Locked On Cougars - Daily Podcast On BYU Cougars Football & Basketball

Texas Tech faces a major setback as star quarterback Brendan Sorsby is caught in a gambling controversy, casting doubt on his Big 12 future. Will Sorsby suit up this season, or has Tech’s shot at a championship vanished overnight? The squad unpacks how over a thousand wagers—many placed during Sorsby’s stints at Indiana and Cincinnati—sparked a full-blown crisis, igniting questions about competiti...

The BYU Cougars turn heads by refusing the Big 12 Conference’s bold Redbird Capital partnership, raising serious questions about the future of private capital in college sports. With Commissioner Brett Yormark pushing a $30 million credit line and fresh strategic alliances to keep pace in the relentless college athletics arms race, BYU’s principled stance—rooted in independence and deep donor ties...

The NCAA’s radical “5 for 5” eligibility proposal has BYU Cougars fans buzzing—could this streamlined approach provide an answer to the Cougars’ recruitment and roster woes, or are its impacts overhyped? Jake Hatch breaks down the specifics: five years to play five, redshirt rules eliminated, and key exceptions for church missions, maternity leave, and military service. For BYU basketball, the sta...

The Big 12 championship race takes a shocking turn as Brendan Sorsby’s betting scandal threatens Texas Tech’s QB1 status, creating a seismic opportunity for the BYU Cougars and Utah Utes to potentially ascend. With Sorsby likely sidelined and uncertainty surrounding Will Hammond's health status, the league’s presumed favorite suddenly looks vulnerable. Can BYU’s returning stars, including Bear Bac...

The BYU Cougars’ NFL Draft prospects are heating up, fueling hopes for a transformative year that could put Provo on the professional football map. With top-tier talent like running back LJ Martin poised for a potential mid-round selection and ultra-productive defenders Isaiah Glasker and Evan Johnson attracting significant NFL attention, the Cougars’ strategy appears ready to pay off. Kalani Sita...

BYU Basketball is on the brink of a bold youth movement, placing its center hopes on five-star prodigy Obinna Ekezie Jr. The 17-year-old, who plans to reclassify, has emerged as the leading candidate to fill the Cougars’ gaping hole at the five. Can head coach Kevin Young outmaneuver heavyweights like Arkansas and Louisville in a high-stakes recruiting battle to land Ekezie Jr., a potential lotter...

BYU football stuns the recruiting world by securing a commitment from four-star defensive tackle Jeremiah Williams, a top-300 prospect out of Tustin High School. Could this signal the dawn of a new era for Kalani Sitake’s Cougars in the Big 12? Jake Hatch breaks down the impact of landing Williams—a dynamic 6’0”, 315-pound mauler who not only dominates as a defensive lineman but also proved his at...

Big 12 basketball’s NIL arms race intensifies as Oklahoma State and West Virginia surge past BYU and Texas Tech with headline-grabbing transfer portal moves. Can Oklahoma State’s spending power and West Virginia’s strategic recruiting vault them into the conference elite? Jake Hatch spotlights BYU’s portal strategy and lingering questions at center, while the squad debates if any team can keep pac...

The BYU football program;s 2026 football campaign is loaded with intrigue as rising quarterback Bear Bachmeier preps for a potential breakout in his sophomore season. After transferring from Stanford and producing a 3,000-yard passing year as a true freshman, Bachmeier is focused on improved physical conditioning and taking the reins of BYU’s offense with more confidence and authority. The offseas...

BYU Basketball fans have reason to be excited as Collin Chandler returns home from Kentucky, ready to redefine his game under head coach Kevin Young. Previously limited mostly to a three-point specialist role at Kentucky, Chandler now has the chance to prove he’s more than just a perimeter threat. Averaging 9.7 points and shooting 41% from deep, Chandler showed impressive efficiency, but can BYU u...

BYU Basketball’s recruiting stock is soaring as elite prospects take notice of Kevin Young’s transformational influence in Provo. Top 2027 recruit CJ Rosser highlights BYU’s dramatic development of AJ Dybantsa, crediting BYU men's basketball coack Kevin Young for rapidly elevating talent and boosting draft profiles. As Rosser considers programs like North Carolina, Kentucky, and Alabama, will BYU’...

BYU Basketball zeroes in on Georgetown’s 7-foot, 260-pound sophomore Julius Halaifonua as a marquee transfer portal target. With proven Power 5 production—averaging nearly 10 points, over four rebounds, and over 60% shooting in the rugged Big East for Georgetown University—Halaifonua emerges as a potential game-changer for Kevin Young’s program. Can the Cougars land this New Zealand native and tra...

The BYU Cougars are once again fighting for the respect and recognition they’ve earned on the gridiron. Despite an impressive 23-4 record over the past two seasons and multiple close calls with the College Football Playoff, the BYU football program opens the year at 19th in FanDuel’s playoff odds, trailing behind programs like Big 12 Conference rival Texas Tech and even Penn State under new head c...

BYU Basketball zeroes in on 7'2" center prospect Luigi Suigo, whose rare mix of size, mobility, and EuroLeague experience has put him at the very top of Kevin Young’s recruiting board. Suigo could be the perfect solution to BYU’s glaring hole at the five, offering rim protection, rebounding muscle, and a skill set that allows him to impact the game both in the paint and beyond the arc. With the cr...

BYU men's basketball eyes another leap as Bruce Branch III dazzles at the Jordan Brand Classic, posting a dominant double-double and fueling talk of a third straight lottery-caliber prospect for Kevin Young’s "NBA factory" in Provo. Can Branch be the latest in a rising line of BYU stars—following Egor Demin and AJ Dybantsa—projected to hit the NBA draft’s highest tiers? His impressive blend of len...

BYU Football is on a mission for greatness as right tackle Andrew Gentry, a national champion with Michigan, joins forces with Kalani Sitake and the Cougars to chase ultimate glory. Can Andrew Gentry’s winning mentality and the program’s emphasis on culture elevate BYU to the College Football Playoff? The energy surges as Jake Hatch and Gentry explore what it takes to build a championship team in...

The BYU Cougars double down on their distinct identity, refusing to chase the private equity deals now reshaping college sports finances. BYU athletic direction Brian Santiago’s public commitment to independence comes as Big 12 rivals like Utah pursue staggering $500 million windfalls through Otro Capital, but BYU’s refusal raises the question: will values-driven leadership keep the Cougars in the...

Big 12 football faces fan backlash as Texas Tech gets two Saturday games stripped, with a marquee matchup against Houston moved to Friday night. The Big 12 Squad debates the impact of weeknight games on local attendance, high school football culture, and the conference’s national exposure. Does this scheduling decision actually give Houston a major advantage, and why isn’t the Big 12 showcasing it...

Welcome into a massive "Commitment Edition" of Locked On Cougars with your host Jake Hatch . We lead off today’s show with a definitive statement from the Transfer Portal : Robert Wright III is officially returning to Provo! This was the recruiting battle that had the entire fan base on edge, as Wright took a high-profile visit to Lexington to meet with former BYU head coach Mark Pope and the Kent...

On today's episode of Locked On Cougars , host Jake Hatch dives into the high-stakes world of the College Football Playoff and why the preseason polls might matter more for Kalani Sitake and the  BYU Football  program than ever before. With the 12-team format in place, we discuss the "prestige gap" and why the Cougars likely need to start inside the Preseason Top-25 to ensure they have the resume...

On the hardwood, Jake Hatch examines BYU men’s basketball’s aggressive pursuit of outside shooting talent. The addition of former Syracuse and Cincinnati three-point specialist Tyler Betsey signals a pivotal shift in strategy for Kevin Young’s roster construction, emphasizing Power 5 experience and reliable high-volume shooting. The breakdown explores why Betsy’s shooting prowess and Big 12 pedigr...

BYU men's basketball makes a statement as Collin Chandler commits and returns to Utah, sending shockwaves across the Big 12. Can Kevin Young leverage Chandler’s dynamic skillset to elevate the Cougars to a Sweet 16? A proven 41% three-point shooter with the size and athleticism to play both guard spots, Chandler arrives not only to fill a critical roster need after a season of offensive inconsiste...

A roster upheaval signals new hope in Provo—can Kevin Young’s vision spark a revitalized era for BYU Cougars basketball? With just five holdovers from last season currently with most-recent portal exits like Tyler Mrus and KJ Perry, the Cougars are in reload mode, but fresh, high-upside talent is on the way. Collin Chandler headlines the reinforcements, making his long-awaited “homecoming,” joined...

Big 12 transfer chaos signals seismic shifts—can new executive orders curb college athletes’ free agency, or will the player movement frenzy continue? Anthony Roy and Rob Wright headline heated debates over multimillion-dollar transfers, while experts question President Trump’s new transfer portal restrictions and their real-world enforceability. The Big 12 Squad weighs in on loopholes and the NCA...

The BYU men's basketball program reloads with a major addition as former Kentucky Wildcats guard Collin Chandler enters the transfer portal, strongly expected to join Kevin Young’s roster in Provo. Can Chandler fill the void left by Richie Saunders and anchor the next era of BYU hoops? Jake Hatch breaks down how Chandler’s impressive sophomore stats at Kentucky—9.7 points per game, shooting 41% fr...