Where will former Boise State QB Bachmeier end up? A recruiting expert weighs in
Former Boise State quarterback Hank Bachmeier hasn’t announced where he’ll finish his college career, but 247Sports national recruiting editor Brandon Huffman thinks he’ll end up in the Pac-12.
Huffman said Monday that Oregon State, Cal and Stanford are the favorites to land the Broncos’ four-year starter. Bachmeier announced he was transferring in September, not long after offensive coordinator Tim Plough was fired following a loss to UTEP that dropped the Broncos’ record to 2-2.
Plough, who is now the tight ends coach at Cal, could play a role in the Golden Bears landing Bachmeier, Huffman said.
“The quarterback play at Cal was a bit uneven this year, and coaches want a known commodity,” Huffman said. “I definitely think Hank has the potential to be a Power Five starter, and Cal could be a good spot for him.”
Bachmeier will have some competition for the starting job if he does choose Berkeley. Former Purdue quarterback Jack Plummer transferred to Cal and started 12 games this season, throwing for 3,095 yards, 21 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He has one season of eligibility remaining.
Oregon State may be Bachmeier’s most likely destination, Huffman said.
The Beavers don’t have an entrenched starter. Chance Nolan opened the year that way, but he is in the transfer portal. Redshirt freshman Ben Gulbranson took over, but he proved to be turnover-prone, throwing for just nine touchdowns with five interceptions in 10 games.
“A lot of people feel like if they have a dynamic quarterback, that team contends for the Pac-12 championship,” Huffman said. “Sometimes with transfers, you have to look for a program that is just a quarterback away from being great.”
Huffman said Stanford is a long shot. It’s not because of academics. By all accounts, Bachmeier was a great student at Boise State, and he has already graduated, so he’s immediately eligible to play wherever he lands.
The reason is the Cardinal simply don’t take many transfers. The program has accepted just one transfer quarterback since the portal became a thing in 2018, Huffman said.
Stanford does have a new head coach, however. Former Sacramento State coach Troy Taylor is busy building his staff, many of whom may want to bring in players they’re familiar with, Huffman said. The Cardinal are also looking for a new starting quarterback after Tanner McKee declared for the NFL Draft on Dec. 9.
The opportunity to spend his final season of eligibility with his younger brother, Tiger, may also make Stanford an attractive landing spot for Bachmeier. Tiger, a wide receiver in the 2023 class, committed to the Cardinal in March.
Unconfirmed reports surfaced over the weekend that Bachmeier planned to commit to UCLA, but recent additions to the Bruins’ roster make that unlikely, Huffman said.
Collin Schlee, who started 12 games at Kent State this fall, announced on Dec. 17 that he was transferring to UCLA. He threw for 2,109 yards and 13 touchdowns and added 492 yards and four more touchdowns on the ground this season. He was named third-team All-Mid-American Conference.
Even bigger news broke in the Bruins’ favor on Monday when UCLA was able to flip five-star quarterback Dante Moore from Oregon. He is the No. 3 recruit in the country this year, according to 247Sports. The Bruins also have a commitment from three-star quarterback Luke Duncan in their 2023 class.
Huffman said that he wasn’t sure about a timetable for Bachmeier’s commitment but that the Broncos’ former starter might wait for more dominoes to fall. Former Clemson starter DJ Uiagalelei still has to announce where he is heading after putting his name in the portal earlier this month, and Huffman said Oregon State and Cal are both potential landing spots.
Boise State went 20-9 with Bachmeier as the starter after he joined the program as a four-star recruit in 2019. He ranks in the top 10 in program history in career passing yards (6,605, No. 7) and touchdown passes (41, No. 7).
This story was originally published December 19, 2022 at 3:21 PM.
