DICKSON: Coaches tend to make personnel decisions on the conservative side, especially at quarterback. If Hillstead and Bachmeier are fairly close, I would expect coaches to choose Hillstead because of his college experience. But if Bachmeier is clearly the better performer in practice, I think you’ll see a freshman start Game 1 at quarterback for the first time in BYU history. The schedule is pretty conducive to breaking in a new quarterback generally, so if the Cougar coaches are really sold on Bachmeier, that’s the way to go. The fact that Bachmeier, with no spring football experience with BYU, could come in and win the job from a couple of veterans is pretty telling. If Bachmeier is that special of a talent, the future looks bright. There is always the prospect of rushing a freshman quarterback in too soon and seeing his confidence waver. Coaches have to weight all of that.

GURNEY: If Hillstead hasn’t firmly established himself as the better option over Bachmeier at this point, then it’s difficult for me to he’ll emerge as the better option with the season-opener just two weeks away. Bachmeier was well-assumed to be the quarterback with the most mobility with regards to improvements entering fall camp, and I think that fact that he’s currently neck-and-neck with Hillstead, by all accounts, gives him the nod. He was by far the more highly regarded prospect entering camp, and I think he’s validated that fact through three weeks of practice sessions. For Hillstead to state his case over Bachmeier, at this stage, then he has to clearly outperform the freshman with just one week left before coaches make their final decision. I’ll be surprised if that occurs, given my belief that Bachmeier has always been set to see the most improvement during fall practices.

2. The Big 12 released a statement this week that they will be requiring player availability reports before football and men’s basketball and women’s basketball games. Thoughts?

GURNEY: I really like the concept of the rule, but I really wonder how it’s going to be enforced. How coaches release injury information has become somewhat of a joke, and somewhat imprudent as it’s led to media sources and social media to explore other options in gathering injury information. Yes, I understand some coaches feel it gives their respective teams a competitive advantage to guard such information, but I’ve always felt that advantage is largely overrated.

DICKSON: That groan you just heard was Big 12 coaches, fearful of giving even the slightest of edges to an opponent by letting them know any additional information. I guess I like the decision by the Big 12, but coaches will likely find ways around it. They could just say everybody is available to play then make a “game-time decision” that a player is not ready to go. Maybe we can get past the joke of a situation with Utah quarterback Cam Rising, who was apparently “close” the whole 2024 season but never played.

3. With Big 12 football so balanced, who is your favorite to win the league this year?

DICKSON: Man, that’s a really tough question. Can I just say ‘BYU’ and go about my business? No? I mean, BYU is probably (in my mind) in a group of six to eight teams that could pull it off. I like TCU to sneak up on everyone this year and I think Kansas State and Baylor could be pretty good. Utah should be better. The Big 12 didn’t have  preseason poll this year, thinking it can harm the league’s chances of getting their best team into the college football playoffs. Arizona State at No. 11 leads four Big 12 teams in the AP poll but I think the Sun Devils will be a very different team without Mr. Skataboo running the ball.

GURNEY: I’m not going to wimp out like Darnell here and give you an entire list of teams that can win it. I’m actually going to answer the question and give you a definitive favorite and that favorite is Iowa State. It seems like everyone is sleeping on Cyclones and I really fail to understand why that’s the case for a team finished 11-3 last season and returns most of their offense from a season ago, including quarterback Rocco Becht, along with most of their defensive standouts. Maybe it’s because Iowa State took it on the chin to Arizona State in the Big 12 Championship game? It’s hard to say, but I really believe the Cyclones are the most overlooked team in the entire conference and they’re my pick to win it all this year.

4. Utah Valley University is holding a ribbon cutting ceremony this week for its brand-new soccer stadium, which was built as reported cost of $20 million. Will BYU follow suit sooner rather than later to keep up?

GURNEY: BYU keeping up with UVU? What is this world of collegiate sports that’s being presented here? I’m kidding, mostly, and it’s great watching the Wolverines continue to make great strides in their athletic programs, and if they’ve truly reached the point to warrant a response from BYU, then great. But in answer to the question I think it’s very likely that BYU will follow suit and implement upgrades. The soccer program is very well-attended year-in and year-out and deserves top facilities. I believe Brian Santiago will prove extremely aggressive as an Athletic Director with this sort of thing and fully anticipate major upgrades to South Field in the coming years.

DICKSON: Five years ago I would have said BYU will probably NEVER build a new facility for sports, just renovate. But now the Cougars are in the Big 12 and the money is flowing through the program. LaVell Edwards Stadium and the Marriott Center are in pretty good shape for how old those structures are right now but new facilities are a possibility down the road. As for soccer, BYU sells out South Field pretty consistently but there will be plenty of envious looks when UVU opens their new stadium. How about putting something where the football field at old Provo High School sits? Lots of good possibilities there.

5. The BYU women’s volleyball team has been picked to win the Big 12 Conference after finishing sixth last season. Do you think it will happen?

DICKSON: Last year the top of the Big 12 was filled with teams taking advantage of that extra COVID year. Seemed like every good league team BYU faced at three or four sixth-year seniors or grad transfers. That kind of experience was hard to overcome for the Cougars, who were pretty young. I think Heather Olmstead has one of her most talented rosters in years. There’s depth at pretty much every position, though how the middles work out will be key. Suli Davis could be Olmstead’s best freshman recruit ever and will be really fun to watch in 2025. So yeah, I think BYU definitely should be the team to beat in the Big 12.

GURNEY: I never make it a habit to bet against Heather Olmstead and certainly won’t do it here. What Olmstead has accomplished with the volleyball program has been extraordinary and it’s very difficult for me to believe she’ll put forth a team that doesn’t match expectation two years in a row. Without knowing the personnel involves nearly as well as Darnell, I have no problem resting on Olmstead’s ability to forge competitive teams that can legitimately compete for an NCAA championship.