Speaker 1: Is Cougar Sports with Ben Kretel at its time for
the Cougar Beat, getting the dish from the local reporters
that cover Cougar athletics. Welcome back Cougar Sports one of
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call us today eight on one four hundred five through
with eight. That's eight on one four hundred five through
an eight orthropros of Utah orthroprosoutah dot com. Let's get
out to the hotline. Welcome at Cougar Sports. Insider representing
KSL dot com, the one, the only Sean Walker d
Sean Walker. What's happened to brother? How that are you?
Speaker 2: Ben? It is an absolute honor and a privilege to
be back on your show.
Speaker 3: And apparently out of the doghouse. The last couple of
times I think I've joined you guys, it's just been
me your esteemed executive producer, Ronald the three man Weaver, and.
Speaker 2: I think Brett Hammer is the only one there. So
thank you for finally letting me out of the doghouse
and letting me talk to the real man behind Cougar Sports.
Speaker 1: I hear you were in any dog house. There's no
doghouse here at ESP and the fan. All are welcome, okay,
all are are are invited. It is it is an
open house for all Cougar Sports commentary Specialists, which you
are a part of that.
Speaker 2: Would you say that visitors are welcome?
Speaker 1: Visitors are welcome? Exactly, it's an open house here at
the Lord's house. No, I mean it's it is the
lord's house, and it's it's the football lord's house. If
you will, Sean, what did you make of k Why's
comments earlier today? B YU gets to win on the road.
It's a quad two win. They dropped two spots in
the Ape pole. Ky doesn't know how poles work? Can
you help them?
Speaker 2: I mean, Kevin Young's admitted to it a couple of times.
I think that there are a couple of things about
college basketball that still make him kind of scratch his head,
if you will, in somebody, if he's still learning college basketball.
He spent in a dire career in the NBA and
the G League. One of those things I think is poles.
So here's the thing, Yes by us two and on
last week. Yes, that included in eighty nine eighty four
win over arts rival and Utah. Yes that was a loss.
According to Vegas By, you were thirteen and a half
fourteen and a half point favorites, depending on which sports
book you looked at, So there's a lot kind of
in there, and that one byuh fifteen and one. They're
only a loss is to the number three team in
the country in Yukon, which is also sixteen to one.
So BYU is currently the I need a double check
real quick, but they are, yes, confirmed, the lowest ranked
one lost team in the AP Top twenty five. I
think this is all true right there. The issue is
when you start getting teams that make time, that go
from this early season nice thought to a mid season,
which I think is where we are right now, legitimate team,
and I think that's kind of where by is getting
caught up against right now because it's really hard to
keep them behind. For example, undefeated Nebraska. This is a
team that was place of Sish, I think, fourteenth at
the Big Ten this year and they're still on being
they just barely beat Indiana on the road that got
some incredible wins in Big Ten play. By the way,
this is the same Nebraska team, but BYU played to
a point in an exhibition game to start the season,
so that result doesn't count for either one of them,
but I think it does provide a little bit of
context in there. Right, So the Braskas are just had.
I think Vanderbilt was the other team that first ahead
of BYU. They're currently undefeated in the SEC. The SEC,
which current which currently boasts as many ranked teams on
a one more. Excuse me, I didn see number twenty
four TIPC one more ranked team than the Big twelve
in the current AP top twenty five. So technically, yes,
BYU dropped two spots after going to and O last
week with a blow went over Airs of State and
then a rivalry win over Utah. But I think it's
less about BYU dropping two spots than just simply Nebraska
and Magavit have been really good and they got more
not even more boats, necessarily more points. They've been more
impressive as of late, I think in large because of
where sort of the expectations that they started the season
with compared to by US and where they're at right
now at this point.
Speaker 1: How would you evaluate how good of a win was
that Utah win Sean obviously on the road in a
wild and rockets environment. I think that was the most
difficult environment that b what you basketball has been in.
You can make an argument for maybe Kansas State, you
can make an argument for maybe the Yukon game, because
even though it was neutral, was kind of a home game.
But how would you evaluate the importance of that w
on the road versus Utah.
Speaker 2: Yeah, Both Kevin Young and Aj Devonsa said it was
the most hostile crowd they had experienced this year. Aj
said something like the most hostile crowd he's experienced in
high school. You know, when the haters show up and
the overrated chances are going crazy, Like I understandand some
of that in there as well. I mean, this was
I think this was a legitimately good win. Think about it. Then.
As good as the basketball has been the last couple
of years, that includes an incredible first season under ten
Young last year, there's one thing they did not do,
and that was when at Utah chac BYU hasn't won
at Utah since twenty twenty one. This isn't something that
happens year and in year out. Maybe the Tizer returney,
maybe that will eventually happen. But by and large, and
this is a legitimate rivalry when it comes to home
court advantage, or at least when it comes to home
court advantage for the youth in Salt Lake City. I
think I read somewhere I haven't fully comprehen done the
research on this, but I think Utah hasn't won in
provo since like two thousand and two or somewhere something
like that. Jack checking me a double check me on that.
But this is this is I think when it comes
to the road environment in Salt Lake City, it's a
legitimate rivalry. So I think this is a great win
and a better win than some of the numbers. Say yes,
I know or Utah's and that ranking isn't very good.
Although they did move up from playing BYU close, that's
not a Quad two win for the Couters. So I
think ultimately this is going to be probably not a
great win on their resume, just because of the state
of the utes under first year coach Alex Jensen. I
think they're trending in a good direction, but I would
be shocked as it turns into like a great win
for the program. But I think it's going to wind
up being a good win just because of the road
environment and the road aspect of it. I wouldn't be
shocked if it maybe stays in that quad two round
with those modit with those world modifiers.
Speaker 1: Obviously Morgan scally was in attendance at that game and
was trying to inspire the basketball team to win at
a high level versus a very talented role coach BYU
basketball team. The Let's Go Cougar's chance drowned him out
a little bit. But it does seem that the BYU
Utah rivalry will won't be as volatile, maybe as as
it has been in the past.
Speaker 2: What's I think it's been moving that direction for a
couple of years now. I think Kilanie Sataki was a
big reason why I moved that direction because Kilanie and
Kyle Whittingham, the dearly beloved now departed Kyle Winningham, may
you rest in peace in ann Arbor. He was close
friends with Kilanie right in the first place. So I
think Kilanie getting the job underwent a sort of tenure
up on the Hill really helped sort of saw a
lot of really hard emotions. So did taking a two
year break in the middle of it. I know it
was unpopular at the time. It's still unpopular for srum beds,
but I really do think that two year break did
kind of help. It helped both fan bases realizes what
realized what they had in this rivalry game. So now
fast forward to the fall Slash early Spring Winter of
twenty twenty five and twenty twenty six. Morgan Stally is
the Kyle Whitningham junior. In a lot of ways, he
laid Underway. He has coach Underway for almost his entire career,
and that includes being on the same staff as one
former defensive coordinator in Klaudate Pataki. So these are two
guys that know each other really well. They're very close
friends off the field. They're going to want to beat
each other when they play each other on Saturdays. But
being in the same conference and having that history, I
think that's going to help maybe lower the level of
TuS overall toxicity in this rivalry just a little bit more.
Will it make the two sides a like each other
and come together in kumbaya moments? And I'd be absolutely
shocked if that happens. This is still BYU, This is
still Utah. This is still a rivalry that may refer
to with a certain three letter word that you know,
I don't like referring to it with. I think it's
a missing owner. But I think this is I think
this is maybe a little bit of a new era
of the BYU Utah rivalry, and I think it's a
good thing for both sides.
Speaker 1: Sean walkerkasail dot com here on your Utah ESPN Radio Network,
one of three nine ninety eight point three ESPN the Fan. Sean,
any gems that you took away today from Ky? And
I know you chatted with him in the post game
and you were able to address some things with him today.
What are some of the gems you took away from
his comments?
Speaker 2: Just another I mean more, he was impressed with it
after the game. I was impressed with than after the game,
but maybe even more so after watching the tape. The
level of rebounding the BYU put in against Utah, I
think was incredibly impressive. I spent probably two thirds of
my game story on Saturday Night's funny enough talking about
offensive rebounding and then fourteen rebounds by Ricky Saunders, Like
that's just an incredible effort by You had more offensive
rebounds than I think Utah had total rebounds or the
same number somewhere in there. They were right around the same,
just on the offensive rebound side, like by just com
getting a second chance after second chance after second chance,
and it really made a huge deal on the night
where Uh several Boa players did shoot particularly well. Uh
Aj Debonta struggled to get a shot off through double
teams and sometimes double team with an extra health defense.
The Crusiers didn't shoot very well from the free throw line.
I think they missed ten or eleven free throws on
the night. So there was a lot going against the
Yu in that game that there were. The one thing
that made up for a lot of it was their ability.
On the last they out toufed Utah. They out rebounded Utah,
They outboarded them, especially on the offensive end, and especially
from guys wann't necessarily known as big rebounders, Right, You're
going to expect that from somebody like a Kamaketta or
or a Bidoo Abu Ahmed Uh. You might expect that
from some of those big guys. But when you're getting
out rebounded by Richie Saunders, when you're getting when you're
giving up five or six to Uh to Rob Wright
the third, that's when you know the entire team collectively
is rebounding at a very high level. And that's the
kind of thing. It's part of these little things that
both Kevin Young and Alex Jimpson talked about up in
the game that can really help turn decent or sometimes
mediocre performances into very good performances because of that attention
to those little details.
Speaker 1: Sean Byu has what eleven guys I want to move
over to football?
Speaker 3: Here?
Speaker 1: BYU has eleven guys entering the portal leaving BYU and
three additions thus far, Zach Yamouji offensive lineman, Kyler Casper
wide receiver and of course the first of them, Walker
Lions usc tight end. What else are they looking for
in the portal right now? What else do they need?
And give me some of your thoughts on these three
players that they have acquired.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think BAU has been very targeted in their
portal acquisitions. The number one priority, It's very clear from
the first couple of days, week or so of this
portal season for BYU was on retention. It wasn't necessarily
on acquisition. It was it was on keeping the guys
that you had, the guys that won twelve games for
the first time in twenty four years, the guys that
are people's national champions shout out to the Pop Tarts Bowl.
It was keeping them in tech I think that was
their first priority, and I think they did a great
job of it. There wasn't a starter against Georgia Tech
that had eligibility remaining that is leaving BYU to this point, Like,
think about that for a second. There wasn't a single
starter that has eligibility remaining that started against Texas Tech
that is leaving BYU. And that, by the way, doesn't
include l J. Martin because he was hurt or coming
off surgery for that Bowl game. Right, Like, yes, there
are big holes on this roster that need to be filled.
Somebody to replace Jack Kelly, whether it's internally or externally,
that's going to be a massive hole to field. Their
holes on the offense is line that I think they're
starting to address a little bit right. You mentioned zach A.
Maluci out of Stanford, the return missionary from Las Vegas
Bishop Gorman. I think product out there. I think YU
starting to attend to some of those needs. But it's
very clear that their first priority was keeping the guys
intact so that they could build off of this year
and grow and progress and develop. As at the fact
that this team didn't lose a defensive starter with eligibility
of remaining the year that they lost their defensive coordinator
and their defensive passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach to Michigan.
I think is pretty astounding, and it speaks a little
bit to the culture and the level that Kawani Sutaki
is building in Provo and and maybe helps explain why
it was so important the BYU kept them, kept them
away from Penn State's hands about a month or so
ago to continue building this project at is alma mater. Right,
I think that's the first part of your question, right,
What's what's the second part? You mentioned the additions.
Speaker 1: Yes, you have three acquisitions, and you know, and Zach
and then Kyler as well as Walker h then you know,
and then the positions that they could be targeting going forward.
It seems like Pockey Few is a target. Obviously, they're
trying to go get Smith Snowden. You wonder Kate Uluave
is another guy that's taking a visit, and I think
most recent reports, maybe on three has reported that Kate
could be a b yu Lean. I think it was
Michigan or BYU that was fighting for him. I know
U c l A is trying their best. Big Sodo
coach them. Mccali could be U c l A bound
as well.
Speaker 2: Uh yeah, absolutely, I mean I think I think the
targeted part of these new acquisitions is guys that replaced
starters or big time minutes eaters that Uyu couldn't resigned,
aka the seniors, the outgoing seniors, and one that have
any eligibility remaining. So you look at you look at
the guys that are committed that are in right now.
Kyler Casper out of the former four star receiver out
of Oregon. I think Yu kind of sees him as
the type of guy that could replace the production or
have the type of production that Chase Roberts did this year.
They're both very similar receivers. Long, big bodied, Kyler's about
six five six six two ten pounds. He's been hurt
at Oregon and then so he's obviously going to have
to learn to get healthy. He's going to have to
get healthy and then learn to stay healthy. I think
that may be his biggest issue when he makes the
move over to BYU, and I think BYU sees a
little bit of Chase robertson him. I think Walker Byans
is a great replacement for what you're losing in Carts
and Ryan Cars and Ryan who may have been I
think we sung a lot of praises to him, and
yet he was probably still a little bit unders for
what he was able to do this year as a
one year starting tight end at BYU, both as a
pass catcher, touchdown score and also in the blocking game.
I think Yu sees a lot of those things. Wal
he's in same attributes in Walker Lions, the guy that
they tried to get. They struck out on him twice
if you remember, both out of high school and then
when he came back from his church mission to Oslo, Norway.
There's a little bit of scuttle that, like maybe the
way you can make a run at him here now
he winds up going to USC for two years. You know,
played decently. I think last year I don't think maybe
he wasn't quite as good as he's been or as
some expected, and maybe that explains a little bit of
why he's in the portal. But I think he's still
a very good player six or four thirty four pounds,
the kind of guy that you need both from a
playing perspective and culturally. And then I think Zach Yamauchi,
who twenty four seven Sports reported it has committed. He
hasn't signed anything with BYU yet, but he has committed
to BYU out of Stanford. I think YU sees him
as a replacement for like rowl On, who awesomely a
loose and type that interior offensive lineman again, big body,
six fours, three undred twenty five that you really need
up front after they showed up some of their tackles
face by resigning guys like Andrew Gentry, so getting very
targeted acquisitions, and I think that's kind of the direction
to look for BYU and the portal is who did
they lose, particularly to a lack of eligibility, who do
they lose to the NFL draft for the most part,
and who can they go to get him as a replacement.
So I think the next big replacement, the next big
domino that could fall from there is somebody to replace
Jack Kelly. That's a lot of tackles, that's a lot
of pass rush, that's a lot of tackles for lost
in facts to replace. And I think that's probably the
next big target that BYU fan should probably keep an
eye on over the next couple of days.
Speaker 1: Love that breakdown, Sean, what can you tease us with
what are you gonna be writing about at KSL dot com,
Any pieces we should be looking out for on the
on the docket.
Speaker 2: Well By, he's got a pretty big basketball game this
weekend again, number fourteen Texas Tank. You guys may remember.
I think a lot of guys are going to be
on that matchup, both locally and nationally. But very sneakily,
this basketball team hosts TCU on Wednesday and night have
been a game that I think might be justice paus
in some ways. This is a TCU game that they're
on a two game side right now because they played
you know, they're coming off of a loss to the
number one ring team in the country in Arizona. But
this was a team that was They were right there
with teams like Michigan. They were right there teams like
you Got. They were one of the early surprises in
non conference play out of the Big twelve. And I
think this could be a really really good game on Wednesdays.
So there will be stuff leading up to that. As always,
the transfer tracker is well go. You can find that
over on sports dot CASL dot com. I've got links
to that all over social media and definitely on the
on the web. We'll be following that for a long time.
And then can I do something non vy you for you?
Speaker 1: Of course you can't.
Speaker 2: It's we're do do you know you really? Then we're
I think we're exactly thirty days from the Milan Courtina,
Italy Winter Olympics. Thirty days out. Let's go jo Our
Olympic covers is about to skyrocket in the Foo forts.
We've got a bunch of Utahs that are going to
be representing Temiosa in other countries. And actually just spend
most of this morning sitting down with a few of
those that we'll be scattering out over the next week
or two over at KSL dot com. Some profiles on
some local Olympians that I really think your audience may
enjoy checking out.
Speaker 1: Let's go Sean Walker. Nobody does it better than Sean
Shard covers it all. We love hearing from him on
the BYU front, but he's always dabbling in Utah preps,
Olympic sports and obviously BYU athletics as well. Nobody does
it better Sean Walker. Legs and gentlemen, thanks so much, brother.
Speaker 2: Appreciate you guys. Have a good one. And like I said,
I'm just glad to be out of the doghouse.
Speaker 1: Yeah, you were never in the dieas You're never in
the doghouse, Sean is ridiculous, ridiculous.
Speaker 2: I feel like you were avoiding me. Then, I feel
like you were avoiding me.
Speaker 1: I mean, well, I mean I'm not taking the trips
to like basketball games, so I mean Ronald's Ronald's my
main guy. Okay, Ronald's taking the baton. So you're hanging
out with Ronald more than you're hanging out with me
football season when we hang out, I'm trying to let
Ronald be the hoops guy. For the love of all
that's holy, I never in the doghouse. Much love, Sean Walker,
Ladies and gentlemen. That was a cougar beat brought to
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about that Kida Uluave maybe a BYU Cougar. Who's in
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