First BYU football fall practice session gives no sign of a new starting quarterback

All summer, the big question surrounding BYU football was, "Who will be the starting quarterback?"

Months of speculation and debate after Jake Retzlaff's departure from the program as to who will lead the Cougars into battle in 2025 all culminated into the most anticipated opening day of fall camp in years.

And after Wednesday's practice came and went, the answer that everyone was looking for still seems to be weeks away.

There is no frontrunner yet.

Photo by BYU Photo

How did each quarterback play day one?
It's hard to say how each quarterback played. Practice ended 20 minutes earlier than expected, leaving media observation that much shorter.

From the small glimpses that were open to the public, all three quarterbacks in contention for the starting spot, Bear Bachmeier, Treyson Bourguet and McCae Hillstead, got reps with the starters on offense.

None of the three quarterbacks set themselves apart from the rest, or set set themselves back.

"The goal is to try to get these guys in a situation where they can feel comfortable to function," coach Kalnai Sitake said after Wednesday's practice. "I thought [the quarterbacks] did a great job today." When asked, Sitake said that there was not a pecking order.

When asked if there was a timeline on when the Cougars would like to announce a starter, Sitake said, "As soon as we can."

How did the three quarterbacks feel they played in day one?
All three quarterbacks were made available to the media, with all three having helpful insight on the Cougars' situation.

Bourguet, a fourth year senior from Tucson, Ariz., who transferred to BYU from Western Michigan in 2024, had the most outright confidence.

"This is the most confident and comfortable I've been in a system my whole career," Bourguet said, noting that since his freshman year of high school he has had a new offensive coordinator every year. This second year under Aaron Roderick will be his first season with continuity in the offense in his career.

"I'm worthy to play at this level," Bourguet said. "I can go out there and compete with the best."

Hillstead, who transferred to BYU after one season at Utah State, also said he feels more comfortable in Year Two with this offense.

"Getting reps and experience with the guys ... and mastering the offense has been big for me," Hillstead said when asked how he's improved from last season.

Bachmeier, who has the highest ceiling of all three quarterbacks, played in his first collegiate fall practice on Wednesday. He was the No. 11 ranked high school quarterback for the 2025 class according to ESPN, and transferred to BYU after playing spring ball at Stanford.

"The goal is to compete," Bachmeier said. "I feel like the day went pretty well, I got acclimated pretty well, just gotta keep stacking days."

The freshman quarterback transferred to BYU alongside his brother, Tiger, who will compete for the wide receiver two spot this fall.

What to expect going forward
Expect more of the same from the BYU football team for the rest of August: limited media observation, no filming at practices and tight lips during interviews.

In terms of pure athleticism, Bachmeier takes the cake, but learning a college offense is never an easy task, especially at 18 years old. Hillstead and Bourguet have the advantage when it comes to experience and comfortability at the position.

The next BYU practice that will be open to the media is on Friday.