sixth spherical by the Giants. The Cougars shortly changed him within the switch portal with coveted linebacker out of Cal, Cade Uluave. That could possibly be a seamless transition.
The brief reply is it may not look very totally different schematically or in personnel. Let’s all hope it seems the identical, and even higher, with the outcomes on the sector.
Advertisement
Can LJ Martin high his stellar 2025 season?
2025 was a glimpse into what it seems like when all of it comes collectively for working again LJ Martin. Finally, he bought a full wholesome season after two bumpy campaigns. Missing only one sport, he led the Big 12 in dashing makes an attempt (236) and yards (1,305), rating fifth amongst all Power Conference working backs within the latter class. For his efforts, he was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.
What can the BYU again do for an encore in 2026? Getting him again in Provo was one of many largest constructive developments of your complete offseason. If he has one other season akin to final 12 months’s, he’ll go down as the most effective working backs in BYU historical past. He is 1,361 yards away from changing into BYU’s all-time main rusher. Even if he merely has 915 yards this 12 months, that can be adequate for him to move Harvey Unga for second all-time. The Cougars probably go in 2026 as LJ Martin goes. When he and Bachmeier are wholesome and synchronized, this offense can be very troublesome to cease.