Quarterback: B+

It took a while for Bear Bachmeier to get going, but that was to be expected, or at least should have been. The true freshman began Saturday’s game a little inaccurate, missing on two early throws that should have gone for relatively easy completions. But Bachmeier settled down, and showed very well to finish out the first half. He locked in on his accuracy and accounted for three touchdowns passing and a couple of more on the ground. Overall Bachmeier threw just 11 times and completed seven of them for 97 yards. Most importantly, he didn’t account for a single turnover.

Running back: A

It’s extremely difficult to poke holes in anything starting running backs LJ Martin and Sione Moa did on the field during Saturday’s win. Martin put up receiver-like numbers, rushing the ball for 131 yards on just eight carries while Moa did the same, accounting for 33 yards on just three totes from the line of scrimmage. Jovesa Damuni was the first running back off the bench and carried it seven times for 44 yards while benefitting, as did all the running backs, from exceptional blocking upfront.

Wide Receivers/tight ends: A

The receivers and tight ends weren’t big factors in Saturday’s game, but that was due primarily to game flow and BYU’s subsequent reticence to open up the playbook. But the receivers largely performed well when targeted effectively, with tight end Carsen Ryan and receiver Cody Hagen standing out the most. Ryan made an exceptional touchdown reception where he was able to haul in a tipped ball in coverage from 22 yards out. Hagen caught two passes for 35 yards and showed off his elite speed on a 57-yard fly sweep. Top receiver Chase Roberts didn’t get involved much, but that was mostly due to uncatchable balls thrown his way when targeted.

Offensive line: A

No sacks allowed warrants a high grade on any night, but coupled with the mammoth holes the unit bulldozed throughout the game and a solid A grade is easy to assign. A lot of BYU’s big gains were on the edge, where new tackles Isaiah Jatta and Andrew Gentry were both aggressive and effective throughout. Perhaps the best news is that BYU’s offensive front continued to provide big holes with its second and even third-stringers late in the game.

Defensive line: A

The pristine grades continue with the defensive line. I mean, what can you criticize with a unit that held Portland State to -5 yards rushing while accounting for consistent pass rush pressure throughout the game? The course of the game allowed coaches to empty their bench, which oftentimes leads to looser resistance upfront. But that didn’t happen on Saturday with the Cougar front proving stout throughout. John Taumoepeau was particularly good, reeking all sorts of havoc from his defensive tackle spot.

Linebackers: A

Everything said about the defensive line can be applied to the linebackers. Isaiah Glasker and Jack Kelly both performed as anticipated, but others contributed heavy, too, including Ace Kaufusi, Orion Maile-Kaufusi, Choe Bryant-Strother and several others in what looks to be the Cougar’s deepest and perhaps most-talented position group.

Defensive backs: A

The defense allowed 56 yards passing and pretty much nothing from the middle of the first quarter on. As always, Defensive Coordinator Jay Hill used a variety of defensive backs throughout, with every group responding well in whatever the situation was presented. Again, Portland State isn’t the best test for most units, but it’s difficult to poke even minor holes in what the defensive backs and pretty much every position group provided in the win.

Special Teams: A-

The special teams again provided the spark to get the team going, much like it did throughout last season’s 11-2 campaign. Will Ferrin tied a school record with his 56-yard field goal made while proving very effective in the variety of kickoffs performed. The only mark against the special teams was punt returner Parker Kingston’s fumble lost.

Coaching: A

Everything worked. Sure, you can complain about sort of a slow start, but considering the barrage of points and lopsided play provided following the midway point of the first quarter, you’d be knit-picking to the extreme. The substitutions were clean and effective with just about every player on the roster providing some sort of impact. In short, the gameplan set forth on Saturday definitely met and probably exceeded expectation and that’s a credit to the season-long preparation applied by the coaching staff.