There's a quarterback race about forty miles down south, and nobody better to break it down than our good buddy, Spencer Lytton from BYU TV.
Spencer, Happy Tuesday, Sir, how are you.
Good, Spence? Great to talk with you, man. And what's this you mentioned of a quarterback battle. I didn't know something was happening there.
Oh am, I breaking news for you.
I mean, look, if the BYU media members need breaking news on the Home of the Utes about BYU Spencer, We've got something to talk about, buddy.
Uh. We're in trouble. We're in trouble. Uh yeah, clearly, Spence. That is that is all anybody really wants to talk about when it comes to BA football at this juncture, is who's going to be the starter? You know, whether I'm at church, or I'm in the grocery store, or I'm walking to my car. Like I can see it. I can spot it from a mile away. Someone's easy.
They make eye contact and I almost eighty percent of the time, I guarantee there's going to be a question about who's going to be the starting quarterback at BA football. But it comes with the territory, and clearly that has been the headliner to open up a training camp for Kalani Sataki.
The main difference between you and I Spencer, even though we have similar names, is when you walk into church, they say, who's the quarterback? When I walk into church they say, what the hell are you doing here?
With open arms? My friends?
Oh, oh for sure.
Speaking of which, do you know anybody named Spencer under the age of like thirty five? I feel like for about ten years, if you were raised in an LDS household, there was a good chance your name was Spencer.
And now I don't think anybody will ever be named Spencer.
Again, that's a great point. No, I mean, my oldest son has my name is his middle name. But yeah, I now that you ask that, I do not think I know anybody, at least not in my close circle that I could recall off the top of my head that shares my name. That is wild man. We need to more love for the name Spencer moving forward.
And honestly, I believe we're close to the same age. Again, I know dozens of Spencer's in LDS families that are around our age. But I think after a while people are like, yeah, the name is all not all that great. We're gonna move on.
It's been, it's washed up, it is, it ran its course, It's good.
It is, it is.
But indeed we traverse on all right, Well, I know you're sick of talking about it, but it is the one thing people want to know. So McKay Hillstead eight stars under his belt at Utah State, the tracing board, gay kid, that's been a couple of years of Western Michigan. And then bear Backmeyer, who I feel like a lot of people are really really high on. How would you handicap this as of now? And how do you think it's going to play out?
Yeah, it is really splitting hairs at this juncture. And Aaron Rodrick, the offensive coordinator, said late last week it's going to be a minute. It's going to take some time. And I know that others have been outspoken. Brandon Doman, a former BA quarterback, He's like, no, they I mean, you have to make decision now. You've got to like you got to make your decision and go with it. The earlier the better, it's going to be more advantageous
to your team. But I believe based on commentary from Aaron Rodrick and Tessei Sataki and other coaches on the current staff that they need at least ten practices to really be able to and it might be more practices in that to even get to a point where they're like, all right now, this guy is creating some separation. You just be always not in this situation right now where they can be like, Okay, all we needed was a
wig he's the guy. No, we're not there. And so I don't think that they will know even within the staff that their starting quarterback is this guy until at least I'll thrown out a date like August twentieth, like, we probably need two more weeks and eight to ten more practices before they can feel confident in seeing separation for a guy. Now, if you were to ask me and you getting around about way, like who's the guy
today and how are we handicapping them now? I would give a very slight edge to McKay Hillstead because I feel like his skill set naturally fits Aaron Rodgers' offense best right now, and I think that he's the guy that's hitting all of a Rod's love languages at this point. And for those who are wondering what the heck I'm talking about, a Rod pays attention to three things very closely, one red zone efficiency, two taking care of the ball, and three your ability to scramble and extend plays and
make something happen when the pocket does eventually collapse. And I think Hillstead is the guy that is at least consistently doing those things the best right now. But it's I mean, a very slim margin between McKay and Trayson Borget and Bear Bachmeyer. If I were making the death chart today, I'd probably have McKay starting tracing very close second behind. And Bear is intriguing because he's a guy that you could implement some specialty packages for with what
he brings to the field. And I know that people hate the idea of how multiple quarterbacks, Like I'm not saying Boa needs to play multiple quarterbacks, but don't be sprised to BYU. In the red zone and on the ten yard line and all of a sudden, Bear Backmeyer comes in and the defense is like, Okay, here's this kid wearing number forty seven. He's a big, physical guy. We know he likes to run, but you do have
to respect his ability to pass. It's almost like what bou did with Taysom Hill in twenty twelve and frankly, what the Saints are doing with Taysom Hill right now? It's like, okay, well, we can't be sure that he's gonna run. We think he's gonna run, but he might throw. It might be a play action element. So that's kind of how I would sum it up right now is is McKay's the guy, very close race between he and
Trayson who would be number two. And then some specialty packages for Bear Backmeyer who once he's in the system a little bit longer because he's been impressive thus far, just give a little more time to acclimate in and he's got the highest ceiling. But just he's third right now, but don't be surprised to see him on the field in some unique twists and a Rod's offense.
You reference the number, and as I was watching some film, I'm like, can we get our guy a different number than forty seven if he's playing quarterback? Like it's just a little bit odd, Like what's the origin story of Bear Bachmeyer who is trying to be a quarterback at BYU wearing number forty seven?
You know, he likes the idea of just being different and almost like a linebacker's mentality where he's just football player. So we need to dive into that some more. But from what I've gathered, it's just kind of a I like it because it's different and I feel like I bring a physical nature to the game, and so forty
seven it is. It's just something that he made a decision about a while ago and it kind of made its way in through the prep ranks and what he was doing there, and so it kind of identifies himself as just different. So I've to get into the specifics of the forty seven with him and kind of dive like why that number specific went a number forty five or number forty two. So let me follow up on that. That is a loaded question and one that it's certainly worthy of being asked.
So the Coach's Poll is released on Monday, and we just said Kyle Bonniger on the show, and I asked Kyle, throughout his entire career covering college football, how many coaches he's spoken to that admitted they actually did this, and he said one it was David Shaw, who said he did it one year and that never.
Did it again.
About three about three years ago, I texted a coach in state and I said, off the record, how many times have you done this exercise? He said zero, Now one time, I've never done it. I was delegated. It's an exercise in futility. However, it's early August and we're inching closer and closer to game, so it is topical. Were you surprised that, despite breaking in a new quarterback, BYU still broke the top twenty five, coming in at number twenty three.
Absolutely, I did not expect BAU to be in any top twenty five, whether it be a notable presea magazines like Phil Steel and Lindy's and afon. Certainly not after the Jake Retslock news broke that he was leaving, It's like, okay, now BYU is not in that top twenty five category.
I think the closest I have seen BYU other than the coach's pool you're referencing now, was something that came out from CBS Sports yesterday or maybe this morning, which was they ranked all one hundred and thirty six FBS teams and BYA was at number thirty six, which I thought was a fair number because I do believe that they're a good team, and there's a lot of faith and trust in Kilani and the culture that he's built. But everyone's in the holding pattern, understandably because of the
quarterback situation. So when I saw the coaches pool number twenty three, that WHOA, Okay, the sports information directors you're talking about clearly did not set the memo about what's happening with BYU's offense right now, because you're right, it's
it's whatever. A person in the athletic department has been delegated the responsibility to submit said ballot for the coach's poll, and it all gets tabulated, and I'm sure that some of them are like, well, B why you beat up on Colorado on the Alima Bowl and one eleven and two and finished number thirteen. Yeah, I'll throw them in the top twenty five. So probably some lazy research there
are just like, hey, this is get it done. When the media poll and the eight piece side comes out, I believe on Monday, I don't think we're going to see B only in the top twenty five. I think there will be a few that might put them at the very back of the pole, so they'll be receiving votes in some small capacity, but I think they probably deserve to be somewhere between eight to twelve spots out of the top twenty five, because twenty three straight up
shocked me. And I think BYU they revel in the idea of being the underappreciated, over delivering team, and so I think you ask a typical fan or even a player on the team, it's like, no, don't rank us, Like, just just let us start unranked and work our way up, and we'll have that proverbial chip on the shoulder and we'll use that as an advantage if they can channel that energy in the right direction completely.
Iypathetical, no way of knowing. But if Jake stays and is not facing a suspension, none of that goes down. Where do you think they land?
I would put them probably between sixteen and eighteen in the media poll if Jake Retzloff is still the quarterback. Now you've got like a real case for a team that has some continuity. Right, they still have continuity, But when you bring back your returning starting quarterback and a team that feels like their defense is not going to have a lapse, or at least not a significant lapse, and you have key playmakers like Chase Roberts and LJ.
Martin and you have enough of a contingentry offensive lineback. Now there's a case, at least in your typical media member's mind that BYU is the top twenty teen. So I would I had inflated somewhere between sixteen and eighteen to start the season with Retsloff in the mix. Now that he's gone, then I think, yeah, eight to twelve
spots outside, And I think that's totally fair. And if the YU wants to try and rally around the idea that they don't know but they about to find out that whole thing, then great, you know, more power to them. But there is I don't know why it is down here, but they the fans just they love the idea of being undervalued and then trying to make something more and
they see, we told you. But we'll see if they can do it again, because this time around with a full on quarterback battle, like the question marks are totally fair and I have no idea what to expect in that first game on August thirtieth.
I do think if you're a b YU fan, you take a little comfort knowing that a Rod and Kolani have traversed the quarterback battle space for what three straight years maybe, and they've made the right call every single time.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, no at fair point, Like last year with Jake Rethloft and Gary Bohannon, it was like, man, it literally came down to the last week and they're like, hey, we're gonna We're gonna make Jake the guy. But Gary, you're you're right there, and so that was a tough one and they I mean, there was a lot of back and forth there because Gary shoulder was better and he looked really good, and I don't know that they were anticipating that happening. So that was a really tough
decision there. And even going back to twenty eighteen, I think that was the last time but a Rod wasn't the offensive coordinator. That was Jeff Grimes, and it was Tanner Mangum versus Dak Wilson, and they opted for Tanner Mangum and his experience for the first six games. Then he got benched and then comes Zack Wilson and he
starts his career. So that was really the last time I was like, oh, man, I have no idea what be what he's going to do at quarterback, and I don't envy the offensive coordinator that has to make that decision. Didn't in twenty eighteen, don't this year because that's really tough. But yes, to your point, like, this is not something that is brand new and they're like, oh, what do we do? Like they have traversed this and if they can just name a guy internally at least a week out,
then that's probably an okay scenario. But I don't think most of it in the media and in the public are going to know who the starting quarterback is until we see him run out with the offense in the first series of the season.
Tell me about the on line. I mean, ultimately, that's where it starts. And Klannie, of course, you know, learned a lot of his trade under Kyle, and Kyle wants the trenches. Every coach wants the trenches dialed in and b Yu with some losses on that old line, how's it shape it up?
Yeah, they are expecting a lot from a guy like Bruce Mitchell at center to take over for Connor pay and that he The good thing for Bruce is Connor got injured Vester and Bruce had to start at center in multiple important power forward games. So they feel like they for the most part, won't skip the beat with the guy who's ready and experienced it, and so they feel like they have their center and their captain on
that line. The addition of Andrew Gentry the Michigan transfer is huge and the experience and perspective that he brings, he'll be the right tackle, so that that should really helped by you feel confident on that side. Isaiah Jada is going to be the blind side protector. I talked to TJ Woods offensive line coach, about Isaiah and he said, look, there are a few guys that have taken significant steps forward. Isaiah is one of those guys. I have a lot of trust in him. So I feel very good about
the two tackle positions. And then Wayla la Blau might be the He's certainly the vocal leader on that offensive line, but he brings a ton of experience and he's gone through the rigors of a full power force schedule. So you have most of your key components. I think the biggest question mark about the offensive line is how deep are they? Like after the starting five, what do they have?
And that's what TJ said, He's like camp for me is going to be figuring out who guys six through nine are so that we can know what happens if and when, inevitably there is an injury. You know, what can Austin Leusa do? And you know some of these other younger guys were developing, Like that's the biggest question mark is the starting five. Like the opening five to six guys very confident. The depth is where the concern lies with positions like six through nine when those injuries happen.
Both Utah and BYU have a bit of a soft landing into the season with some non conference games. Portland State of the opener for BYU, then Stanford at home Stanford fied Troy Taylor. Frank Reich is in as an interim coach and it's an agreement from both sides that it's a one year deal, and then it's at East
Carolina prior to launching into conference play. Do you like the soft landing just because BYU's breaking in a new quarterback, so you kind of can see what sort of hand you've been dealt before conference play.
Yeah, it's interesting that it worked out that way because at first I was like, man, I'd like to see BYU play kind of one of those banger non conference
games with the experienced core returning. But when the redtslof situation went down, it's like, oh man, this is actually beneficial that BYU can ramp up, And frankly, the first six games of the season for BYU are a necessary ramp to the back six because beginning with Utah and game number seven, it just is a dauntlet for the for about four or five straight weeks because now you've got Utah and then ba's got to go to Ames and play at Iowa State, and then they have a
bye week, and then they'll play in Lublick against Texas Tech, who's, you know, holding one of the most expensive and talented rosters they've ever had in program history. And then you've got to come home and play TCU. So it's just like whoa. In mid October to mid November, there's a lot there for BYU. So I do feel like the first six games in general are just a natural ramp up because BA is not going to figures a World Big or a non conference Portland State, Stanford or East Carolina.
Colorado is an intriguing Big twelve opener, not sure what they're going to be. Deon Senners that they're a more talented team. They don't have as much individuals they had last year, but he believes they're a better team overall.
So take that for what you will. And then Byu has got a couple of games that I feel like they should be okay in a home game against West Virginia, who has to travel along away on a Friday night, and then Arizona on the road, and we don't know what the heck they're going to be under Brent Brennan as he's trying to save his job. So it really is a great opportunity for be Aay to break in
a guy. And I think that it's not outland just to think that the Cougars can go five and one, even with the brand new quarterback against those six opponents. If BA can be five and one going into the Utah game, then they should feel very very good about their chances, you know, to win eight games and try and go three and three in that back six and be going into a bowl game at eight and four.
Talked about this earlier with the coaches poll released yesterday and the AP coming out on Monday. I need three or four I need three or four games games before I can I always say observation, not conclusion the first three or four games of the season. Now, the complication, UH with this dynamic when it comes to a conference is you could go zero to three in non con
turn it around to do finding conference play. But how long do you need before you feel like you have an accurate read on exactly who b YU will be this year?
How many games you need do you need on your belt?
I'm not far off of what you're you're saying there, Spence. I I feel like I have a really good idea of what a team is probably four games into the season, because I think you've you've seen at least one conference game, and you've seen them work out some of the workoffs, some of the russ work at some of the kinks
in things through those three non conference games. So if I saw the first poll like the first week of October, I think that would be awesome because then we then we I thought, we really know, like Okay, we have a way better idea of what these teams are and you can avoid a situation like we had a Florida State last year where they're a top ten team and they lose in the opener in Ireland at Georgia Tech, and we're like, oh, maybe it was a fluke, and
then the wheels just absolutely fell off and they were an absolute dumpster fire a year after being a College Fool playoff contender. So yeah, I'm probably four games and then and then we're good. Give me the first pull on October. But I understand that we're in a business that drives advertisers and ratings, and we need contexts and we want people to watch games early, and that's why we have the preseason eight peopole and the coaches pulled
because we want people to watch the product. We want people to pay attention to our shows, and it gives us spotder to talk about. So I trust me. I understand both dynamics. But if I had my way, first pull on the first week of October would be the way to go.
I had a chance to catch up with Brian Santiago Big twelve Media Day. What's it been like? First couple? Well,
I guess months now on the job. I mean, it's just it's tough to follow a guy like Tom with the job he did, and we know Brian was his right hand man, and you know it, it does feel like he has inherited a very advantageous situation for an AD because it just feels like things are ticking down there, honestly in a way that it hasn't felt like for quite some time on both the men's basketball and football side.
And then you know, a lot of the Olympic sports high level as well, so fan interest, ticket sales, you know, business of sport at BYU seems good. What's it been like having that new AD for a little while.
Now, Yeah, I joked to him. I actually spoke to them this morning and joke of them like, hey, you signed up at the perfect time, you know, nice easy transition into revenue share, your starting quarterback leaving the program and going through that craziness and then sold out arenas and students being mad because they're not enough rock passes and season ticket holders wondering if they're going to be able to be in the building, and you know, we kind of, you know, joked about a tongue in cheek,
but I mean, ultimately he said, it's it's this is a first world problem, no doubt about it. Like it, I'm so grateful and I'm using his words to see the passion and the commitment for BYU athletics at an all time high, and I mean he keeps using the word just like unbelievable and unprecedented, But he's genuinely excited about what's going to happen. He did point out the biggest challenge ahead of by U is now that there are expectations out there, especially for the men's basketball program,
like how do they rise to the occasion? Can they meet the expectations which really haven't been there certainly not like this, But that's the challenge now is can we can we rise to the occasion, meet the expectations. Can this basketballs and put it together and go to an elite AID or you know, be a legitimate national championship contender? And can football replicate what they did last year? Can they make it so last year wasn't a fluke and they can they go out and be a legitimate contender
to get to a Big twelve championship game. So that that's the challenge. But I believe he is genuinely excited and thrilled and is aware of the concerns and complaints that happened when everyone wants to be in the building and can't. But you know, and I've got, he's open to admitting that he's he's learning as he goes. You know, he's like, man, I feel like I'm learning the lesson
every day. Just you think you have an idea of if somebody's going to happen and how people are invested, and then it's just like whoa, the investment is even more and we're just trying to figure it out as
we go. But a guy just getting through one day at a time when he says one day at a time, like he I believe he's living it and he means it, and he's exhausted, but he's really excited about just the general momentum of BYU Athletics and the even the Olympic sports you talked about with you know, my gosh sober medals in the Paris Olympics and and one of the runners being nominated for NT double Woman of the Year Lexi Halliday Lowry, and just national championships being won in
track and field on top of a nice pedigree that you already have with women's volleyball and soccer, and so yeah, pretty pretty wild time, but can be what you prised the occasion. I think it's something that we're all very interesting to see.
Before you say you lose.
You probably can't talk about the Dean Rutger kid, right, the new the new prospect that's time for twenty six.
Yeah, so it's funny like we can't talk about him on a university based program, like say his name officially, but on your show, I'm happy, it's happy to talk about him. Yet Dean's just another another big get, like another four star guy and another important in state win
for Kevin Young. He uh, he kind of reminds me a little bit of Lee Kamard honestly, in in in what he does, and he's a little I think I don't think he'll be as skinny as Lee Lovely, but I really like what he what he brings to be with basketball, and you know, no question, it's it's hard for a young man like that not to notice what's been happening at the end and actually seeing the likes of AJ DeVonta and Rob right the third and Richie Saunders and these big time star guys and watching practice
and like there's yeah, there's real energy there. So huge, huge good get for BYU. Really like his game and man, I think he's going to score a lot of points for BYU.
To expand the question to more of a macro standpoint. I know you referenced that BYU fans would prefer to fly under the radar. Well, I don't know how many people really understand what this basketball team has. November fifteenth, Yukon in Boston, And look, it's it's really tough, Spencer, because you know me, I'm a basketball guy and I
love college hoops. I know a lot of people around here don't and think it's changed in a way that you know, for people like us that grew up with Duke and UNLV and those great Utah teams in the nineties and some great BYU teams back in the day,
maybe it doesn't land the way I once did. And because of the nature of the tournament, I always hesitate to say you should go to a final four, you should be a five fourteen, because every year there's a sprained ankle and then there's a random super senior that hits twelve threes and suddenly you're going home like crazy things happen in the tournament. Yeah, but I'm going to say, on paper, this should be a team that, if things go their way and they stay healthy, a final four
is a legit possibility. It's not just AJ, it's the Rob Wright kid, Canard Davis comes in from Southern Illinois. They get Richie Back, top end NBA talent, depth, and a coach who's proven he could do it. Our BYU fans seeming in your mind to understand what they're in for.
Even though everyone's.
Excited about football, this is a basketball team. Unlike that, I think anyone's seen down there.
Yeah, and come on, let's let's be real, Like as exciting as football is, I feel like there is a strong growing contingent of the fan base that is more excited about BA basketball because this is a brand new stratus here and this isn't just you know, going through
another level. They taking this thing another ten levels up and that honestly, it's kind of hard for fans to not be a little scared and have some trepidation about, oh gosh, like do we really want to go all in on like this, this idea that BA could go to their second lead in and then maybe get to their first ever Final four. It's just like this this emotional disconnect because it hasn't ever legitimately since maybe when Jim or for Debt and Brandon Davies was still in
the mix. Like that year, I was like, oh my gosh, b A really is good. But even then they had time to like kind of work into that. This is you're starting the season and you got you know, several local broadcasters yourself included, me included, and national guys and John Rothstein, fran Forschila are saying we BA is final four good. They are final four good. We've never experienced that in Happy Valley, like that's it hasn't ever been there. So I just feel like there's some hesitation to fully
embrace it because the fear of maybe being disappointed. But come on, let's let's this is what sports are about, like is what being a fan is about. Just go all in. Understand that this that this talent level is unlike anything we've ever seen before, and and go with it. And if if health remains good, yeah, b y u is final four good. Which is a crazy thing for me to say, And even I am still trying to come around to like fully timing into that. But I've
been in practice, I've seen them like they are. It's is just another level. They are absolutely good enough to get to an Elit day and and make history and get to a Final four.
No doubt, I buddy appreciate the time. As one of the last Spencer standing. I always enjoy our conversations. Have a great week with chat to it.
Okay, all right brother, good to talk to you.
Spencer Lett and b Yu tv B why you still looking for a quarterback?
Prior to their opener against poor State