BYU center settling in as the CPU of BYU’s rebuilt offensive line

The QB derby BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick has been running in Provo began making national headlines this weekend as speculation rolled forth that the Cougars may be starting true freshman Bear Bachmeier.

No official announcement has been made, but that doesn’t stop projections and guesses.

Just as important, if not significantly crucial, is how that starter will be protected. How is BYU’s offensive line? Will this group be stout, strong and together? Or will it be a lumbering crew of mistake-laden big guys who need time to gel?

In football, many say the offensive line is the most important group. Depending on how that unit goes, the rest often follows.

Projected starting center Bruce Mitchell believes the group is on the right track.

And this group that TJ Woods is putting together is giant in size. They average about 6-foot-4 and about 315-plus pounds. They’ve got the size, height, weight and girth to move bodies around.

If the techniques are sound and execution is at a high level, whoever is playing quarterback should have a chance to do some damage. If not, close your eyes.

“I feel a lot more comfortable,” said Mitchell. “I think the offensive line is a lot more comfortable. We’ve been in Coach Woods’ system for a year now, so nothing’s new to anybody, and that’s helping us out a lot.

“Last year, this time, I was still trying to learn everything, and I’m starting to really settle in at center. I feel like we’re doing pretty well and ready to show what we can do in the next scrimmage.”

Mitchell told media members Friday he still needs to work hard and improve his hands and footwork but he’s feeling comfortable and getting used to making all the line calls. He started at center last year when injuries forced him to switch positions from guard to center.

“Now it’s just executing it and getting all the offensive linemen on the same page,” he said.

As a former guard, listening to calls barked out by the center, Mitchell’s role was completely different. Now, as the center, he’s got his hands on the ball every play. Pre-snap, he has to be sure everyone knows where they need to be, who they need to pick up on a blitz, where a double team might go. He has to remember his own job, but know extensively the job of everyone else.

He’s the central processing unit.

“You start to see things differently,” he said. “You try to see the blitzes even if they are not coming to you, so you have to have the right protections.”

Mitchell more than proved himself this past season when he switched from the defensive line to third-string center. When starter Connor Pay injured his foot before the Arizona game in Provo, Mitchell stepped in and helped lead the Cougars to a 41-19 win. It was his first start as center.

In his ever-switching roles, from one side of the line to the other, Mitchell proved his versatility and skill. First, he’s smart and can absorb the mental challenge. Second, he’s a great athlete. Third, he has an attitude and humility that lends to adaptability — all great traits in a successful O lineman.

After two years playing defense, he made the switch in 2024 and immediately got called upon to play for injured guards Sonny Makasini and Austin Leausa, a role he played in the 38-9 win over Kansas State. Then Pay went down and having been trained to back up Pay also, he switched to center.

That’s called stage acumen in Broadway.

Mitchell will be surrounded by experienced guards in Weylin Lapuaho (38 career starts), and either Leasua, Makasini or SUU transfer Kyle Sfarcioc. The tackles are 6-6, 315-pound Isaiah Jatta and Michigan transfer 6-8, 315-pound and right tackle Andrew Gentry.

Mitchell insists this group has bonded by camping out and making an offensive line group trek to St. George. This past week, the entire group found themselves in a cabin by Jordanelle Reservoir.

“I feel like we have bonded. You have to have all five guys on the same page, and if one is off, you’re going to give up a tackle for loss or a sack. You have to have good chemistry. It’s a fun position and with all the off-the-field stuff, I feel like we have come together.”

This QB derby was thrust upon the entire offense when the expected returning senior starter, Jake Retzlaff, was suspended for seven games in the 2025 season for breaking school rules. He then transferred to Tulane.

This is no little thing.

It puts pressure on all of Roderick’s position groups, from the running backs and receivers to tight ends and linemen.

BYU’s offense is under a lot of pressure to get a good start out of the chute and prepare for the Big 12 opener at Colorado.

A 2025 projected upper-tier Big 12 team after an 11-2 campaign in 2024, Retzlaff’s departure watered down expectations. Roderick needed to reshuffle his priorities in the summer and stage a competition between three candidates who were robbed of reps in spring because Retzlaff was an established QB1.

Mitchell told reporters he has been more than impressed by the three guys thrown into the gauntlet through a dozen fall practice sessions.

“I think they’re settling in kind of like us as offensive linemen,” said Mitchell.

“I was impressed with how all the quarterbacks came out. I felt they were all really prepared. They took it very seriously.”

Mitchell was so impressed that he approached all three — McCae Hillstead, Treyson Bourguet and Bear Bachmeier — and told them just that.

“It didn’t feel like the offense skipped a beat coming into fall camp. You can tell the quarterbacks are settling into their roles a little bit and, yeah, that they’re getting comfortable with the pockets we’re giving them.”

Mitchell said the QBs who are under scrutiny have boosted confidence in practices. He said even the defense they’ve been going against likes to see the QBs performing at a high level.

“It’s awesome when you know your quarterbacks are in sync and are in rhythm. You know it when they’re completing it every single play in the two-minute drive ... and get us in the right place. They are settling in.”

Quarterbacks might be the king of playmaking, but linemen, in particular the center like Mitchell, write the script.