Because they have gone a combined 23-4 the past two college football seasons and have a rising star returning at quarterback, the BYU Cougars are in almost every national publication's preseason top 25 for the 2026 season.
But in extolling the virtues of sophomore QB Bear Bachmeier, and what the Californian who turned 19 last September was able to accomplish in 2025, those outlets invariably bring up what could be an Achilles' heel for the player called "Bearcat" by his offensive line in 2026.
That would be the lack of a big-time wide receiver in the BYU offense, following the departures of Chase Roberts to the NFL ( Las Vegas Raiders ) and Parker Kingston, who was kicked out of school in February. Barring a last-minute settlement or plea deal, Kingston will stand trial on a felony rape charge May 26-29 in St. George's Fifth District Court.
Throughout spring camp and in the weeks since then, Cougar coaches such as offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick, passing game coordinator and receivers coach Fesi Sitake and tight ends coach Kevin Gilbride have said that BYU will be fine at receiver, thanks to the depth established the past few years and the addition of Oregon's Kyler Kasper, who was was lightly used as a Duck due to several lower leg injuries.
We have guys on the perimeter that can go. It is a multifaceted (attack) because I think we're going to be good everywhere.
Even Bachmeier has noted that the receivers group will be OK, bolstered by tight end transfer additions Walker Lyons of USC and Roger Saleapaga of Oregon.
"There's a lot of turnover on a lot of teams," Bachmeier said in late March. "Spring ball is a great time to gel, and with the incoming guys and then the guys that have been here, we have great talent throughout the offense. … Great teams are defined by how they adapt, and I think we're going to be really dangerous on the perimeter."
However, Kingston's speed and ability to take the top off defense's will be missed. Kasper is an imposing presence at 6-foot-6, but he's not exactly a burner. Senior Tiger Bachmeier, junior Cody Hagen and redshirt sophomore Tei Nacua have decent speed, but more closely resemble possession receivers than big-play threats.
Coaches are high on true freshman Legend Glasker, the 6-foot-1, 175-pounder out of Lehi, but he's an unproven first-year player who would be graduating from high school this month if he hadn't enrolled early so he could participate in spring practices, where he shined.
So that brings us to Jojo Phillips, the 6-foot-5 redshirt junior from Sierra Canyon High School in California who has never really been able to live up to the hype, for a variety of reasons.
Most notably, Phillips missed six games last year after fracturing a collarbone in the 27-3 win over Stanford on Sept. 6.
On March 10, Phillips said he's finally ready to shine and become known for much more than being Bronny James' high school basketball teammate.
"I do feel like I am ready now. I am going into Year 4 now (he redshirted in 2023), which is crazy. It has gone by really fast," Phillips said.
"I learned a lot from Chase through the years, learned a lot from Darius (Lassister), Keelan (Marion) and just all the older guys that came through here, so I feel like I'm ready, for sure."
A self-described "quiet, chill guy," Phillips knows it is on him to become the leader of the WRs room, both vocally and statistically. That won't be difficult for him on the field, he said.
"Out here, playing brings out a different side of me," he said. "I feel like this is my safe space and everything. I am just more comfortable this year."
Phillips admits that coming back from the collarbone injury was difficult. He returned for the Nov. 8 game at Texas Tech and had a costly drop in that 29-7 loss, and also struggled in subsequent games against TCU and Cincinnati .
However, he caught three passes for 26 yards against UCF, and followed that up with one of the best games of his career in the 25-21 win over Georgia Tech in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
Phillips caught four passes for 53 yards in Orlando.
"That helped me gain my confidence back, because, I'm not gonna lie, my confidence just kind of went down a little bit coming back out after the collarbone (injury), dropping balls and just not playing (well)," he said.
"… Not scared of contact literally, but just worrying about it. The Pop-Tarts Bowl really helped me a lot going into this next season and everything."
Bachmeier and others noticed throughout spring camp, with the quarterback saying that BYU will have two of the tallest bookend receivers in all of college football when Phillips and Kasper are on the field together.
Bachmeier also noted that the running back tandem of LJ Martin and Sione Moa will be among the best in the Big 12, if not the country.
"We are going to be a very balanced offense," Bachmeier said. "We have a great O line and obviously, LJ and Sione in the backfield are looking really good, too.
"We have guys on the perimeter that can go. It is a multifaceted (attack) because I think we're going to be good everywhere."
When it became apparent that Bachmeier and Phillips were returning to BYU and Kasper was joining the team, the quarterback and receivers started getting together often in January to run routes, throw passes and get to know each other better.
They also plan to reunite this month at former BYU quarterback John Beck's 3DQB elite quarterback training program in Huntington Beach, California, when they take a break from Provo to visit family in their hometowns in Southern California.
"I really enjoy Kyler. He's really cool. Since he came in, we've been developing a great relationship every single day and everything," Phillips said. "There is somebody bigger (taller) than me, which is funny.
"But yeah, I feel like it is going to be a problem for defenses in the fall, for sure."
Phillips feels like he was just starting to develop a strong bond with Bachmeier before the collarbone injury. He said that chemistry returned in the bowl game — despite Bachmeier being hobbled by an ankle injury — and continued throughout winter workouts.
"We're getting back to having a better connection and just trying to gel and get things right again since I did miss (a large part) of the season," Phillips said.
"We were throwing every chance we got during spring and everything and just really honing in on our relationship off the field, too, which will make us better on the field."
