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Speaker 4: Invest Q and A from our tax smart wealth Advisor
certified financial Planners. It is time for Little UH player
profile and you get to know l J. Martin Uh
is going to be playing in spring ball?
Speaker 3: Is he back? Is he ready to go? We'll find
out and get his thoughts on the.
Speaker 4: Bou offense and who who RB two could be in
this room. It's going to be brought to you by
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let's get into it. LJ Martin a little player profile.
LJ obviously the returning Big twelve offensive play of the year.
He's going to be a boom for BYU. But we
got to figure out who RB two is. How healthy though,
is LJ?
Speaker 3: Martin? This is what he had to say, Yeah, I'm
feeling great.
Speaker 5: It was coming along with nicely, just you know, just
been trying to get healthy and everything's going good.
Speaker 4: Okay, feeling healthy, feeling So he probably wanted an eighty
percent You think, Ronnie, where do you think he's at
right now?
Speaker 3: Percentage wise?
Speaker 6: Yeah, I think that's seventy five eighty range is accurate.
But even then, I mean in a seventy five healthy
LJ is still.
Speaker 3: Good, Still good baby.
Speaker 4: How difficult of a decision was it to come back
for this this year?
Speaker 5: Yeah, it was kind of difficult because that's what jijimo
as a kid. But ultimately I think this is the
best decision, just coming back for another year and being
able to do some stuff at BYU.
Speaker 4: Big decision and I hope it pays off for BYU.
It was massive to get him retained, to get him
back on this twenty twenty sixteen in roster. Who were
the people you leaned on in the decision making process, LJ?
Speaker 5: I would say, it's my parents and then my mentors
like Coach Harvey and Jamal Williams. And like good guys
like that, just talking to them, hearing their advice for
me and what they have to say to.
Speaker 4: Me parents big time. Right, then you have Harvey and
then you have Jamal Williams. Was it surprising here that
Jamal Williams was involved in his decision making process and
that mentorship process?
Speaker 3: I would say, so, I know we've seen him.
Speaker 4: I mean, i'd say, like, no one knows that. I mean,
Jamal's been around, and.
Speaker 1: I think that's maybe why.
Speaker 6: I think in the interaction, El just had to have
had conversations with them to come across him. And you know,
what is it, h luke Han, Like he's had to
come across them with as much as Jamal's been around
and having trained here, So I would have to think
he has done that. But I mean it's Jamal and LJ,
both Loki guys. So I'm surprised. I'm I'm surprised that
we didn't hear about it more, but I'm not surprised
that it happened.
Speaker 4: But yeah, look, I thought I was surprised that, I mean,
LJ is is gonna probably take on you know, a
small circle around him, and I didn't know Jamal was
a part of a circle and that mentorship. I know
he's been at the facility. I know he's eight and
support in any way that he can this season and
into the off season, But I didn't know he was
that deep with the mentorship and the retention component of
this roster. What was some of the advice Jamal Williams
shared with you, LJ.
Speaker 5: Yeah, it's kind of funny because he was just like,
just enjoy it. You know, like you're only getting to
be in college like one time. You know, you only
get to do it for a said amount of time.
So he's like, as much as you can, just enjoy it.
Like then, if I was not going nowhere, if that's
something you really want.
Speaker 3: To do, you can do it.
Speaker 5: But you know, if you can come back next year,
you can do the same thing. So I took that
advice in Kim Beg.
Speaker 3: Interesting that take right.
Speaker 4: Tamal Williams has played in the NFL for a long
time and granted he exhausted his eligibility in college football,
he had a red shirt. He had a red shirt
kind of a medical red shirt time where he took
time away from BYU, started training with lu Kahn and
came back bigger, stronger, faster than ever and primed and
ready for the twenty sixteen season where he took over
the college football world. Just tote in the rock. It
was a fantastic effort from him. But you know, he's
been in the NFL for a minute now, twenty seventeen
through twenty twenty four, an awesome career, twling over four
thousand yards four yards per carry, thirty two rushing touchdowns,
one hundred and eighty seven receptions, and over thirteen hundred
yards receiving as well as eight touchdowns. And he told
his guy LJ, hey, you have eligibility left, enjoy it,
take advantage of it. You're getting paid too. It's not
like you're not getting paid. The NFL will be there
for you. The NFL is waiting for you. You know,
there's no guarantees in the NFL either. So he's taken
that and he decided he's coming back.
Speaker 6: And can I add another tidbit that I think that
helps here. It also helps you know Jamal and you
know LJ like not members of the faith. That helps
being younger. So you know, when you're looking at that,
you're like, okay, I don't it's Okay, if a guy
like LJ does that, but you know, a Jaron Haller Chase,
maybe not so, even though Chase did, right, But like
that's the difference. Is LG's twenty, you know, twenty two
this year to compare to the guys who are twenty
five twenty six.
Speaker 1: So I think that plays a factor.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I agree with you there, It matters where the
the opinions are coming from.
Speaker 3: All right, let's get back to it, LJ.
Speaker 4: What's your timetable health wise to begin back at full
strength in fall camp.
Speaker 5: I'm pretty close to it, really, Yeah, yes, sir.
Speaker 3: Oh so maybe he's like ninety percent, Ronnie maybe that
ninety Yeah.
Speaker 6: After that, I'm like, that's that's closer than ninety yeah,
feeling that, I mean, I think that's why he got
the shoulder surgery, Ben, And you'd be at a shed
more on this, you know, being in the orthopedic and
sports medicine world. He got this, that surgery right after
the big to a championship game right away. I think
he did that probably so he could get back faster
and not wait, you know, because I think just the
longer you wait in general, from what I know about surgeries,
it just it takes you longer to heal. That's common sense.
But I think that's why he did it so he
could be back. But that's crazy. He sounds like, you know,
he could probably get going into in spring Bot. I
don't think he will. I'll think he'll stay out. But
that's good news, Ben, Yeah.
Speaker 4: I mean, look, only he knows why he ended up
having surgery rather than a playing to the bowl game.
I think what it did if I was gonna, you know,
project here and give an opinion on it, I think
it gave him an often like, would the bowl game
have helped his draft status if he had decided to
go to the NFL, I don't think so. I think
he had the resume necessary to jump into the league
and probably be a mid to late round pick.
Speaker 3: I don't think, you know.
Speaker 4: And so by having the surgery, if he did decide
to participate in the combine, he just and the combine
just occurred, right, So he would have been you know,
ninety percent let's say ninety ninety five percent. Would he
have bench press, No, he would have said, no, I'm
not going to bench press. But he would have been
able to be healthy enough to participate in the combine.
Speaker 3: Does that make sense? So I think that's why I
did it.
Speaker 4: Now, when it came down to it, it's like, Okay,
I can get just as much value monetarily speaking, coming
back to BYU as I possibly could in the NFL.
And I have some eligibility left. You know, I'm gonna
come back. I have some unfinished business at BYU. What
were those are some of the things he stated about it,
some unfinished business.
Speaker 3: What were some of the reasons you came back to
b y Ulj.
Speaker 5: I would say it's today and just being around these guys,
Like just being around my teammates, you know, just I know,
I just enjoy being around them, Like we go out
to eat. We got corn dogs the other day. I
mean it was a great time. So I just like
being around them, and I like playing football. So just
coming back here is it's fun.
Speaker 4: I like playing football, like being with the boys. And
he mentioned Jamal wall and say, hey, enjoy the college life.
It is different, guys. It becomes a whole lot more
transactional then you may realize. In the NFL, you are
a piece of me. Like I mean, it's football in
general is pretty transactional because your your best abilities, your availability,
and once you're not available, you can't play, and you
kind of are forgotten, you know, because you got to
move on, you got to go compete. But you know
he's gonna enjoy the process, enjoy being with his boys
and making memories and hopefully having a magical season in
twenty twenty six.
Speaker 6: Disappointed though we didn't ask the question Ben, and LJ
was waiting for us to ask it. I saw his
lips like quivering, you know, and I know people like
lips quivering.
Speaker 1: What piece of meat?
Speaker 6: Where we got all the sayings in this segment anyway,
the point of what I'm saying is and Ben will
know what I'm talking about, and I'm gonna have to
do the one on one Ben. And maybe he wouldn't
have given it to me anyway, like Colonel, he'd have
left it dry. Oh to be back with the boys
in this So really, the all time Russian records not
on your mind? L JAB, Yeah, unfinished, it's not on
your mind. Really, you sit number seven, it's not on
your mind number four.
Speaker 3: Hmmm.
Speaker 6: I don't believe that, for I guarantee if we would
ask him, he'd have said, that's one of the reasons.
L has been pretty frank when you ask him, Hey,
what would a thousand yard season mean to you?
Speaker 1: Hey, do you want that? Absolutely?
Speaker 6: Like, but maybe that's the one on one thing I'll
have to request and get him. But uh, we missed
that opportunity. Ben, in general, he was waiting for us.
Speaker 1: To saw it.
Speaker 6: I saw it in his eyes. He's looking back and forth.
But that's one of the reasons too, LJS. They're gonna
try to get him the record, Ben, I think he's
gonna break it. They're gonna get it, and that's that's
not about reason to come back. If that's the case,
you know, and you raise your draft stock, I like
all of it.
Speaker 3: Yep, Hey, I would love to see him break the record.
I think he should. I think he will.
Speaker 4: I was winning the Bigtal Championship and going to the
College Football Playoff a factor as well.
Speaker 5: I would say that's a big factor, you know. Just
I felt like, you know, we had two opportunities these
last two years to do it, and I feel like
we have another opportunity this year where we got to
make the most of it. And just for me, you know,
when I think about getting drafted, it's like if you're
going the first day, you know. So I just wanted
to be able to come back and give myself the
opportunity and to see where it goes.
Speaker 4: See what happened, see where it goes, see what the
potential is of this team and myself. Lots of unfinished
business there. Running back depth was an issue last year.
What are you seeing from the running back room? And
how much better will that depth be?
Speaker 5: Yeah, I don't think it was an issue last year.
I think we had all the guys. I think we
did well in that room. And yeah, I feel like
we got the same guys and we're gonna do great
this year.
Speaker 4: Push pushing back, rallying around whose boys? Running back death
was not an issue? LJ states, what do you make
of that, Ronald the three man Weaver?
Speaker 6: Yeah, I mean it's an issue when uh, you guys
are hurt. So I mean, and look, this is gonna
be all numbers. Wise, take out the numbers. How many
different running backs did they have? All injuries are part again? Well,
then depth is an issue because you were carrying the
ball a lot, rightfully, so, but I mean it was
He's gonna.
Speaker 1: Raw with this boys.
Speaker 6: He can say that and look I'm not trying to
say that he's not truthful. That's his belief and he's
supposed to believe that he's on the team. But the
fact of the matter, if it was, I mean, we
can go back and look at the numbers. You know,
do we know who the third or fourth leading rusher is.
Brett would always breathe this as he was with us
in the first hour, he would like this, Sam vander Harbind,
Sam Vanderrror, you know, with those fake punts. I still
think in Parker Kingston when he was on.
Speaker 1: The team all of that.
Speaker 6: So yeah, yeah, it was an issue, and that's okay,
but it's not going to be an issue this year.
Speaker 1: I think they got the guys.
Speaker 4: Did they have the dudes? That they have the guys?
Is their true running back depth? Do you believe in it? Kugarnation.
We'll see how it plays out in spring ball, see
if we can get some confirmation that there's true running
back depth. What did you see from Jovesa de Mooney
in the bowl game?
Speaker 5: Yeah, he could be really good for us. He had
a lot of opportunities last year at the bowl game
and he did really well with his opportunity. I was
proud of him, and we saw it all in practice,
so it was just him getting the opportunity and he
finally got it and he was able to make the
most of it.
Speaker 4: Jeffsa looked good in the seven toast that he got
in the bowl game, and he's gotten a little bigger, faster, stronger,
a little bit thicker. Jovesta is a great scat back
and has some good explosivity in twitch and solid vision
as well. I like the foundational elements of Jovester's game,
and I just got to make sure he's securing that
football don't cough it up or else. A Rodney Bencer,
what's this next month LJ going to be looking like
for you?
Speaker 5: Oh, it'll be a lot of just hanging around, just
trying to get the younger guys right. We got Devon
in now Micah, do guys like that who are learning
the offense, So just trying to teach them, trying to make.
Speaker 3: Sure they're up to speed.
Speaker 5: And they look good today, So I'm excited for them.
Speaker 4: Looking good, feeling good, nice work, just mentoring. I asked
the question, do you want LJ playing in fall camp?
Do you want him coaching in fall back? Do you
want like a hybrid. What do you make of it, Ronnie,
do you feel like he's just gonna coach mentor for
most of excuse me, springball not fall camp.
Speaker 6: Yeah, I think when I and I, when I hear
participating Ben, he doesn't need to go out there right
and do any of the contact and even like the
you know the what eleven on eleven, he doesn't need
to do that. Like I think going through the drills,
keeping your footwork up, getting some cardio, and I think
that's okay to work that out is all because you
can do footwork and stuff and run brand even you know,
while you're covering from a surgery, right if it doesn't
affect you. So I think I want to see him
doing that. We don't need to see himny observation sessions.
We know what he's capable of, and then that's when
you mentor guys. I would love to see LJ and
that leadership ro Koalani's talked about, and you know that
Lj's talked about that others have raved about.
Speaker 1: And him being the captain.
Speaker 6: I want to see him thrive now and want I
want to see that in observation. I want to see
Devon ecka come over. You know, Mike, I want to
see Logan paint Preston. I want to see him talk
and coach you guys up. That's what I personally would
like to.
Speaker 3: See, no doubt about it.
Speaker 4: Last thing, what were your first impressions of Devon Ekka.
Speaker 3: Play bug down?
Speaker 5: You know, got to get the play book down. You know,
it's the first time being in our offense and being
out at the practice. But he looks really good. He
looks fluid, like a fluid runner, and I'm really excited
for what he is, what he's about to do.
Speaker 3: There you go. That is LJ.
Speaker 4: Martin discussing the first impression Devon ECKA definitely good athlete,
definitely explosive. But I gotta learn that playbook and make
sure you get your pass pro down as well. Let's
go to break, guys. That's your segment, that's your play profile,
and know LJ.
Speaker 3: Martin and his health status.
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Speaker 2: You were listening to one oh three nine and ninety
eight three the Ban part of Utah's ESPN radio network.
You were listening to Cougar Sports with Ben Kretel, and
it's time for a Cougar insider report. Now, let's get
that proprietary inside scoop on Cougar Sports from Critle.
Speaker 4: Welcome back Cougar Sports on a three nine ninety yo
point three ESPN the band I've been crital broadcasting from
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Q and A no obligation to invest Q and A
with our tax bart Wealth Advisor Certify Financial Planners. Nobody
does it better than vander Wealth at Ease. Time for
a little Cougar inside. We're gonna get into mind the
heart of Cantotown of Vasa. When we catted up, our
caught up and chatted up with Kelppinga prior to the
kickoff of spring football in Camp Killiney twenty twenty six.
He said, one of the guys that stood out in
the off season was Kiano Tonavasa.
Speaker 3: Bigger, faster, stronger.
Speaker 4: And fully invested in this Cougar football team. So I
want to reap between the lines a little bit in
this Cougar in cider Port with Canto Tonavasa, you addressed
the media on Friday. Let's see how his offseason has
played out, because we expect big things from Kianu. For
many BA fans, they felt like that that Keanu was
good last year, not great, and they expected greatness from Keanu.
And I expect greatness from Keanu this year, no doubt
about it. And so we're gonna get to know him
a little bit better than the sec We're going to
be brought to you by big Otires in American Fork.
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Speaker 3: All right, let's get to it.
Speaker 4: Kianto Tonavasa, going into his final year of college football.
What did why did you come back to BYU four
your final season, Kiau.
Speaker 7: I think it was the boys that as well as
obviously we look into the draft stock. There was opportunities
there to declare for the league. But for myself, I
have high standards and I believe that I didn't perform
to the.
Speaker 3: Level of my ability last year.
Speaker 7: So I was just looking forward to coming back and
even more of a better year this year.
Speaker 4: So he evaluated the draft stock, said there was opportunities
coming back. Probably the nil is solid and he did
it for the boys. You gotta do it for the boys, right,
Ronnie is always for the boys.
Speaker 3: I mean LJ said it too. He did it for
the boys. The boys in.
Speaker 4: The Provo Hood are always hard baby, just ready to go.
Speaker 1: Baby.
Speaker 4: Shout out to all the boys that are retaining LJ
and Keanto bringing them back to Provo, Utah to ball
out for one last season. What are you looking to
show the NFL this year, Kianu.
Speaker 7: Yeah, so in developing the new technique last year kind
of took a little bit off of my knockback. So
the ability to get into the back cloth consistently is
something that I'm starting to master within this technique as
well as my past rush as just being even more
relentless using my hands better. So I took a lot
of that feedback and I'm looking forward to applying it
this year.
Speaker 4: The feedback, Uh yeah, I think his push needs to
be a little bit more aggressive.
Speaker 3: Obviously he was changing up his technique a little bit.
Speaker 4: Maybe that was a sny Poja integration there with with
Kiano coming into a new scheme as well. It was
not the same scheme. Everyone's like, well, it's the same
scheme he was running before. No, guys, it was not.
It was not the same scheme. Uh, it was not
always the same technique. Remember that Byu is not always
running a traditional forty front. Okay, it is a more
of a thirty front. I have that on good authority
it was about thirty percent or sorry, thirty percent was
forty front. Uh, but the majority of it seventy was
a thirty front with a stand up outside edge guy.
So more of a three four look or a three
to three five look with that Nickel package with Tommy Perezus,
John Thinkabeya and others. So, uh, just new techniques, new
strokes for different folks. And now he's dialed in and
ready to go. Now take a through your emotions when
all the defensive staff changes occurred.
Speaker 7: Sir, I think the emotions were just recognizing that I
was kind of calm because I realized that the Lord
would take care of what he needed to. I also
recognize that coach Kilani was staying. And regardless of who's
in that position, I think that the culture of Kialani
is what makes this team special. It's not necessarily just
the coaches, but it's the culture that the players buy into.
So as that transition was happening, I think I was
less worried about the coaches and more worried about my
players and my brothers understanding that we're here for each
other and we're here for this culture.
Speaker 4: Gotta be here for the for the peeps, for the culture,
for the for the squad, for the boys, and for
cougarnation right buying into all facets of this football program.
So I think, LOOKSA was a Kilani recruit. That was
a Kilan recruit period. Okay, Siony played a role, Jay
may have played a role, but the major recruiter in
all this was Kalani. Kalani's like a nephew, like a
son for Kanto to Kanu, so he's doing it for
Kilate as well. Now, number four, what were your emotions
when Kelly Popinga got hired as the DC.
Speaker 3: I think we're all excited.
Speaker 7: I know from my standpoint, k Pop is a he's
an energetic demon right there.
Speaker 3: So he's always upbeat always. He loves this team.
Speaker 7: I think the last time he always says, the last
time we won a championship was when it was his
senior year. So with that in mind and him taking over,
we want that's our goal, our championship, getting back to
that uh in Texas, that game in Texas, and then
just finishing it this time.
Speaker 4: Got gotta finish what you started, Kelly Pinga and energize.
Speaker 3: You said energizing demon and energized demon.
Speaker 4: Correct, that's crazy, man says some good some good terminology there.
Capop brings the energy, no doubt about it, brings the fuego.
Are there any changes that you've seen thus far with
Kelly's defense that he's employing.
Speaker 7: Not too different, if I'm being honest. There's a little
changes here and there. Verbage is kind of different, But
a lot of it is just everyone owning their role
and then letting us play free, which I'm really excited about.
I think with the bodies that we have coming back
and the health and then adding the additions that we have,
a lot of it is everyone play your game, but
within the scheme.
Speaker 4: Do your one eleventh within the scheme. Baby, Not much
of a difference, he states, not much of a difference.
Last year you said that John Tell mc perry was
going to be a standout. Who has been standing out
to you this offseason from your group?
Speaker 7: VI Fetuli v is phenomenal. He's a freshman. This is
his first spring, but you saw a couple of games
of him last year he red shirted, but he's got
that natural instinct to play within the box, which is
it's hard to find. The box is a difficult place
to play, especially as a younger kid. So for him,
he put on a lot of good weight and he's
he's looking well.
Speaker 3: Who is ve Fitituli?
Speaker 4: You may ask who is VI and how did he
come to brig him?
Speaker 3: Okay, let's talk about him.
Speaker 4: Shout out to parents Ali Pat and Lauren Fittuli. He
enjoys playing golf and he enjoys playing video games. Stayway
from the video games. The six foot four two and
eighty five pound defensive tackle Recherd freshman at a Layer,
Hawaii Lajabra High School, a three star defensive end rated
number sixty seven overall player in California. Twenty twenty four
Epsilon League Defensive Player of the Year, three time first
team All League selection, recorded nine sacks, three interceptions, six touchdowns,
twenty four tackles for a loss, and over four hundred
dollars purpose yards. Twenty twenty two second team All League
honoree also played basketball and golf at.
Speaker 3: Lahabra High School.
Speaker 4: Of note two that twenty five basketball Defensive Player of
the Year at Lajavre okay I see you dog held
basketball team to a CIF Championship in twenty twenty four,
earned second team All league honors and basketball as at junior.
Was also recruited by cal Tech, Fresno State, San Diego State,
San Jose State, Idaho, cal Poly, sax State, and New
Mexico State.
Speaker 3: A nice offer sheet, so shout out to my guy.
Speaker 4: Committed back in June of twenty twenty four. So that's
a little bit about vi Fittuli. It was nice and
spelt in high school. By the way, looking good, my guy?
Is he the next John Tom Waypeyu Ronald the three
man weavery you buying, you're selling this?
Speaker 3: Tell me what you feel about Ulav Fittuli.
Speaker 6: Yeah, this is a guy that been Look, all guys
have to go put in the work, but he definitely
has to think all the intangibles. Has a skill set,
size and look, you know, sometimes you know you want
a player, ben coming to college and playing and starting
is really hard, you know, and coming and making a
media pack sometimes it takes a little bit of time.
It takes, you know, maybe a year into the program.
It takes until you get bigger, faster, stronger, Right, you're
always talking about that and you see the change. But
he definitely has the opportunity. So I'm I'm looking forward
to seeing if he can do that. And look, I
think that position an opportunity is going to be open
because you know, justin Kirkland last year, Ben was a
little bit dinged up. He's back, obviously saw him walking
off the field, you know. So I think it's gonna
be a great opportunity for anybody and everybody to make
an impact.
Speaker 1: And look what Kiana getting double team Ben? What did
that do?
Speaker 6: He said it last year Ben time and time after interviews.
If I'm getting double team, it just allows them, my boys,
That means I'm doing my job for them to make place.
So maybe he's a guy that can go and make plays.
Speaker 3: Gotta go make them plays, no doubt about it.
Speaker 4: Another guy in your group that balled out last year
and easy Purcelle, what can you say about him and
how he's grown?
Speaker 7: I mean it easy to look phenomenal Eve last year. I
mean we saw that sack that he had at Cincinnati.
That's just a tribute to his work effort. He's gotten thicker,
he's gotten bigger, and he's gotten stronger. That's one of
our I think our strongest power cleaner. So he's getting
up there with four plates plus and he's hitting the
basement with it when he catches. So him being able
to do that forcefully within his technique, it's phenomenal.
Speaker 3: I'm excited to play with excited to play with him. Look,
an E. C. He was great last year.
Speaker 4: Remember he wasn't even full strength because he had a
club on his club.
Speaker 3: He had the club.
Speaker 4: That's the that's the wrong kind of clubbing, all right,
so maybe that's the right.
Speaker 3: Kind of club.
Speaker 4: And excuse me, I hold up, hold on, yeah, that's
that right, that's the right kind of club. And shout
out to an Ec Purcell going into his Red Shirts
senior year six three three h five at A West Bountiful,
Utah via Southern Utah.
Speaker 3: Southern Utah has.
Speaker 4: UH has done BYU good over the last decade. You
can all the SUU transfers, all of them come in
and and played, I think for the most part, is
significant role along the offensive and defense.
Speaker 1: Just techy.
Speaker 3: Austin Leusa was also from Southern Utah.
Speaker 1: Okakay, yeah, I just want to make sure I had
that right.
Speaker 3: Let's yeah, yeah, Yeah, he was great. He's fantastic.
Speaker 4: So shout out to uh to an e c percell
number ninety four. Watch out for that young man getting
some love from Keanutanavasa. Last thing, when you transferred to
by You, you mentioned that the strengthen conditioning burn was a
big reason why. Now that you're in another offseason, what
has stood out to you.
Speaker 7: They are bought into the culture just as much as
the players, maybe if not more. We do everything as
a unit, so when we win, they win. When we lose,
they lose, and so they're just as hungry because they
lost that Big twelve championship just as much as we did.
But they are one hundred percent committed to what they work,
what they do, and what they believe in, which is amazing.
We have I have numbers where I've increased one hundred
pounds on my back squad within just a year from
last year's test testing to this year. So they are
phenomenal again, not just strength wise, but I mean I
was able to play fourteen games without an injury. That's
a tribute to them. That's a huge blessing. Obviously I've
learned how to work on my body, but with the
nutrition staff, with the strength staff, everyone works as a
collaborative unit, and it's just phenomenal when you get the result,
it matters.
Speaker 4: It matters right that these officers are elevating increasing He's
backsquad by overall hundred pounds.
Speaker 3: I love hearing that.
Speaker 4: Fantastic dudes coming out of the strengthening. Yeah, yeah, go ahead.
Speaker 6: I don't know which one I'm more excited to hear
Kenavasa continue to talk about his football career or when
he's he's speaking at general conference. I don't know which
one I'm going to be. I don't know which one
I'm more excited to be. Like, I'm not dismissed, sound terrible.
I'm like, should I just follow this man where he
goes because he's going to be a bit of future
bishop and state present. Like, you know, I don't know
which one I'm more excited, and we should put that out.
Do you like Keanu Tonavas as a football interview or
do you like him giving church?
Speaker 8: Hey?
Speaker 4: Hey, I like football first, and then he can be
the next gift by elder Elder Guildford elder sikahemah. He
can be the next guy up for that calling after
his NFL career is all said and done. He plays
in the league for ten years and balls out for Brigham.
Last thing actually from Kiata, what are you wanting to
accomplish in the next fifteen practices or so with this
new defense?
Speaker 7: The objective for me is to almost grow as much
as I can. I feel very secure in my technique,
so right now it's almost frog hair's length of growth.
So it's just those point one percent point two percent.
I've been playing college football for five years now, so
it's a super amazing blessing to be where I'm at.
But I want to close that gap to one hundred percent.
If I'm a ninety point two, I want to get
to ninety one point two, you know, just those little
increments of growth and then bringing on the new guys
and then buying in just as much as everyone else's.
So unity, this brotherhood is what's going to take us
all the way.
Speaker 4: Cultures everything, culture and putting in the work, digging in
day out, that's all part of it. Staying humble, staying hungry,
and buying in to the Kalani culture.
Speaker 3: So that's what you got to do this offseason.
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Let's get in to a couple of soundbites here. Ky
Kevin Young addressed the media earlier today and he was
asked a specific question about that final defense you stand
from BYU in the half of course, that where Rob
Wright looked like he wasn't gonna Yeah, I don't know
if he was gonna switch. He was not supposed to
switch on. Ronald, Why don't you break that down for
me real quick? What it was that you saw? And
then we're gonna listen to k why and as he
breaks down the film of that that final defensive effort
from BYU versus West Virginia.
Speaker 1: Yeah, to give you the breakdown.
Speaker 6: So the screeners coming screens on the left, a Lexi
coach is supposed to talk. They're in zone, and in zone,
you know, you rotate over. So Alexi's rotating and waiting
because if the screen does come and then the guy
goes over the you know, goes use the screen and
goes on it as it's on Rob's left, so his
right if he takes it, Alexi has to switch.
Speaker 1: What happened?
Speaker 6: And you do this all the time, and I even
do this in basketballs when you see that that guy
is coming and the guy's looking for it on the left.
You try to quick step him and cross him over
quick and go back and blow past them so you
can get the advantage if they're looking, because you know
it's coming now. I don't know what they were talking
and doing it. So Rob gets beat and naturally it
happens to a lot of people and the guy and
Connor Huff blows back left and he's driving to the
basket with this left and Rob is beating. Rob has
a chance to recover and steps, so he goes and
then he stops and doesn't and and Honter Huff goes down,
you know, into the basket.
Speaker 1: So a lot of debate was all, well, lexy, Keba doesn't.
Speaker 3: Keba doesn't really doesn't.
Speaker 6: Really contested shots, stays and drop coverage, which Keble was
doing all night. By the way, that just wasn't on
that play. I want to paint a picture for people.
Cable was staying and drop coverage around the whim a
rim because I think that's something he might struggle with Vennis.
He jumps, he leaves his feet. He was fouling a lot.
When you pump fake Keba, he goes off of his feet.
The Ba was terrible on Saturday's been with the pump fakes.
You were watching it, it seemed like everybody, every big
kept leaving their feet and then they get you up
in the air and then they get a foul. You
gotta stay disp And that's why I think Boop is
better because he doesn't do that. He forced you to shoot.
Just put a hand up, That's what I always say. Anyway, Keba,
you know, didn't come to contesta shot. You know, floater
happens all of that. There was debate should Alexi blitz
around the screen. That's really difficult. Ben If the screen
is coming to your side of you're preparing to switch it,
and a guy blitzes and goes the other way, that's
a lot that's tough for Alexi. Get over that and
do that. That means he's coming out of position. That
means either the person on the low block in the
corner has to rotate up to stop him, or Rob
has to you know, get back and press on the
defense for Keba has to step up. And that's that's
who it falls on. Between one of those three is
not necessarily on Alexi. That's that's breaking down that play.
Speaker 4: Okay, So let's listen into k why uh and see
what he had to say about that specific defensive play.
Speaker 8: I thought we gave him too many second chance points
down the stretch there.
Speaker 1: But you know, one on one defense was poor.
Speaker 8: You know, Cava guy driven right off the left elbow
on the one that was uh troublesome. And then uh,
you know the one where half by Rob like I'm
not sure what excuse me, I'm not sure what Rob
was doing. He was looking over at the bench, you know,
but like he just kind of had a brain fart
in that moment, honestly. So we just gotta gotta be
better one on one man bottom line. And then and
then you know, in that particular game, the rebounding obviously
killed this, which you know, on the whole throughout the
year has been more of a strength than a weakness
of ours. But you know, without Richie, that's something where
other guy's got to step up and help defensive rebound.
I thought we gave up too many second chance Okay, so.
Speaker 3: I'm a little confused.
Speaker 4: I mean, so this this, this was the media availability today,
So I'm gonna be a little bit more harsh, right,
Kboi said he didn't know what Rob was doing. I mean,
this is we're we're forty eight hours out, like we
haven't had that conversation at all, like what Rob was
or maybe he's just that doesn't want to throw him
under the bus about what he was doing and what
he was thinking where he was looking. He said, I
don't know if he's just looking towards the.
Speaker 6: Bench, that that's him trying to be accountable without being
harsh on him. That's gonna call them mount hun Perc.
I don't know where I was looking at, couldn't tell you.
Speaker 3: Yeah, but what wouldn't you know with him? For Ben?
Speaker 1: Ben?
Speaker 6: Yes, you would knowing what you're doing in the absolutely
they have the game plan.
Speaker 3: So like you know what I'm saying is do you
think k Y said that? Like what were you looking at?
Speaker 1: Like?
Speaker 3: Tell me walk me through?
Speaker 1: Probably behind closed doors, he's probably what are you looking at?
Tell me?
Speaker 6: I guarantee that's what the accountability game. Because Kevin doesn't
say these things. I feel like without doing his p's
and q's, he's not the type of guy. He's not
gonna tell us something that he hasn't talked about with
the staff. That not and he's a big tape guy.
You know how many times he played sound couldn't tell
you have to go back and look at the tape.
But what I did see that's who he is. So
I know he went back and looked at the tape
and that's his honest thing. I don't know what Rob
was looking at the bench for mm yep. So now
you can be harsh, Ben, because I'm with you.
Speaker 3: Mm hmm.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 3: I mean it's it's bad. It's bad. It's a joke.
It's a joke anyway, joke, there's a joke in.
Speaker 1: The first half. Who it was a joke. Look, Bennon,
can I say this right? Ben?
Speaker 6: You always tell me and Brett said in the first
half and he missed it. Go check it on the
podcast the former players, former coaches, and the Carter Bond
of the Field of sixty eight right the church Ball
Pod was saying, this is maybe the laziest defense I've
ever seen, pathetic, right, And there's a lot of people
that caught that clip when viral Tim Lacombe, Ben b
Yu assistant coach at Coach Jimmer says thirty four seconds,
you need one stop.
Speaker 1: This is bad that's coming from it.
Speaker 6: But that's coming from a coach, a guy that does
stuff with the with the jazz.
Speaker 1: Ben, it's bad. Like, look, I know people don't like it.
The sid has come from. You can say it if
I have former coaches that were employed by.
Speaker 6: The university that said it. If I have the current
coach saying I don't know what he was looking at,
and the and the tape says it to the tape
it is caught on four K, it's bad.
Speaker 1: It's bad.
Speaker 6: I'm a calm down on the mic, but Ben, it's
I don't know what to say about it at this
point of you just don't care, and I'm gonna say
it selfish, I'm gonna say it like having played sports,
been you played sports, Selfishness is not good in the
locker room, not on the team saying you don't care.
Speaker 1: You can't do that.
Speaker 6: And look, no one's perfect, right, you can't have a
perfect game. You probably never will, but to be that
way in the most crucial moment, So you have a
chance to win the game, Ben, and they should me
tie the game.
Speaker 1: Ben, you have a chance, you really do, and.
Speaker 6: They go and they seal it because of you in
a way, I like, you know what happens to me.
But when I look at tape and something happens, I
get angry if like I let my team down, like
it doesn't seem like that's like he goes Ben and
he's like, actually, forget it.
Speaker 1: He stops. What what the hell has that?
Speaker 3: Ben? You stop? Yeah? No, I'm not going for that,
No way, Jose.
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