Before Bear Bachmeier's iconic touchdown run against rival Utah last October, he had a choice to make: to pass or to run.The BYU offense needed a first down. With four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Cougars faced a 3rd & 10 from the Utah 22 yard-line. A field goal would have extended BYU's lead to 6, giving Utah's offense the chance to go win the game on the ensuing drive. A touchdown would give BYU a two-score lead. The Cougars really needed to punch the ball into the end zone.BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick turned to his true freshman signal caller with the game on the line, and Bachmeier delivered. However, Bachmeier admitted at Big 12 media days that he probably made the wrong ready before his 22-yard touchdown run.Bachmeier told ESPN's Louis Riddick that he "should have passed the ball" given the pre-snap look Utah gave him. "Yeah, I think it's 3rd and 10...kind of QB draw. Honestly, they actually got to a look where I should have, I should have passed the ball. But I figured I'd just kind of take it and, I don't know, I feel like when I have the ball in my hands, I just want to go score. I saw some green grass, made some guys miss got some help from the guys to get in."Bachmeier's effort on the run proved his pre-snap read right. After all, had he thrown the ball on that play, there never would have been a bear on the loose in Provo.First, Bachmeier made a linebacker or two miss to give him a chance to get up the field. Then, he skipped between two would-be tacklers to gain the first down. Finally, Bachmeier carried two Utah defenders six yards for the game-sealing touchdown. It's a run that will be remembered for the next forty years in Provo, and will always be tied to the BYU-Utah rivalry. — BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) October 19, 2025Going into 2026, Bachmeier will have a much better grasp of BYU's offense when the season kicks off. BYU slowly brought Bachmeier up to speed as a true freshman last season. It really wasn't until the Iowa State game where BYU let Bachmeier loose - and they did so out of necessity. Early in that game, BYU star running back LJ Martin left the game with a shoulder injury. Facing a double-digit deficit on the road, Bachmeier responded by putting up over 350 yards of total offense and 3 touchdowns.Now one year older and wiser too, Bachmeier will be more prepared to make the correct pre-snap reads. And BYU will lean more on Bachmeier's arm. However, BYU still needs Bachmeier to use his athleticism to move the chains when it's necessary. Striking the right balance will be one of the keys for Bachmeier as he enters his true sophomore season.Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on X and Facebook for the latest news.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow