PROVO, Utah – It might only be February, but BYU football is back.
The Cougars kicked off spring practices exactly two months after they concluded last season with a Pop-Tarts Bowl victory over Georgia Tech.
As the Wasatch Front has experienced this winter, the weather was mild with high temperatures near 60 degrees, creating an opportunity for 11th-year head coach Kalani Sitake to have his team practice outside on the Zions Bank practice fields.
BYU enters the 2026 season with high expectations. Over the past two seasons, no Big 12 program has won more games than BYU. Kalani Sitake’s program has won 23 games and lost only four since the start of the 2024 season.
Many of the key players from last year’s team that reached the Big 12 Championship Game are back in 2026.
Heightened expectations for BYU football in 2026
So naturally, expectations are going to be higher than they have been since joining the Big 12 in 2023.
“We’ve been saying humble and hungry from the beginning. So, I think it’s going to take an incredible amount of humility,” said Sitake to reporters after Friday’s practice. “We’re not doing things the same way that we’ve done in the past. Every year, we change a few things to get our team ready. But the thing that’s consistent is we have some great leadership on the team.
“We’re gonna lean heavily on our leaders and heavily on the staff, getting them ready. I feel really confident about what we can do. But again, it’s all not real yet, you know?”
Stars in the backfield
BYU returns Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year Bear Bachmeier at quarterback. It will be Bachmeier’s first spring at BYU, as he didn’t arrive on campus until June last year, before leading BYU to a 12-2 record.
Running back LJ Martin returns as the reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. Martin turned down an early entry into the NFL draft to return for his senior season and an opportunity to lead BYU to the Big 12 Championship Game and the College Football Playoff.
The El Paso, Texas native, continues to recover from the offseason surgery he underwent last December.
BYU football moves forward without Parker Kingston
While the offensive backfield has proven stars, the wide receiver spot on BYU’s offense will be a storyline to monitor over the next month.
BYU is looking to replace Chase Roberts, who finished his collegiate career with 2,586 receiving yards and 18 touchdown grabs, and is now pursuing a career in the NFL.
The Cougars also lost Parker Kingston, who was arrested earlier this month, and is facing charges for first-degree felony rape from an alleged incident in February of 2025. Kingston is no longer enrolled at Brigham Young University and is not part of the football program.
“Yeah, the team’s fine. Guys are great. We have a strong culture on the team, so yeah, we’re fine,” Sitake said when asked how Kingston’s arrest has impacted the program the past two weeks.
BYU brings back Jojo Phillips, Cody Hagen, Tiger Bachmeier, and Tei Nacua at wide receiver, along with new additions of Oregon transfer Kyler Kasper and freshmen Jaron Pula, Legend Glasker, and Terrance Saryon to compete for the opportunity to be some of Bachmeier’s top targets through the air.
Kelly Poppinga takes over the defense with a retooled staff
On defense, BYU turns to Kelly Poppinga as the new defensive coordinator, replacing Jay Hill, who left for the same position on Kyle Whittingham’s staff at Michigan.
Poppinga, a former BYU linebacker as a player, has worked his way up from defensive intern under Bronco Mendenhall in 2009 to the top post on defense for BYU’s staff.
New coaches also include Demario Warren from Boise State, who will serve as the Passing Game Coordinator, and Lewis Walker, who will coach the cornerbacks.
“We got a system that we’re in and a standard that we operate by, and the coaches come, they fit by what we ask them to do. D’Mo and Lewis have done a great job,” said Sitake. “I like the way that they demand from their players. Today was a really good day for those guys.”
Sitake likes the talent, speed, and athleticism
BYU will hold 15 practices culminating in an Alumni Game on Friday, April 3. Then, before you know it, it’s the season opener on September 5 against Utah Tech. Improvement between now and kickoff is what Sitake wants to see from his team.
“But for practice one, really happy with it,” Sitake said. “I’m happy with the talent, the speed, the athleticism. I feel really good about where we’re headed. We’ve just got to make sure that we keep improving. We can’t take any steps back.”
BYU football will take the weekend off before returning to practice on Monday, March 2, for day two of spring practice.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.
Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU athletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.
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