Speaker 1: Ms lonely breaking down about to film on his beloved
Cougar football team.
Speaker 2: He's talking Cougar sports and he's doing it right here
on one O three nine.
Speaker 1: Yes, said till our t s straight the main.
Speaker 3: With William Feeling Broadcast.
Speaker 2: Ramar Step Matterwell dot Com, get on doing a thema
gets to it the best with the best at Vanderwell.
Speaker 3: Ronald three Man.
Speaker 2: We were in the studio and my guy Brett I
was bringing the hammer every time show.
Speaker 3: By my side.
Speaker 2: Jelly Rowl took home some Grammys. I believe band of
the Day. Build the vibe and we'll try We'll try
to find a SoundBite from jelly Roll.
Speaker 3: He gave some love to his.
Speaker 2: Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in his uh in his
acceptance speech.
Speaker 3: So shout out to Jelly Rollband of Today. Brought to
by Royal Army dot Com.
Speaker 2: B O Swager at a bod Fans fore Fans State
Royal to the Royal rep The Why the Right Way
purchase your BYU license Apparel Royal Army dot Com.
Speaker 3: We got a new puffer jacket that you're gonna love.
Speaker 2: It's the best in the business, the best piece of
U of fine twine linen that we've ever created, possibly
that Royal Blue Pops and uh the inner lining is phenomenal.
Check it out today at Royal Army dot com. Bau
swag cer to by Fans four fans. By the way,
we're gonna welcome in Kilane Satake in this segment, but
before we do want to get into the couple less
soundbites from ky in the media availability earlier today. Uh
b yu versus Oklahoma stake and your prep getting your
ready BYU basketball trying to find their groove, get back
into their groove. Let's get into a few of these
sound bites, just get a scattering report. What stands out
to you about Oklahoma State k Why.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean they're really fast, They get out and
transition better than anybody in our league. They're just you know,
I think Steve's teams, based on my couple you know,
now going on two years with him, it feels like
they're really they make the game hard on you. They're physical,
they get into you, they're denying some passes, they're crawling
into the ball.
Speaker 3: Excuse me an.
Speaker 4: Area where we you know, early on I think in
Big Twelve play that that was that like the Kansas
State game as an example, we had a bunch of
turnovers because I think it cut our guys off guard TCU.
Speaker 3: I thought we handled it better.
Speaker 4: So it's this physical nature of their defense and then
their ability to get out in transition. And they have
some high level shot makers. You know, they got some
guys that can really, you know, score the basketball really
from three, and so we got to do a good
job with, you know, just having our defense more intact
than it has been.
Speaker 2: Oklahoma State they can get buckets. So the defense is
what they've struggled with. You can out check out the analytics.
We had an Oklahoma insideer, Oklahoma State insider on the
show yesterday check it out on the podcast. A great
interview and he said, as Mutch, look this, this team
can score the best of them. They can get shots,
they have great scores. Defensively, they've struggled a little bit.
I think they're like eighty four or so in defensive
efficiency in the country. A couple of last things from
Khy before we welcome Kalini Chatake. Did you watch the
Kansas Texas Tech game the other night? Just wanted your
thoughts overall thoughts on that game.
Speaker 3: I did watch it. Christian Anderson's good.
Speaker 4: That was my thought. And you know, Kansas is I
think rhythm is also what I thought, you know, Darren's ability,
Darren Peterson's ability to make I did watch it. Christian
Anderson's good, that was my thought. Uh and and uh,
you know, Kansas is is. I think finding rhythm is
also what I thought. You know, Darren's ability, Darren Peterson's
ability to make, you know, shots under duress is as
impressive as any college player probably in recent memory. He
made those two huge threes, and he's a shot maker,
and there's no getting around that. I think, I think,
but Doom Goa's development, their staff deserves a ton of
credit because he's playing at an extremely high level. And
how they've brought Bryson Tiller along, I mean, he's he's
kind of I mean, we saw it firsthand obviously, but
they're they're catching a rhythm, you know, and that's part
of a season.
Speaker 3: You know.
Speaker 4: I think we did that last year.
Speaker 3: We caught a rhythm.
Speaker 4: I'm hopeful that our group this year can catch a
rhythm at the right time. But it also says, you know,
how good Texas Tech and to be uh, you know,
that close in that game, missing their best one of
their best players. I think they do a tremendous job
of roster composition. I think better than anyone honestly that
I've seen. They really know how to put teams together
that makes sense, that are coherent. You know, Watts to
plug Watson for Darian Williams and not miss a beat.
You know, that's really impressive and that and then you know,
again it speaks to the big twelve man like there's
there's just really good teams. But I think it also
speaks to, in terms of what I thought of that game,
just where we are in the hierarchy of our league.
You know, we are right there with everybody, but being
right there is not what we're trying to do. We're
trying to be the best, and we got to win
some of these close games that we've been dropping. So
it was a really good basketball game though.
Speaker 2: Yeah, look, it was a great game. It was an
exciting game. The finish was fantastic and the start right
the star Darren Peterson showed up and there's a reason
why he's gonna you know why many people feel that
he's the overall pick because of his scoring ability, Because
of his unique uh individual skills set.
Speaker 3: He's he's a good defender too. I was looking at some.
Speaker 2: Of the you know, some of the experts, like I
think there was twenty eight NBA scouts that were were
that that that opined voted, casted their their their votes
on who would be the first overall pick in this
this NBA draft, and twelve of them have said Darren Peterson.
Speaker 3: At them said aj De Bonsa. So you're gonna.
Speaker 2: See upside potential with AJ no ceiling on his ability,
and then you have more of the refined score, more
polished player in Darren Peterson right now, good length, good athleticism,
just an elite score.
Speaker 5: I think it's a little bit of a gamble with
Darren Peterson only because you don't know what his injury
issues are going to be like at the next level. Okay,
maybe these guys behind the scenes, maybe they already know, Hey,
he's not actually injured, he's just playing because.
Speaker 3: He's load managing.
Speaker 6: I hate to put that on a kid, I want
I don't want to assume any bad intentions. But that's
the thing that's so interesting to me is like with
AJ you're not first of all, you're not questioning personality
of like will he play, and you're also not questioning
any kind of injury history. Yeah, so that's why it's
so I would have, like, I'm good with it being
a close vote between AJ and Daron, but I would
expect majority of the votes to go AJ's way, just
because you don't have to guess what the injury situation
is going to be.
Speaker 2: Like yeah, well, uh, it's definitely. Uh, it's something to
keep an eye on with. I mean, we're gonna be
talking about this leading up to the NBA Draft, et cetera.
Let's talk some recruiting schalities signing day. After all, it's
February fourth, baby, and it's still football season. It's always
football season here at ESPN the Fan, especially with UH
with signing day at hand and also spring balls right
around the corner. What a tremendous season it was by
you going twelve and two, and it was, in my opinion,
I think you can make a strong argument it's the
top five season and BWAU football history, And you can
make an argument for even better than that if you
really take into account the strength of schedule and everything
that bo you accomplished this season. To talk about the
recruiting and the signing class. Let's welcome to the head
coach of the BA You Cougar football team. Uh, the
one the only Kilanie said, OK, what's up, Killanie?
Speaker 3: How that are you? Buddy?
Speaker 5: My man?
Speaker 7: How you doing it?
Speaker 3: I'm doing fantastic. Man. It's a great day to be
a Cougar.
Speaker 2: I don't know, man, There's been very few times in
BYU like athletics history that have been as like just
just successful. You look at the seventy nine to eighty
five era that's typically teamed as the glory days. You
look at the the late eighties early nineties with like
Ty Deptmer and Heisman Trophy winners and things of that nature.
I felt like five to two thousand level was a
great era with a lot of wins, dominance in the
rivalry for the most part, et cetera. And now we
have twenty twenty to twenty twenty five, and it's been awesome.
You know, eleven and one, ten and three, there was
a bit of a dip eight and five, five and seven,
but I remember that five and seven year you almost
knocked off two top ten teams, and then you go
eleven and two and twelve and two, we're in the
glory days again.
Speaker 7: Killt hey, I mean you're saying glory days where I'm
so upset about everything. You just mentioned the eight and
five and five and seven year and now I'm like,
but being a bad mood man, And so yeah, there's
some really good things happening. Obviously, what I'm supposed to
do is get us in a better position than twenty
twenty six. So trying to find ways to improve and
because there's there's some things that we did really good
in twenty twenty five, don't get me wrong, but man,
there's some missed opportunities and some things that we could
have accomplished. And so I want our guys to be
thankful for the seniors that have been through it and
have done some really good things. We've got to keep
building on it. But we've got to go through twenty
twenty six with a different mentality and just stay hungry.
You know, We're going to try to stay humble as well,
but the hunger to get better and to try to
find themselves in a different position that we did this
last year. I like the progress that we're making, but man,
nothing's easy, and you can't just You can't just assume
something's just going to fall in the place for you.
You got to go out and get it done.
Speaker 3: Klinie, you're the visionary.
Speaker 2: You oversee everything, the culture, what it is that b
YU football is going to be. I love the messaging
that you've brought forth. I see the messaging in the
sab of what these Cougar football players are supposed to
be once they arrive here. When you're talking with your
coaching staff, when you're giving them the vision of what
type of players they're supposed to be targeting, what is
it that you're telling them.
Speaker 7: Well, I think it's the funding young men that can
fit perfectly with the mission of our the team, the
mission of our university, and the mission of our church,
which is all aligned. And so if we can find
young men that that this is just more than football,
if it's just only football, it's the wrong place. You know,
this is a difficult place to be because it because
it matters more. And so when you when you look
at what we're able to accomplish with the platform that
we have, and that we're not just talking about the
football field, if we're going off the field and looking
to the influence that we have in the community with
especially young people serving others and helping others. I just
want to coach guys that want to do that and
naturally do that on their own and enjoy doing that.
So this is not an easy job to play football
at b y U, but it's something that can give
you a lot of joy. And the joy comes for
sharing it, but also from knowing the the role that
you're in that it can help others and really make
someone you know, can really help someone's life and change
someone's life. And then then you start realizing, man, I
kind of like the person that I am when I'm
helping others, and especially at time right now, especially in
college football, where everything's about me. This is a place
that we're going to talk about us and we and
doesn't fit everybody, but man, people are starting to seek
us out. People are starting to contact us, whether they're
members of this church or not. They can see that
they can become closer to God and then play for
something way bigger than just themselves.
Speaker 2: The recruiting for BYU is interesting, right. You got missionaries
that leave upon signing, you have missionaries returning. You balance
that out with individuals that are coming in and trying
to make an impact immediately as freshmen, and you also
have your transfer portal signings that are most likely coming
in to make an immediate impact, right, So let's take
out the transporportal sentis here for a moment and looking
at the December centies.
Speaker 3: How many of these true freshmen?
Speaker 2: What percentage of the true freshmen do you feel and
you don't have to name names and things of that
nature can come in and make an immediate impact at
b YU typically, well.
Speaker 7: I think all of them can make an immediate impact.
And that's just with trying to find a role competing.
The competition itself is going to make our team better,
you know, rather than just have guys assume roles, assume
starting spots, to have freshmen. I think the biggest key
to that, though, Ben, is these freshmen are enrolling at midyear.
So all the freshmen that we signed, there's there's really
two categories. There's there's one group that's going straight on
their missions and we're returning two years. And then there's
another group that all started here, all but one one
will still begin with us in June. The rest of
them have are already enrolled and already been in a
month in the training. So the fact that they get
that time between now and August to train to learn
understand the playbook. Even Bet didn't get to do that,
he came in general. So the fact that we have
that many many young guys doing the mid year thing
and being here the entire time, I think he's going
to benefit in so many different ways where it fits.
I have no idea, but the capability and the talent
is there. It's is going to be fun to see
these guys compete and that you know, I only know
one way. We play the best. So if guys are
going to make the right sacrifice, isn't going to compete.
I only know one way, and that's put the best
guys out there that earned it.
Speaker 2: Sometimes the artisan crafting, you know, the clay, they're only
as good as the clay. You were once upon a
time of player at b YU, you coached against BYU.
You're coaching at BYU right now. How would you compare
and contrast maybe the talent that is currently on the
roster city prior eras in BWAU football history.
Speaker 7: Yeah, the talent and the development and this is it
has to be enhanced and it has to be better.
I know we all want to say that we had
all the best players when we were younger. Are playing
dage me you Ben, We're gonna, you know, fight for
our team. But this is this is a different time
that we've never seen before, playing in a powerful conference, uh,
playing in difficult schedules and different difficult environments, and then
competing even in recruiting with everybody. So uh, I think
we're in a really good spot. I don't know if
I can. There's always gonna be uh players that that
that are high level. We've always had that this b
r U, so you're always gonna have that. But I
think overall is a unit. Talent doesn't really matter unless
you can get a culture and you can get everybody
buying into the same thing. So uh if what I
like about this group is that they're they're talented and
they have a lot of skill, but man, they're they're
all bought into what BYU is all about. And that's
that's gonna be the key for everything that that and
and then there's really the intrigue and the interest. I mean,
we have more non members that that are not of
the church that are reaching out to us because of
our competitive advantages, which is high academics and the on
a code, and so what people thought that those were
always kind of a throwe in our side, is now
an actual competitive advantage that it's actually cool now to
be disciplined, to live a good life, to be disciplined
with your training, and to live what we know is
a word of wisdom. It's actually wise fall for young
people and athletes to do that now. So it's fun
that we're kind of in the trend. We just keep
it going that way and then just focus on our
actual advantages and then highlight them and then try to
find ways to become as best as we can, but
then also don't be entitled and try to find ways
to keep working hard, be humble.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's something that stands out to me about your
messaging to not only your team, to Kugarnation and to
anybody that is interested or could be interested it in
BYU Athletics. In the post game of the Pop Tarts Bawl,
you're asked some questions and you automatically reverted to your
gratitude of being surrounded by Disciples of Christ, individuals that
embody christ like attributes and leaders because you learn as
much from them as they maybe are learning from you.
Why why did that come to mind when you were
asked these questions about your team.
Speaker 7: Well, I mean I sat there up there on the
platform looking down at all these young men, and a
lot of them are probably they're not going to get
the spotlight that they deserve, and and and you know,
I'm up there as a head coach, eating a pop
tart and getting questions to me, and I just wanted
them to know that this football life that we have
is important. But man, they're already headed in a great
direction because of their faith and mostly because I learned
so much from all of them individually. And I know, Ben,
you won't won't want me to say this everybody, but
I learned a lot from coaching you back at the
at East Arizona. You know that one thing I learned
a lot of that I know about this job is that, man,
I'm a much better person now because I meet amazing people.
And and uh, I'm glad that that, you know, I've
been able to just connect with the young people and
that they have all become my friends. It's just weird
now I'm just older than everybody but me and you
were that far off in age. Back in the day
when I was I was not far off from playing
and and I've been playing basketball against all you guys
and everything. But man, even that that that that moment
sature that I got to coach you for a year.
I learned from so many of our teammates that made
from you and from everybody. I mean, we had well
Clayton Senior whose sons in the NBA playing for us,
and we have Sean Nua and you, and I mean,
we have some amazing people. It'd be foolish if I
don't take advantage of the connection that I have with
everybody in my home career and now being here at
BUYU and finishing ten years, I can't help but look
back and go, man, I'm such a better person now.
And man, thank I just thank God for putting me
in this position to learn, because I think my family
are the ones that benefit the most from it.
Speaker 2: Well, love and appreciate your Kalate, congratulations on the on
the signing of all these great young men. And hopefully
you know you want to see him, you know, be
Cougar's for for four or five years, right, and be
Cougar's for life.
Speaker 3: There's the Transfer portal.
Speaker 2: Right, that that that gives and it taketh away, you know,
with playing time. But I know you and body the
once cougar, always a cougar, despite that, that mantra, despite
the attrition that sometimes we experience. It's less at b YU,
but sometimes you do experience that, but great additions as well.
Speaker 3: Well.
Speaker 7: I think that's the way to go through life. I mean,
we had some guys that went into port the portal.
A lot of them just want to be on the field.
They want to play, they want to contribute more to
the team. It doesn't take anything away from them as people,
and it doesn't take anything away from what they were
able to contribute and what they're able to do here
in our program and our family. So that's why he
wants a Cougar, always a cougar. I mean, that's just
how it works. And it's fun to watch them. I mean,
it was fun to see kill and Marion playing in
the biggest stage of the National Championship Game. And and
I know he left us, but man, he's still our brother.
That's still our guy, And it's a great way to
live life. Just just wanting the best for everyone. And
I'm looking forward to everything that's happening this year in football,
and looking forward to the connections even with our rivals.
I mean, when people get to know Morgan Scalty and
they get to see who he's, what he's about, and
who he is as a person, that was going to
really appreciate the fact that he gets to be the
head coach at our rival school. There's so many great
things in life that everyone's so negative, man, that there's
some really cool things. Look at Jake Letslop. I had
a conversation with him not long ago, and he's talk
about the experience that he had here, how awesome it was.
We want him to succeed. We want him to do well,
you know, and because he contributed to us, and and
I learned a lot from him, and just like I
learned from all his teammates, so uh great way to
live life and to be positive. When it's all said
and done, we're just thankful for everyone that that's contributed,
that has worked here, even the coaches that have moved on.
We won't only want what's best for them, and and
you know that that that connection goes on for life.
It's just not something that that we see is transactionally
that you're either with us or against us. You've always
been with us and we can appreciate that.
Speaker 2: Much love to you and your family, Coloni, congratulations on everything, Congratulations.
Speaker 3: On the extension.
Speaker 2: Looking forward to you becoming the Polynesian Lavelle Edwards as
you promised us over a decade ago.
Speaker 7: I love you, brother, appreciate it.
Speaker 2: Man, much love to you, My guy appreciates you. Have
a great rest of your day. Kaloni Satake, head coach
b Yu Cougar Football. That was a little Shining Day
special interview. It's a robust group. Okay, we got a
great h I think a bevy of talent from the
transfer portal. Jake Clifton, linebacker from Kansas State. Hockey fenw
from Washington that day.
Speaker 3: That's a dude right there. That's a dude, right you guys.
Speaker 2: I've been making I've been receiving all manner of ridicule
for my evaluation of Pockey Fen because I posted a
picture of his tricep and I was like, you don't
see offensive linemen with defined triceps, And you know what,
I'm willing to take the criticism because I think this
dude's different. I really do I think he's a different beast.
I'm excited about him. Great transfer their Kyler Casper wide receiver,
Organ Walker Lions USC tight end, Roger Sally Apaga organ
tight end, Junior Sea offensive line, Utah State, kado Ulauave
cal all acc linebacker coming in, Japon Williams coming from
the SEC to t b Au cornerback. And then Zach
yamau Ucci from Stanford. Really nice acquisitions there. And then
the December Sine East, kahwey Akana, sephani A Latini, Justice Braithwaite,
Adam Bywater, Devon Eka Legend, glasger Ty Getchi, Brock, Harris,
Antonio Johnson, Neamia Colone, Braxton, Lindsay Graham, Livingston, Writer, Lyons,
Matthew Mason, Lapetti, Muala Bot Mulitalo, Parker Ord, Jaron Pula,
Ken and Pula, Terrence serry On and then Jack Stenner.
That is a talented class. Pretty gosh dang stacked. We'll
learn more about these guys throughout the show, but one
of the true freshmen coming in that is a midyear
is already turning heads. Many of us have wondered, why
didn't we go get an RB two in the portal.
You may have a freshman in devon Ica who could
become RB two at b YU into tenty twenty six.
Speaker 3: We'll discuss more on the flip. But don't go anywhere.
Speaker 2: Cougarnation plenty to get to on a beautiful Wednesday, February
fourth edition of Cougar Sports. That segment brought to you
by Royal Army dot Com BYU swag created by fans
for fans.
Speaker 3: Stay loyal to the Royal. Rep the WY the Right Way.
Speaker 2: Purchase your BYU license apparel at Royal Army dot Com.
Utilize the ESPN coupon code to get ten percent off
your order. Just peruse the digital aisles you know for
for a gift for yourself or a friend or a
family member.
Speaker 3: Rep the WY the Right Way. Stay loyal to the Royal.
Speaker 2: Check out all the Royal Army branded gear Royal Army
dot com.
Speaker 3: Today, let's go to break.
Speaker 2: Please don't go anywhere more to get to on a
beautiful Wednesday edition of Cougar Sports.
Speaker 3: Here one of three nine ninety eight point three is