BYU is rolling into their most-anticipated season EVER with a roster that’s absolutely stacked with experience, ranking No. 3 in the entire country for returning players with snaps under their belt. That’s a wild 63% overall, and when you dig into it, it’s 60% on offense and a massive 65% on defense. Head coach Kalani Sitake’s program has basically locked in their depth chart a month before preseason camp kicks off, which is almost unheard of for them.
This Roster is LOCKED IN
Forget any quarterback drama, because Bear Bachmeier is the clear-cut QB1. The only question is who’s gonna be his backup. At running back, LJ Martin is RB1 and it’s his fourth and final season, with some serious school records in sight if he can keep up his 2025 pace. He had shoulder surgery and missed their 25-21 Pop-Tarts Bowl win over Georgia Tech, but he’s expected to be back. Even the offensive line is mostly settled, which is huge, especially if Washington transfer Paki Finau can own that left tackle spot. Sitake usually has a tough time figuring out his depth chart this close to the season, but not this year. That tells you everything about the experience and stability on this team.
From Disaster to Dominance, But Can They Stay Hungry?
Man, remember the near-disaster of 2023? They tried a massive roster overhaul for their first Big 12 season, and it just didn’t work. But since then, Sitake’s program has been on an absolute tear, going 23-4 overall (11-2 in 2024 and 12-2 in 2025)! They’ve ditched the heavy transfer portal reliance and focused on retaining players and developing talent, which has clearly paid off. They’re now one of the top programs in the Big 12 and a top 20 program nationally. The biggest question hanging over them now is whether they can stay “hungry and humble,” shrugging off all the accolades and avoiding complacency. Sitake knows it too, saying at the annual BYU Football Media Golf Classic, “We certainly haven’t arrived, and we don’t think we’ve arrived. We are going good right now, but we still need to get better during fall camp.” This offseason has been much quieter than the tumultuous 2025, which saw projected starting QB Jake Retzlaff leave. They did lose star receiver Parker Kingston, but overall, it’s been calm. Cal transfer linebacker Cade Uluave is ready, stating, “I just know everybody around here is eager to get back at it. We’ve done a lot the past few months to prepare for this month of August, for camp. We will be ready.”
It all kicks off with training camp starting Wednesday in Provo. Can this highly-touted, experienced Cougars squad handle the hype and continue their climb? The whole college football world is watching to see if they can turn this “most-anticipated season” into their best one yet.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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