A Brigham Young Cougars helmet. James Snook-Imagn Images

BYU announces its starting QB with an insane video

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Aug 19, 2025 9:04 PM ET

Credit to the BYU Cougars, because they sure know how to grab some attention in today's media environment.

Teams are announcing their starting quarterbacks as position battles start wrapping up all over the country, so it would be easy for a program like BYU to fall under the radar. That's especially true with programs like Ohio State and Notre Dame recently revealing their starters.

BYU's social media team found a way to gain some traction, though, and in today's AI-saturated landscape, the Cougars found a creative way to team up with a young man named Bear.

Freshman Bear Bachmeier is going to be BYU's starting quarterback in 2025. Here's the announcement:

pic.twitter.com/7PYgjcX0TB
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) August 19, 2025

You think you've seen it all, but then you see a talking bear, wearing a No. 47 football jersey and exclaiming, "Go Cougs!"

Bachmeier beat out redshirt sophomore Utah State transfer McCae Hillstead and redshirt junior Western Michigan redshirt junior transfer Treyson Bourguet for the starting job.

The Cougars were expecting to go with returning starter Jake Retzlaff this season, but he left the program and the school as he faced a suspension for allegedly breaking BYU's honor code.

Bachmeier originally committed to Stanford as a four-star recruit out of Murrieta, California, before transferring to BYU after the spring session. Bachmeier's brother, Hank, played quarterback at Boise State, Louisiana Tech and Wake Forest from 2019-24. He played in 50 games in his college career and threw for 11,256 career yards.

The Cougars are clearly hoping Bear will be able to follow his brother's footsteps, if not exceed them.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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