Meet Bear Bachmeier: BYU’s freshman QB with a name — and maybe the game — to become a Cougar legend

Provo • When you first meet Bear Bachmeier, there is a bit of family lore the quarterback likes to brief you on first.

Bachmeier has told the tale a million times by now, with inflections ready for every punchline and voices primed for every character.

“It’s kind of a long story, I can ramble here for a little bit,” he says.

As he launches into this rendition, he starts by explaining how his great-grandfather, James, was a fighter pilot. He smoked those unfiltered Camels in the cockpit and had the voice to show for it.

“Real deep,” Bachmeier says for emphasis, grabbing his throat and imitating the gruff tone.

When James walked around the house, he’d summon people with the low snarl. “Get over here, Tiger,” he’d say.

So when Bachmeier’s father eventually had kids, he took it a step further. He gave his son, James Bachmeier IV, the nickname “Tiger” after his namesake.

“And then he said, ‘The best one has to be named Bear,’” Bachmeier said, hitting his punchline with a big laugh.

This is the 19-year-old who’s not only trying to be the best in his family these days — but the best BYU’s seen in some time.

Plenty of greats walked through Provo before him — Steve Young, Ty Detmer, Jim McMahon — but the grandson of a fighter pilot, who wears the number 47, will soon do something none of them could: start the season as a true freshman.

“It’s a lot. I’m surprised it hasn’t happened before. There have been so many good players to play here,” offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick says. “But we feel like he is ready for it.”

So how did a quarterback out of nowhere take the reins at a quarterback factory? Through a lot more stories about Camels, Tigers and Bears, and the lofty hopes that rest on his wide 6-foot-2 frame.

“He’s a character,” veteran wide receiver Chase Roberts says. “He doesn’t care what people think of him. He’s definitely a fun time to be around. He’s a stud.”

Taking control

BYU wide receiver JoJo Phillips has been through quarterback battles before. Just last year, he slogged through a competition that dragged on for four weeks.

So when this August rolled around, Phillips knew what to expect: a group of signal callers desperately fighting for their careers. But when he first stepped into a huddle with Bachmeier, he saw the freshman at ease, cracking jokes with a bunch of people he barely knew.

“He’s lightening the mood, getting us all to relax,” Phillips said. “He likes to laugh and smile. It’s different.”

In retrospect, maybe Phillips shouldn’t have been surprised by his demeanor. Most things about Bachmeier are different.

Growing up in California, Bachmeier starred in basketball, baseball and football. His hulkish frame first lent itself to running back and linebacker — bruising opponents with his physicality. Even in high school, he was listed at 215 pounds. When coaches eventually moved him to quarterback, he asked to keep the No. 47 he wore as a linebacker with him.

“It brings me back to my primitive nature,” Bachmeier explained with a grin.

From the shotgun, Bachmeier played with a linebacker’s aggression. He fit balls into tight windows to throw for more than 2,850 passing yards and 26 touchdowns as a sophomore. When he wasn’t slinging it, he mowed down defenders as he ran for 18 more scores.

Alabama, Georgia and Oregon came calling. He shot up to a four-star recruit, with coaches knowing most quarterbacks aren’t built to his specifications.

“I mean, he’s got the body of a middle linebacker,” Roberts joked. “He can hang in D-I football; there isn’t anything you are worried about there.”

Roderick put in an offer, but BYU was already too late. Before he was a junior, Bachmeier committed to Stanford to play alongside his brother Tiger. He didn’t take any visits to Provo out of respect for the Cardinal and arrived on campus in Palo Alto last January.

But after going through one semester, Stanford’s program was rocked by a coaching change. BYU wide receivers coach Fesi Sitake, who is in charge of Southern California recruiting, immediately reached out to Bachmeier’s high school coach, George Wilson, to see if the Cougars had a chance.

“He said he’s interested,” Sitake said. “And we were all in.”

BYU offered both Tiger and Bear, hoping by allowing the brothers to stay together it would have a better shot at landing the quarterback.

“When the recruitment of Tiger, when that idea came into play, we knew that was just going to increase our chances with Bear,” Sitake said.

The timing aligned. Bachmeier committed to BYU on May 3. Three weeks later, incumbent quarterback Jake Retzlaff was named in a civil sexual assault lawsuit that would ultimately lead to his departure.

BYU’s quarterback job was open. Bachmeier thought it was his to take.

“Obviously circumstances really opened up an opportunity. So you’ve got to get it,” Bachmeier said.

A quirky quarterback

When Bachmeier was announced as BYU’s starter last week, ESPN’s “College GameDay” had a field day.

“It’s a throwback,” former NFL defensive lineman Chris Canty said. “You’ve got a quarterback who has the number 47, name is Bear, throwing to his brother and his name is Tiger. What more do you want?”

And that didn’t capture all of Bachmeier’s eccentricities.

When he arrived in Provo, he had two main priorities: learn the playbook and win over the locker room.

From a football side, things came together quickly. He set up daily meetings with BYU’s assistant quarterback coach Matt Mitchell to hone his understanding of the offense. What takes some players years, he had down in a little over a month.

“He’s very, very smart. He’s up to speed,” Roderick said before fall camp even started. “In terms of knowing what to do, he’s been dialed every play.”

By the end of fall camp, Bachmeier threw the fewest interceptions of any quarterback and the most completions. That, combined with his big-play ability, was enough to win the job on the field.

But Bachmeier’s leadership style is what surprised the coaching staff more.

Bachmeier immediately impressed his bevy of stories and hobbies on his teammates. He got a pingpong tournament started in the locker room and played the board game Settlers of Catan in people’s apartments.

“We all go to somebody’s place up the street, call it the Fun House,” he said.

He recently added “Clash Royale” and “Secret Hitler” to his repertoire of games he plays to bond with guys. When he’s not doing that, you might find locked in a chess game with his brother, or singing the song “Wagon Wheel” while playing guitar.

“Our players gravitate to him,” Roderick said. “He’s a good leader. It’s rare to see a true freshman lead the team the way he does.”

So when he was announced as the starter, there was no doubt in people’s minds. Bachmeier was the undoubted quarterback ready to step into BYU history — even if it was unfathomable two months ago.

Stepping into the spotlight

Last Sunday, Roberts was hanging out at his apartment when Bear Bachmeier texted him. On the day’s agenda was a spontaneous fishing outing.

“The Bachmeiers are always the ones leading the group, wanting to do that stuff,” Roberts said. “Go out and go-kart race. Little things like that. He gains that chemistry off the field and it translates on the field.”

Then Roberts added that Bachmeier wearing the No. 47 is probably fitting, “It just shows his personality. I love it. He just doesn’t care what people think of him.”

Still, Roberts knows better than most, regardless of Bachmeier’s approach, the challenge in front of him is daunting. There is a reason why no true freshman has ever played at BYU, even with the greats who have played the position.

“It’s a huge honor to represent such a quarterback-oriented university,” Bachmeier said. “Not only the lineage, but even recently with the Zach Wilsons and Jaren Halls.”

Now all he can do is attack it the way he knows how. He will be laughing in the huddle and telling stories out of it. He will be using his 6-foot-2 frame to bully defenders in the open field.

It’s different from the legends he is following. But then again, Bachmeier’s always been a little different — down to the name he owes to his Camel-smoking, fighter jet flying great-grandfather.