>> WELCOME BACK TO BYU SPORTS NATION, LIVE IN STUDIO B, THIS IS HOUR TWO OF THE BYU SPORTS NATION FRIDAY SPECIAL AS WE FOCUS ON ALUMNI DAY AND COUGAR FOOTBALL AND DO SO WITH THE AHEAD FOOTBALL COACH, KALANI SITAKE, BACK IN STUDIO B. AND COACH, GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON
SUCH A FUN DAY, AND TO SEE SO MANY OF THE BYU FOOTBALL FAMILY COLLECTIVELY GATHERING ON THE HEELS OF SHOOTING AN UNFORGETTABLE 40-YEAR SPECIAL OF THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP LAST NIGHT WITH THAT ROUNDTABLE AND WHAT HAS THIS BEEN LIKE FOR YOU TO WELCOME ALL OF THESE BYU FOOTBALL MEN BACK INTO THE FOLD?
>> Guest: IT WAS GOOD TO SEE THE WHOLE FAMILY AND TO ME, THE 1984 TEAM WAS SO HUGE, IT CHANGED MY LIFE. AND LITERALLY THE YOUNG MEN ON THAT TEAM. SO TO SEE THEM. THEY’RE ALL MY HEROS, AND I’M SITTING THERE LAST NIGHT LISTENING TO THE STORIES, AND
YOU CAN’T HELP BUT SEE THE CONNECTION, THE BROTHERHOOD AND THE LOVE THAT THEY HAVE FOR EACH OTHER. AND THEN IT WAS NICE TO BE ABLE TO SIT NEXT TO PATTY AND HEAR HER GIVE ME SOME LITTLE WORDS ON EACH PERSON THAT WAS UP THERE SPEAKING, AND IT WAS ALWAYS GOOD
TO REMEMBER LAVELL EDWARDS TOO. SO THIS IS A GREAT — I LOVE THE ALUMNI DAY AND I WANT THOSE GUYS TO KNOW THAT THEY SHOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE COMING HERE WHENEVER THEY WANT. AND WE’RE GOING TO PUT THEM TO WORK. WE NEED THEIR HELP IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO HAPPY TO HAVE THE ALUMNI HERE, ESPECIALLY THE 1984 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM. >> Spencer: THE ALUMNI GAME HAS TAKEN ON A PERSONALITY OF ITS OWN, AND IT’S GROWING IN POPULARITY AND APPEALING TO A LOT OF GUYS WHO WANT TO COME BACK AND PARTICIPATE IN IT. WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR YOU TO
ESTABLISH SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BECAUSE IT’S UNIQUE AND OUT OF THE BOX? >> Guest: I SPOKE TO THE ALUMNI GROUP BEFORE I CAME HERE AND MY PRESENTATION, HEY, GUYS, NOW YOU HAVE MORE OF AN ISSUE, OF A TASK, BECAUSE THERE’S A SPRING GAME. AND THEY’RE REDOING THE SURFACE
IN THE STAYED WHY UM AND NOW YOUR JOB IS TO ENTERTAIN US, AND ALSO STAY HEALTHY AND I DON’T THINK THAT THE FANS ARE COMING TO SEE THE FOOTBALL, THE FIELD AS MUCH AS THE PERSON THEA, BUT YOU HAVE TO SEE THEM COMPETE AND HAVE FUN AND THE BANTERING BACK AND FORTH.
AND LAST YEAR, I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE GUYS GETTING HURT IN THE GAME ITSELF AND NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THE CELEBRATIONS SO I INSTRUCTED THEM, BECAUSE MAX GOT HURT DURING THE CELEBRATION, THAT THEIR CELEBRATIONS ARE LIMITED TO GOLF CELEBRATIONS NOW. WE CAN’T EVEN BE CELEBRATE WITH GETTING HURT AND THAT’S THE
STRESS THAT I HAVE, TO HAVE EVERYONE BACK, IT’S SO COOL AND A LOT OF FUN TO SEE THEM NOW, OLDER MEN THAT HAVE FAMILIES AND ARE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY DOING A GREAT JOB REPRESENTING BYU AND IT’S NICE TO HAVE THEM BACK. THE FUN PART IS HAVING ALL OF
THE PERSONALITIES BACK AND THE CONNECTION THIS THEY HAVE WITH EACH OTHER. SO UNIQUE ABOUT BYU AND THIS IS AN AMAZING FRATERNITY WITH THE BYU BROTHERHOOD AND FOOTBALL TEAM. SO IT’S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE THEM BACK AGAIN. >> Spencer: YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU WANT THEM TO BE MORE INVOLVED AND YOU HAVE SOME TASKS
FOR THESE GUYS, AND HOW MUCH LIGHT CAN YOU SHED INTO WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING INTO THERE? >> Guest: I WAS READING THE SECOND CENTURY ADDRESS BY SPENCER W. KIMBALL. THE AND THINGS THAT STOOD OUT ESPECIALLY LAST NIGHT. AND THE PERSONALITIES, AND YOU CAN BALANCE THEM OUT. AND THAT’S OLD MEN, IMAGINE WHAT
THEY WERE LIKE WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG MEN RUNNING AROUND. BUT I THOUGHT OVERALL, IT WAS THERE’S A QUOTE THAT SPENCER W. KIMBALL TALKS ABOUT THE COMPETENCY, THE EXPERTS, SO INTERESTING, I’M GOING TO ASK THEM — I THINK YOU HEARD ME SAY BEFORE, THAT THE CURRENCY OF BYU
IS THE PEOPLE AND WE NEED TO KEEP THE EFFORTS STRONG AND KEEP THESE MEN INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM. EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, MENTORING THE YOUNG MEN ON THE TEAM AND IF WE COULD TAKE THE LOVE THAT THE 1984 TEAM HAD FOR EACH OTHER, AND THEY HAD THIS HIGH COMPETITION.
THE I THINK YOU HEARD THEM SAYING THAT THEY LOOKED FORWARD TO SATURDAYS, WHICH IS MORE THAN TUESDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS, WHICH IS WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO GET DIN. I REMEMBER THOSE MOMENTS I WAS PLAYING FOR LAVELLE. AND IF WE COULD GET THAT DONE CURRENTLY, IT WILL BODE WELL FOR US, WHO BETTER?
I CAN ALWAYS SAY IT, BUT WHAT BETTER WAY THAN TO HAVE THE LEGENDS DO IT FOR US. >> Spencer: KILL KELL IS WITH US BYU SPORTS NATION AS WE CONTINUE THE ALUMNI DAY CONVERSATION AND GET SET FOR THE ALUMNI GAME TONIGHT. BUT WE NEED TO TIME IT OUT, SPRING FOOTBALL, IT’S WINDING
DOWN OF SORTS AND HOW DO YOU FEEL YOUR TEAM IS PROGRESSING AND HOW HAVE THEY PROGRESSED THE MOST IN THE SPRING FOOTBALL? >> Guest: I THINK THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST PROGRESSIVE SPRING FOOTBALL THAT WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH, BUT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR T.J. WOODS TO SEE
HIS LINE GO LIVE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, AND WHEN YOU ARE PLAYING ON THE — THE O LINE IS LIVE ALL THE TIME. AND THEY’RE GOING LIVE. SO THE FRONT LINE ITSELF, THEY’RE ALWAYS PHYSICAL, BUT WE HAVE TACKLED QUITE A BIT AND WE HAVE MADE QUARTERBACKS AVAILABLE TO TACKLE AS WELL.
BUT WE HAVE TO GET BETTER AT FOOTBALL AND BE BETTER AT SITUATIONAL FOOTBALL. IT COMES DOWN TO A FEW PLAYS THAT CAN GET YOU THE WIN, AND EVEN A MISTAKES, SO IF YOU MAKE THE MISTAKES DURING SPRING BALL AND GET THEM OUT OF THE WAY AND THROUGH IN FALL CAMP, THEN IT’S
NOT PENALIZING US IN THE GAME AND IT COMES DOWN TO THE DETAILS AND THAT WILL BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WINNING AND LOSING. BUT THE ATTITUDE, THE CONNECTION, THE SENSE OF URGENCY FROM OUR PLAYERS IS REALLY HIGH, AND THEY WANT TO GET ON THE FIELD. THEY’RE REALLY EXCITED. I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE
OFF-SEASON CONDITIONING AND IT LOOKED LIKE THEY WORKED HARDER THAN EVER BEFORE. IT WILL KEEP THEM HUMBLE. >> Spencer: YOU MENTIONED T.J. WOODS WORKING WITH THE OFFENSIVE LINE, AND I BLIZ A NEW DYNAMIC FOR SURE, AND TY GILLIBRAND. AND WHAT ARE YOU LIKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES AND THE DIFFERENT FLAVORS THAT THEY BRING IN?
>> Guest: IT WAS THE LEVEL OF EXPERTISE, IT’S ALL OF THE DETAILS AND THE FOOTWORK AND BEING ABLE TO TEACH ALL OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO SPECIFY WHAT THEY’RE GOOD AT AND ALSO SOMETIMES, YOU LOOK AT THEIR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES, TRYING TO MAKE THEM A MORE WELL-ROUNDED TIGHT END. SO THEY’RE NOT ALWAYS BLOCKING
OR OUT AS A ROUTE RUNNER. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A WELL BALANCED TPD AND NOT ONLY TO HELP THE TEAM, BUT HELP THEM MOVE ONTO THE NEXT LEVEL. KEVIN WAS DONE A GREAT JOB, AND 9 DEFENSE UNDERSTANDING THE SCHEME AND BEING IN ANOTHER YEAR HAS BEEN NICE AND JAY HAS DONE A
GREAT JOB. I LIKE THE COMPETITION AND THE PHYSICAL PART OF IT. AND THE FUNDAMENTALS THAT WE’RE IMPROVING ON, AND KEEPING THESE GUYS HUMBLE AND WORKING HARD AND WE HAVE A LOT TO PROVE THIS FALL. >> Spencer: I KNOW THAT THEY’RE ALL GOING TO BE WATCHING THE ALUMNI GAME TOGETHER.
BUT SPEAKING TO THE GUYS ON THE CURRENT TEAM IN REPEAT WEEKS, THEY ALL POINT TO THIS INNATE HUNGER, ESPECIALLY MISSING THE BOWL GAME. SO WHAT KIND OF SENSE DO YOU GET FROM THE GUYS BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T PLAY IN THE POSTSEASON, TO ANOTHER LEVEL? >> Guest: SOMETIMES WHEN YOU
TAKE THINGS FOR GRANTED AND THEN THEY’RE TAKEN AWAY, AND THE ABSENCE OF IT CAN LEAVE A WEIRD FEELING BUT ALSO A GREAT LESSON TO LEARN, THAT STOP WORRYING ABOUT THE BOWL GAMES, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU’RE NOT QUALIFIED TO GO TO ONE. AND WE NEED TO BE IN A BETTER
MINDSET AND THAT’S THE MY JOB, I’M THE HEAD COACH AND I NEED TO FIND A WAY TO GET THEM TO PERFORM AT THEIR BEST AT ALL TIMES. SOMETIMES THERE ARE LESSONS TO BE LEARNED BY GOING THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE, AND WE FELT THE STING OF THE LOSSES IN THE SEAN,
AND THESE GUYS, I DON’T THINK THAT THEY EVER WANT TO FEEL THAT EVER AGAIN. SO WE KNOW GOING INTO THE BIG 12 AND HOW CLOSE WE WERE, THOSE ARE REALLY COOL THINGS, AND THERE ARE NO MORAL VICTORIES HERE. WE KNOW WE’RE SUPPOSED TO PLAY BETTER AND GET A DIFFERENT
RESULT AND NOW WE HAVE GO OUT AND DO IT, AND I LIKE THE WAY THAT THE GUYS ARE PREPPING FOR IT. >> Spencer: YOU ARE A DIEHARD BYU FAN, AND CERTAINLY YOU WERE DISAPPOINTED WITH BE BYU BASKETBALL, AND WHAT KIND OF PARALLELS DO YOU DRAW, THEY HAD THEIR OWN STRUGGLES AND FINISHED
5th PLACE IN THE BIG 12 CONFERENCE, BUT THERE WERE NO MOVING PARTS THAT CAME IN, A FEW FROM THE TRANSFER PORTLAND BILLION BUT THERE WAS THIS CORE AND I VIEW YOUR TEAM, THERE’S THIS CORE BACK, BUT YOU HAVE ADDED A FEW KEY PIECES BUT HOW MUCH DO YOU READ INTO HAVING THE
MAJORITY OF YOUR TEAM BACK AND HOW THAT CAN BENEFIT YOU MOVING FORWARD? >> Guest: I THINK THAT THE HARD PART IS THE EXPECTATIONS, ESPECIALLY FROM THE OUTSIDE, AND THESE ARE YOUNG MEN THAT WANT TO SUPPORT THE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN THAT IT HAD KNOW WHAT AND
EXPECTED OF OUR FANS, AND I LOVE OUR FANS, THEY EXPECT THE BEST. MY BRACKET HAD BYU GOING ALL THE WAY TO BYU WINNING THE WHOLE THING. SO WHAT? IT’S JUST LIKE IF WE HAD GOTTEN PAST THE FIRST ONE, I’M SURE IT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. BUT I DON’T EXPECT OUR FANS TO
LOWER THEIR EXPECTATIONS BUT WHAT I WANT OUR PLAYERS TO DO IS HAVE THEIR OWN SET OF STANDARDS WITHIN THE PROGRAM AND IT’S NOT FOCUSED ON THE RESULT. BUT IF YOU DO ALL OF THE LITTLE THINGS RIGHT, YOU’RE GOING TO GET THE RESULT YOU WANT. AND YOU CAN’T SKIP STEPS.
YOU HAVE TO WORK ON THEM LINE UPON LINE, PRECEPT ON PRECEPT. THESE PRINCIPLES ARE ETERNAL AND WE WILL KEEP THE GUYS GOING, BUT ALSO, I DON’T WANT THEM TALKING ABOUT US. THE SAME THING WITH BASKETBALL. NOW, I JUST WANT OUR GUYS TO JUST GO AND DO THEIR PART.
BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT DEFINE THEM. AND I WANT THEM TO RELISH IN THE OTHER ROLES THAT THEY HAVE. WHETHER IT’S TO BE A GREAT SON, AN UNBELIEVABLE BROTHER, AN AMAZING FRIEND. STUFF LIKE THAT. THE THOSE THINGS NEED TO GET BETTER TOO, AND IT WILL ELEVATE THEIR GAME OF PLAY.
>> Spencer: WELL SAID AND GREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH US, KALANI. LAY LOW. >> Guest: IT’S OKAY. IT’S
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