10 BYU Football Newcomers to Watch During Fall Camp
The BYU football program kicks off 2025 Fall camp at the end of the month. Here are 10 newcomers to watch throughout camp.
1. Bear Bachmeier – QB
The top storyline of Fall camp: the BYU quarterback battle. No newcomer will be under a greater spotlight than true freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier. The Stanford transfer was originally brought in to sit for a year and develop behind Jake Retzlaff. Now, the true freshman will compete for the starting job. He faces an uphill battle to win the job in week one, but he has the skillset to be the quarterback of the future for BYU.
If he proves that he has grasped the playbook well enough to be playable, his skillset could set him apart from the other two quarterbacks.
2. Andrew Gentry – OL
The Michigan transfer has been cleared and will participate in Fall camp. Andrew Gentry did not fully participate in Spring camp while he nursed the foot injury he suffered last season. Gentry will contend for the starting right tackle spot.
3. Tiger Bachmeier – WR
Tiger Bachmeier was a standout wide receiver for Stanford as a true freshman in 2023. That season, Bachmeier led the Pac-12 in receiving yards among true freshman with 409 receiving yards. He also contributed as a kick and punt returner. He started 13 games at Stanford over the last two seasons and he has two seasons of eligibility remaining. He transferred to BYU in the Spring transfer window.
We expect Bachmeier to be in the wide receiver rotation right away for BYU. He is very smart so he shouldn’t have trouble learning the playbook – he graduated from Stanford in computer science in just 2.5 years.
You can check out the full highlights from his true freshman season here.
4. Carsen Ryan – TE
Carsen Ryan was one of Jake Retzlaff’s favorite targets during Spring camp. Now, Ryan will look to build chemistry with a new quarterback. The senior tight end has the potential to be the safety blanket for whichever quarterback emerges as the starter.
5. Keanu Tanuvasa – DL
The Utah transfer will be one of the most important players on BYU’s 2025 roster. He will start at defensive tackle and he will be one of the leaders of the defense. He could be the best defensive tackle to play for BYU since Khyiris Tonga.
6. Justin Kirkland – DL
Another interior defensive lineman, Justin Kirkland transferred from Oklahoma State to BYU in the Spring transfer window. A projected starter for the Cowboys in 2025, Kirkland will be the favorite to start alongside Keanu Tanuvasa.
7. Tausili Akana – DE
Sticking with the defensive line, Texas transfer Tausili Akana has spent the last seven months putting on weight to play at defensive end. Akana’s weight will be worth monitoring when the Fall camp roster is released – he struggled to add weight at Texas. That hasn’t been an issue so far at BYU.
Akana has the talent to be BYU’s best pass rusher. The defensive end spots are up for grabs and Akana will compete for a starting spot. At minimum, we expect him to be in the rotation.
8. Reggie Frischknecht – WR
Weber State transfer and former Snow College standout Reggie Frischknecht committed to the Cougars in the Spring. Frischknecht was a star at Snow College as a true freshman last season. In 11 games, he tallied 38 receptions for 740 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Frischknecht averaged 67.3 receiving yards per game and 19.5 yards per catch. He led Snow College in receiving yards and he had more than double the touchdown receptions (14) than the wide receiver who ranked second for Snow College in 2024.
In a deep wide receiver room, Frischknecht is a wildcard candidate to take a spot in the rotation.
Regular Season Highlights
Receptions-38
Yards- 740
Yards per game-67.3
Yards per catch-19.5
Touchdowns-14 https://t.co/rtCdOqdJoG
— Reggie Frischknecht (@Reggie_Frisch23) November 18, 2024
9. Hunter Clegg – DE
True freshman Hunter Clegg returned from his mission in December. Now seven months removed from missionary service, Clegg is a candidate to play a limited role at defensive end while his body shakes the mission rust. Once he is fully back to pre-mission form, Clegg will be a starting-caliber player for BYU. Until then, we expect him to play sparingly in a role like the one Viliami Po’uha played as a returned missionary last year.
10. Andrew Williams – OL
True freshman Andrew Williams was taking some first-team reps near the end of Spring camp. While we don’t expect him to start right away, he will be a player to watch in Fall camp. If Williams could prove that he’s capable of playing in a pinch as a true freshman, it would bode well for BYU’s depth in 2025 and for the long-term outlook at tackle in 2026 and beyond
