The best complement: BYU football working together in all three phases
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- The offense lines up against the defense at BYU Football Fall Camp on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. Photo by Jaren Wilkey/BYU August 05, 2026
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- BYU linebacker Cade Uluave goes through drills during fall football camp on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026.
Over the past two seasons, BYU football is 8-2 in one-score games, including 4-0 in 2025.
Coaches will tell you that has everything to do with complementary football, the definition of complementary being things going well together or completing each other.
What that means for football is the three phases (offense, defense, special teams) all doing their part and picking the other up when something doesn’t go right.
Offensively, the Cougars return the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year (running back LJ Martin), a starter at quarterback (sophomore Bear Bachmeier) and a solid offensive line. There is talent in the tight ends and receivers but very little proven talent.
Observing it all during the early stages of fall camp is a fifth-year senior expected to be the backup to Bachmeier.
“We have a lot of continuity from last year,” quarterback Treyson Bourguet said. “We got some guys from the transfer portal that can really come in and plug and play. They can really get after it. Coach A Rod (Aaron Roderick) has done a really good job calling plays to the offense’s strengths.
“It’s kind of hard to pick and choose what are strengths are because we’re so well-rounded all over the football field. We can go into a game and throw it 45 times and find a lot of success, and then the next game we can throw less than 20 times and let LJ run and find a way to win. And our defense complements us a lot, creating turnovers and doing what they do.”
Roderick said last season the entire playbook was open to Bachmeier but could he open things up even more in 2026?
“I think Bear is going to keep doing what he’s doing,” Bourguet said. “You find growth from your freshman to your sophomore year, your sophomore to your junior year and your junior year to your senior year, that’s what I’ve seen for myself. Whatever play is called, Bear is going to execute it to the highest level, not just physically but mentally as well. His football IQ is off the charts. He and Coach A Rod really complement each other very well, no matter what play is called.”
On the defensive side of the ball, BYU returns an improving, veteran defensive line and what might be one of the top linebacking groups in the country in senior Isaiah Glasker, junior Siale Esera and Cal transfer Cade Uluave. Evan Johnson, perhaps the fastest player in the Cougar side, returns at cornerback to lead a deep secondary.
The biggest change on the defense is the loss of coordinator Jay Hill, who left to take a spot on Kyle Whittingham’s staff at Michigan. Kelly Poppinga takes over as the BYU defensive coordinator.
“Kelly has been here the whole time,” BYU senior defensive end Bodie Schoonover said. “It’s been amazing and the transition has been smooth for us.”
Schoonover said he thinks this defense has a chance to be special.
“It’s our mindset as a whole,” he said. “We’ve got so many guys on the team that are bought into our purpose as a defense to just go out there every play and give it our all. We just love football and we love to be here. We love each other. Our camaraderie and our chemistry will take us a long way.”
With Poppinga taking over the defense, fourth-year assistant Justin Ena will handle the special teams.
There’s plenty of work to do there. The Cougars will be replacing nearly every spot, from kicker to punter to holder to returner.
It appears Matthias Dunn, a senior from Heber City, has the inside track to be the starting kicker with redshirt freshman Fuller Shurtz (Katy, Texas) taking the lead as punter. The deep snapper role is a battle between redshirt freshman Berkley Alfrey (Auburn, Wash.), redshirt sophomore Ty Smith (Gibert, Ariz.) and sophomore Rayden Heintz (Brighton, Colo.).
Senior Tiger Bachmeier has experience as a punt returner and freshman speedster Legend Glasker might get some opportunities as a kick return specialist.
