PROVO, Utah — The Cougar football team had its third practice of fall camp on Friday, throwing on shoulder pads and helmets as intensity builds for the season opener.
BYU’s 2026 offense features a returning starting quarterback, key pieces back on the offensive line, a receiver corps eager to prove themselves, a duo of top transfer tight ends among other returners and the Big 12’s 2025 Offensive Player of the Year, running Back LJ Martin.
The Cougar offensive coaching staff also remains intact with the same core for the third consecutive year.
Led by offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Aaron Roderick, BYU also returns passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach Fesi Sitake, offensive line coach and run game coordinator TJ Woods, tight ends coach Kevin Gilbride and running backs coach Harvey Unga.
Last year’s 2025 offense produced 31.4 points per game, No. 32 nationally. BYU was one of eight FBS teams that had a 3,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher and two receivers with 800 yards apiece. BYU’s offense ranked No. 17 in the ESPN Efficiency Index.
Running backs
Martin, a 6-foot-2, 225-pounder out of El Paso, Texas, ran for 1,305 rushing yards to lead the league last year, good for No. 11 nationally. Selected as the 2026 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, Martin scored 12 touchdowns, averaged 5.5 yards per carry and 100.4 rushing yards per game, tops in the Big 12 in 2025.
Martin has played in 33 career games, totaling 482 carries, 2,541 yards and 23 touchdowns on the ground. One of the top players in the country returning in 2026, the Doak Walker Award, Maxwell Award and Heisman Trophy hopeful also has 57 career receptions, 398 yards and three receiving touchdowns.
Sione Moa returns after injuries plagued his 2025 season. The 5-foot-10, 220-pound Moa showed flashes of what he can do in 2024 and 2025 and aims to take on a big role this season. Moa has 47 carries, 236 yards and four touchdowns in limited action.
A talented freshman Devaughn Eka (5-11, 195) joins a room ready to break through with other candidates for time like Preston Rex (6-0, 200), Jovesa Damuni (6-0, 195) and others.
Quarterbacks
Returning starting quarterback Bear Bachmeier is back after a stellar true freshman season where he produced 3,560 yards of total offense and 26 combined touchdowns. Bachmeier became the first true freshman in FBS history who started the season opener for his team and went on to win 12 games as the starter. Guiding BYU to a 12-2 record, Bachmeier was one of only two freshmen overall last year, joined by Ohio State redshirt freshman Julian Sayin, to quarterback his team to 12 victories in 2025.
A 2026 Maxwell Award candidate, Bachmeier (6-2, 230) earned 2025 Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year honors and was named a 247 Sports True Freshman All-American after starting all 14 games and completing 251 of 387 passes (64.9%) for 3,033 yards and 15 touchdowns. The dual-threat added 527 rushing yards and a school-record 11 touchdowns on the ground.
Redshirt senior Treyson Bourguet, an experirenced starter from his time at Western MIchigan, and freshman Enoch Watson are among the other signal callers preparing with Bachmeier to help the team this season.
Offensive Line
The returning Cougar duo of Martin and Bachmeier poses serious threats to opposing defenses but BYU adds several other returners and key additions across the offensive line to block and protect the tandem.
All-Big 12 center Bruce Mitchell (6-4, 305) is back to lead the unit. A 2026 Rimington Trophy and Outland Trophy candidate, Mitchell was graded as one of the top centers nationally last year and with 38 games played in his career and 20 starts over the past two seasons, headlines an experienced unit and was named Preseason All-Big 12.
Right tackle Andrew Gentry (6-8, 310) held down the right side, starting all 14 games last season after transferring from Michigan, while other returners with experience vying for spots include Kyle Sfarcioc (6-4, 305), Sonny Makasini (6-4, 315), Trevin Ostler (6-4, 320) Joe Brown (6-4, 310), Siosiua Latu-Finau (6-5, 310) and Trevor Pay (6-3, 295).
The Cougars added transfers Paki Finau (6-5, 310) from Washington and Jr. Sia (6-3, 330) from Utah State to add to the competition. Finau started at guard in Washington but is expected to move to tackle and compete for the open left tackle position, while Sia has experience at both guard and tackle, starting 10 games at Utah State in 2025. Top incoming recruit true freshman Bott Mulitalo (6-5, 310) out of Lone Peak aims to make an impact his first year.
Tight end
BYU added two top tight ends from the portal for 2026 in Walker Lyons from USC and Roger Saleapaga II from Oregon.
Lyons (6-4, 245) appeared in 23 games at USC, including 12 games in 2025, and caught 20 balls for 223 yards and two touchdowns last year for the Trojans.
Saleapaga II (6-4, 235) appeared in 26 games at Oregon, including the Ducks’ 2025 playoff run where he caught a touchdown against eventual national champion Indiana.
BYU also returns several other tight ends, including experience from Keayen Nead’s 11 games in 2025 with three starts and Noah Moeaki who appeared in all 14 games last year.
Wide Receiver
The biggest opportunity in fall camp for players to show how they will contribute to the team's production may be in the wide receiver room, where BYU must replace its top two starting wideouts that totaled more than 1,700 receiving yards in 2025.
The Cougars return talented Jojo Phillips (6-5, 205), Reggie Frischknecht (6-4, 207), Tiger Bachmeier (6-1, 190) and Tei Nacua (6-2, 190). All four have experience from 2025 and are expected to become key parts of the rotation.
The Cougars added Oregon transfer Kyler Kasper (6-6, 212), a former four-star recruit looking for a fresh opportunity in Provo. In addition to Kasper, BYU added several freshmen newcomers that are expected to come ready to contribute, including Jaron Pula (6-3, 200), Legend Glasker (6-1, 175) and Terrance Saryon (5-11, 170).