High expectations, prospects for 2026 season will be hot topics for BYU at Big 12 media days

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FRISCO, Texas — With one of the most anticipated seasons in BYU football history about two months away, head coach Kalani Sitake and six members of the Cougars’ 2026 team will unofficially kick off the campaign on Tuesday at the Big 12 football media days.

Usually, BYU is kind of an afterthought at these annual meetings — this year’s event is at The Star, the Dallas Cowboys’ massive practice facility north of Dallas — but in 2026, the narrative will be completely different for the Cougars.

After three seasons in the Big 12, and coming off a 23-4 record the past two seasons, BYU has gone from the hunter to the hunted. Expectations are sky high for BYU with a blossoming star at quarterback in rising sophomore Bear Bachmeier and last year’s Big 12 offensive player of the year in running back LJ Martin.

For the second-straight season, no preseason media poll has been done. But if such a survey existed, BYU almost certainly would be picked second, behind only defending Big 12 champion Texas Tech. That’s how much respect BYU has garnered after going 11-2 in 2024 and 12-2 in 2023, just missing out on the College Football Playoff in both of those years.

“We were right there within grasp of the playoffs, and didn’t get in,” Sitake said after the Cougars wrapped up spring drills on April 2. “There was a reason why a bunch of these guys came back, and that is to reach the (CFP). I just want them to focus on being their best, and then if we can perform at our best, I like our chances.”

No fewer than six of those veteran players have accompanied Sitake to Frisco. Also participating in Tuesday’s talkfest will be Bachmeier, Martin, offensive lineman Bruce Mitchell, linebacker Isaiah Glasker, defensive back Evan Johnson and defensive lineman Keanu Tanuvasa.

Only Arizona State, which is taking seven players to Texas, will have more representatives than BYU; most teams are taking five to six players, while Utah and Cincinnati are taking four and West Virginia is taking only three.

This is the second consecutive year the Big 12 is having media days at The Star. In 2024, after Utah, Colorado, Arizona and Arizona State joined the league, it was held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Fans can expect Sitake and his players to talk extensively about staying humble and hungry, which is sort of the mantra that sprang out of spring camp. There will also be a lot of talk about college football playoff expansion, as Sitake has said he’s on board with the league’s desire to see the playoff expanded to 24 teams.

If it had been that way the past two years, BYU obviously would have been in for the first time ever.

“We have a system in place now that there’s a playoff. So you got to find a way to get there, and the best way for us to get there is to play our best football, and that’s easier said than done, because everybody else is wanting that same thing, too,” Sitake said. “As long as we just keep trying our best, we’re gonna be able to live with it, and be excited about the results. … But hope isn’t enough. You gotta go get the work done, and build that confidence that you did everything you can, so you can put your head up high and take the field with a lot of momentum, a lot of strength.”

What are the questions for the Cougars?

A year ago, questions about BYU’s quarterback situation poured in for Sitake, as the Jake Retzlaff situation did not get resolved until later in July. Facing a seven-game suspension for violating the BYU honor code in the wake of a civil lawsuit alleging sexual assault that was later dismissed at the request of both parties, Retzlaff eventually transferred to Tulane.

There’s no such uncertainty at quarterback for BYU this year, except at the backup QB spot. Who will step up if the unthinkable happens and Bachmeier goes down? The candidates are redshirt senior Treyson Bourguet and freshman returned missionary Enoch Watson. Other QBs in the room include Snow College transfer Max Barker and freshman Owen Geilman.

“Treyson’s a veteran player. He knows our offense very well. Has a lot of respect from his teammates. He’s playing good football. Lots of confidence in him,” said BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick. “And then Enoch Watson is learning what to do, but super talented. He’s a very high-ceiling guy. Super athlete, live arm. He’s just in the process of learning the offense each day. He’s right on schedule to be a really good football player.”

About the only other major question mark for the offense is at receiver, as BYU looks to replace Chase Roberts, the injured Cody Hagen and the expelled Parker Kingston. Will Oregon transfer Kyler Kasper pick up where Roberts left off? Will redshirt junior JoJo Phillips finally break out? Can Tiger Bachmeier start producing like he did at Stanford?

“Great teams are defined by how they adapt,” Bear Bachmeier said on April 3. “I think we are going to be really dangerous on the perimeter.”

Questions for the BYU defense

Before star safety Faletau Satuala sustained a right foot injury that has kept him from participating in player-run practices the past month and will likely keep him off the field the first few weeks of preseason training camp — which starts on Aug. 4 — there were very few questions surrounding the BYU defense in 2026.

That’s changed a little bit, with some reshuffling in order, but for the most part, the biggest question mark revolves around the coaching. Will new defensive coordinator Kelly Poppinga and incoming coaches Lewis Walker, Demario Warren and Danny Sorensen be able to keep the defense stout after the departures of Jay Hill and Jernaro Gilford to Michigan?

“I feel really good about where we are at,” Poppinga said when spring camp concluded. “We have great senior leadership. We have great players coming back that have a ton of experience.”

BYU ranks sixth in the country in returning defensive production, according to ESPN’s Bill Connelly. It is 50th in returning offensive production and 18th in overall returning production.

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