Bear Bachmeier and LJ Martin ready to deliver on offense for No. 14 BYU as it eyes Big 12 title

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Bear Bachmeier and LJ Martin are back at No. 14 BYU as the Cougars again try to contend for a Big 12 title.

Bachmeier enjoyed a breakout season at quarterback after transferring from Stanford before fall camp. Martin led the Big 12 in rushing in his third season in the program, pushing the Cougars to a runner-up finish behind No. 12 Texas Tech.

The return of the dynamic playmakers gives BYU one of the most productive backfield tandems in the FBS.

“The ceiling is very high,” Bachmeier said. “We got the potential to do something really special this year. We’ve got a lot of veteran players coming back up front, on the perimeter, and in the backfield.”

Bachmeier’s ability to build on a successful 2025 freshman campaign will likely determine whether BYU lives up to preseason expectations.

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound quarterback made a name for himself with a bruising running style and efficient passing.

Bachmeier threw for 3,033 yards and 15 touchdowns with seven interceptions while completing 65% of his passes. He added 527 yards and 11 touchdowns rushing, finishing second on the team in both categories.

As he became more familiar with offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick’s playbook, Bachmeier made strides as a passer, finishing with three 300-yard games over his final 10 starts. He expects more of those types of performances in his second season.

“I know my running ability kind of overshadows the passing,” Bachmeier said. “I’m not an arrogant guy, but I did throw for 3,000 yards last year. I had multiple games over 300. Again, it’s a testament to the team. It’s a testament to the receivers. A testament to A-Rod and the scheme.”

Now that Bachmeier has a full offseason with the Cougars under his belt, he’s grown more comfortable with the playbook and what he can do in the offense. His coaches believe he's ready to take another step forward as a sophomore.

“It’s what you would imagine. He’s a veteran now. He knows what he’s doing,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said.

Martin is also finding success because of his familiarity with the offense.

He churned out 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns a year ago while averaging 5.5 yards per carry, leading the Big 12 in rushing yards. Martin punished defenders with his powerful, physical running style, often dragging would-be tacklers for extra yardage.

“He can run the ball like no other back,” Bachmeier said. “I’ve said it a multitude of times: I truly believe he’s the number one tailback in the country.”

Martin’s production improved in each of his previous three seasons. He gained 518 yards as a freshman and 718 yards as a sophomore while battling injuries both seasons before having his first breakout campaign as a junior.

“I understand the defense a lot more and just understand what’s going to happen,” Martin said. “I kind of already know where I’m going to run the ball before it happens because I understand the blocking scheme now.”

If he stays healthy, Martin has a decent chance to break the single-season and career rushing records at BYU. He needs 1,361 yards to pass Jamaal Williams as the school’s all-time leading rusher and 1,607 yards to top Tyler Allgeier's single-season mark.

After recovering from shoulder surgery that caused him to miss the 2025 Pop Tarts Bowl, Martin has put in extra work to pave the way for another dominant season in the backfield.

“I put in a lot of extra time,” Martin said. “I wouldn’t be able to put a number on it but, yeah, I spend plenty of time just going over little things. Just understanding the defense and stuff like that.”

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