Speaker 1: It's on ko v O probo k U d d
H D two one O three nine at ninety eight
three ESPN, so Fan. This is Cougar Sports with Ben Kretel,
and it's time for the Cougar Bet. Getting the dish
from the local reporters that cover Cougar athletics.
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point three ESPN The Fan. I've been critical broadcasting from
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Utilize that he just being coupon code. Let's get out
to the hotline. Welcome in the best golfer. Maybe out
of the media members we got Jay Drew on the
line of the Desertight News.
Speaker 3: Jay, how you living?
Speaker 4: I'm doing great? But you're way too kind on that
golf analogy or analysis to whatever you want to call it.
Speaker 2: Amongst those that cover BYU, aren't you the best?
Speaker 3: Though? Like that? Truly? Like cover BYU consistently? I mean
who who I mean? Maybe me? Maybe I could beat you?
You know, maybe me, like if I you know.
Speaker 4: Okay, now you're going too far.
Speaker 2: I mean, come on, I mean, I I mean I
can maybe give you a run for your money.
Speaker 3: I mean, I haven't golfed in a minute.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I guess i'd say among the guy. I don't
know that a lot of us golf. I don't think
Darnell golfs. I know, Kevin Reynolds and just.
Speaker 3: Take you take Gurney.
Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, I'm not really afraid of Gurney on the links. Now.
I'm afraid of Gurney elsewhere, but not not on the links.
So let's put it that way.
Speaker 2: Yeah, the golden, the golden Gurnwos was a sniper on
the basketball court I heard back in the day, so
you'd have to watch out for him from the perimeter.
But I think the only I mean, Ronald the three
man Weaver has improved. You know, he's been going to
the range a little bit more. He improved significantly. I
don't know if he's in your ballpark just yet. I mean,
Dick Harmon, he's not really covering the coups as consistently
as he once did.
Speaker 3: Right. Is he officially.
Speaker 4: Retired now he's not. He's semi retired. He still contributes
a couple columns a week or a newsletter for for
us at the Desert News. So I would say he's uh,
he's not officially retired. He's still contributing now and then
and doing a great job at it.
Speaker 3: Yep.
Speaker 2: Yes, indeed, Jay Drew. No, no, no, Ronnie's getting better though.
Ronni's getting better.
Speaker 3: And uh, but have you tried out the Premo golf
apparel yet? Jay? Have you have you tried the fine
Twin Lennon's of Primo.
Speaker 4: I have not purchased anything. I have looked at some
of their website or their website and different things, and
I'm contemplating a couple purchases. So yeah, I hear nothing
the great things about it. So I show up in
June at the BYU Golf Day hope hopefully they have
it at Cedar Hills in June. I should be squaring
some new Premo golf stuff.
Speaker 2: We'll get you hooked up, get you looking good, feeling
good golf and good. Not that you need it, Not
that you need it, Jay, Jay Springball camp Killate is here.
What have been the storylines that you've been watching that
you've been intrigued by?
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think the main ones and you know, caveat
I've been with BYU basketball and before that I was
on a cruise, so I have I have yet to
be at a spring practice. I plan on being there
tomorrow afternoon for the one that's open to the media.
But yeah, the storylines I think are pretty obvious. That
the receiver, in my opinion, is the biggest storyline. How
they're going to replace Parker Kingston and then which was
unexpected obviously, and then Chase Roberts, which was expected. So
I think that's a huge story. Uh how how good
can Kyler Casper kind of move in and fill a role?
And can these guys Jojo Phillips and Cody Hagen and
guys who have been in the program for a little
while now, can they reach their potential and play like
play like the coaches have said that that they should
be able to play. Kay Nakua is another guy I
guess you could throw in there, and I'm probably a
Reggie frishnak would be another. So that's a big storyline.
Another one, obviously is the defense and Kelly Papinga come
as a defensive coordinator replaced Jay Hill and what will
happen there. I think he fell into a really good
spot with the defense, there's very very few holes. There's
a couple of good players with Tanner Wall and others
that they're replacing. But I think that's a big storyline
is just how will this defense kind of keep on
picking with a new guy at the helm there with
Kelly Papinga, And then I'm really interested to kind of
see this offensive line. They've got some really nice talented
pieces back, but they are replacing Isaiah Jatta and Weather
and Lapoa Ho and Austin Leusa, I think are the
three main ones that they're replacing. So that's you know,
if you're basically they brought in some really great players
that looks like on that offensive line. So I guess
a big storyline would be how those guys mash and
which of those guys can be able to step in
and start right away.
Speaker 3: Love to break down, Jay Drew, who's your favorite right now?
Who are your.
Speaker 2: Favorites to really step up and make uh make their
mark in that wide receiver room.
Speaker 4: Yeah, that's a good question. You know, I'm I've been proposing.
You know that they still need to go out and
get more help there. I I know that the transfer
portal still you can still get guys out of the
transfer portal. You just can't have guys enter the portal.
But so maybe there's not a lot out there. I mean,
obviously Bay he coaches no more than me. But I'm skeptical.
Ban I'm gonna be honest. I don't know that there's
a guy on this received wide receiver on this roster
right now that that can be a wr one that
can be a go to guy. And you know, I
hope Jojo Phillips, so we've heard a lot about him
that he could step up. But but uh, I don't
really have a guy that I'm thinking is a can't
miss type of guy right now. Even Tyler Casper from Oregon.
You know, he was injured a lot of his three
years there at Oregon and didn't do much. Coaches are
high on him. Aaron I saw an interview with Aaron
Roderick the other day where he said that he was
he was capable and a good player, and they really
wanted him out of high school and didn't get him. So,
you know, I guess he might be the one, but I,
you know, color me right now a little bit skeptical
of the whole wide receiver room. I think it's a
big issue.
Speaker 3: It's definitely a question mark.
Speaker 2: The other question mark I have had is and we
haven't really talked a whole lot about this. We've been
focused more on the positions, the players, right the attrition there.
You had coaching attrition in the secondary, in fact, three coaches.
You had Jay Hill leave the Michigan, Gerald Gilford leave
the Michigan.
Speaker 3: Gavin Fowler leave the Weaver State.
Speaker 2: You only technically have one retained coach in that secondary,
and that was Wes Johnson, who just got elevated to
assistant cornerbacks coach. You have Damorial Warren safety's coach, passing
and coordinator, Lewis Walker cornerbacks coach, and then Danny Sorenson
now is helping coach up to the same. Uh, what's
your expectation for that safety and cornerback room considering there's
so many new coaches.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think if you didn't have talent there, you'd
have an issue or you didn't have experience there. But
you do with Paula Telsatuala at safety and and then
at corner you got you know, Evan Johnson, back schmev
And and Trey Alexander and others. I think Jonathan Kebeya
tell me process or others that are back. So I
think I think I think it'll be a pretty seamless
transition there, just because they've already got a lot of
experience and a lot of talent already there. And from
everything I've read, you know, Damario Warren and Louis Walker
outstanding coaches. I think they'll be fine. Uh. We should
also mention that Eddie Hecker, who was contributing a little
bit this past season, is has joined the staff at
Weaver State as well. Uh, and I'm excited to kind
of follow his career. I think he's going to be
a real good coach. He's obviously was a fantastic player.
So that's another one that that they're going to have
to kind of find or replace.
Speaker 2: Yes, indeed, it's going to be difficult, no doubt about it.
But you know it's crazy. Maybe the biggest win of
the U of the off season was the fact that
so many coaches left in the secondary, but none of
the players left with them.
Speaker 3: Would you agree with that?
Speaker 4: Absolutely huge? Oh yeah, absolutely huge. Player retainment was was
really telling. I think. I mean, I when I saw
Jay Hill going to Michigan, Oh, there goes three or
four guys, you know. Uh, And the fact that really
they lost the backup linebacker. His name escapes me right.
Speaker 2: Now, the one that went to Michigan.
Speaker 3: Oh oh yeah, Max Alford.
Speaker 4: Yeah, Max Alford, who wasn't you know until he got hurt.
He was contributing for the BYU defense last year, so
you know, he was a player that probably could have
helped him. But but yeah, not lose Keanutanovasa and Folatao
and Evan Johnson. They kept all these guys as really
really remarkable in this day and age, and I think
that speaks to the culture that Kilani has established. That
and also the fact that, you know, Kilani kind of
let Jay Hill take a lot of credit for the
defense and in the background, and what people have kind
of told me is that this is still Kilani's defense.
This is still He's still the mastermind behind this. And
I think that was proven out in a way with
all the guys that did stay and didn't follow Jay Hill.
Not a knock against j Hill by any stretch, but
but these guys staying says a lot about the culture
that Kilani has established there.
Speaker 5: Yeah, I think staying on the defensive side of things.
Last year, late in the season, you started to see
the defense get a lot more sacks, and I'm actually,
I actually think that the defensive line is a little
bit underrated going into this year. And and Kelly Papina
seems like a very aggressive play caller. Do you think
that Sachs becomes more of a focus for and more
of a staple for this BYU defense under Kelly Papinga.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think so. I think he's probably gonna be
a little more aggressive as a play caller. That was
kind of the reputation Jay Hill had and and sometimes
that came to fruition, other times it didn't. But yeah,
I agree with you. I think I think there. I
think they've got a lot of guys that Lucy uh
Lucy t I'll call him and to Salia Kana, there's
a lot of guys with a you know, a big
upside keeping body skewing over UH as well was big.
So yeah, I think the talent is certainly in place,
and I think I think they're gonna be a little
bit more disruptive than they were uh last year. And
I think they learned their lessons playing against Texas Tech,
where that's kind of the calling card. Texas Tech had
to beat by US that disruptive defense that created a
lot of chaos and havoc, and I think BYU needs
to turn the tables on a few teams to kind
of get in that same realm.
Speaker 3: J Drew deserat News, Jay, what do you be working on?
Speaker 2: You have any articles you're gonna be publishing here shortly
at the Desrat News.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm kind of been following the obviously the basketball team,
and I just got back from the trip to West
Virginia and Cincinnati with them. I've got a little feature
on the new guy or the guy that's kind of
the bright spot last couple of weeks, Alex Coke Costitch
coming out soon and then just you know, kind of
a piece preview in the Big twelve tournament that starts
next week.
Speaker 2: So how would you describe BYU basketball right now?
Speaker 4: Boy, that's a tough question, and it's uh, I don't
know if the word is depressed or there's certainly lackluster.
There's certainly some things going on. I've seen some media
members question the effort, and I watched the last two
games World Games, I was there. I still think the
effort's good. I think the buy in is still good.
The body language of the players. I do think that
the two key players are getting worn out. I think
that's what I'm talking about AJ and Rob Wright. I
you know, I guess they're obviously they know it. I'm
not saying anything new, but I still think the buy
in is there. I still think Kevin Young has this team,
has control of this team, He has their hearts and minds. Still,
let's face it, some guys just have not gotten better.
Some guys have just not lived up to their billing.
I'm not talking about any of the big three. I'm
talking about the others. I don't want to call anybody out,
but if you, if you ask me, why is by
U kind of gone into the telspin. It's just that
these other guys have just not improved and they've not
stepped up and filled the gap where we all knew
when Richie went down that other guys had to step up.
They couldn't rely even more on Rob and AJ, and
these other guys just haven't done it for whatever reason.
I don't know if it's lack of talent, I don't
know if it's lack of confidence, but I would just say,
if I were to describe the BYU team in one
world right now, I would just say non confident. They
just don't believe in themselves anymore for some reason.
Speaker 2: And that's something that Kay Wise stated. He's like, Hey,
what's the message that he's trying to disseminate to his
to his team. He's like, they're a good team, they're
good players, Like they just need confidence. So does this
team need to sit down and rather than watching tape
and being critical of their lack of efficiency, their lack
of execution, do they just watch like the highlights of
the season, like all the great games that they've.
Speaker 3: Won, great sports movies that inspire you. Yeah, all the
great like just all of the great games.
Speaker 2: And you know it's just all positivities, like look at
you guys, you're good enough, you're smart enough, and dog
on it.
Speaker 3: People like you.
Speaker 4: I think there's something to that. And by you spend
invests a lot of money in their athletic department, in
sports psychologists, and uh, you guys know that as well
as I do. And you know it's time for those
guys or gals to make their money. I know in football,
Braiden Brown, I don't think he does much with basketball.
But I may be wrong, but you know, I think
Braiden Brown is a guy like that can really instill
confidence and get people back to playing or or practicing
even as they were before. So, you know, I probably
should know who the sports psychologist is for the BYU
basketball team. I don't.
Speaker 3: I think it's great.
Speaker 4: It might be. I know, he's kind of stretched, really
stand across a lot of different sports teams. Maybe it
is him, But yeah, I think that. I think their
issues are as mental as they are physical right now,
and and it seems to me like those are issues
that can be fixed. And and job one right now
with the BA basketball team's defense, they just got to
play better defense there. You know, you just can't match
team's bucket for bucket. You can't just say hey, we
got aj he can he can score almost every night
I'm on the court. You just can't rely on that.
You got to stop people. And I think, obviously I'm
not saying anything new. Kevin Young knows that, and the
coaching staff knows that, and that's just that's got to
happen or they're going to have a you know, an
early exit next week in the Big Twelve tournament.
Speaker 5: I think there are some positives though to be gained
from from the game since Richie has gone down. I've
said I think that heading Boop and Alexei Kostitch are
Kevin Young's next development projects where he tries to turn
them into something because I've seen just a little bit
of a flashes of potential. Do you see the same
thing in those two? Is there are there any other
positives that you see coming out of what's been a
rough stretch for BYU.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I do, And I think those two have gotten
more more minutes and U and had plays ran for them,
especially alex Colostitch. I you know Kadeem h the other day,
he had a couple I think they were sagging off him,
giving him a three pointer and he wasn't able to convert.
I know he's made some of those in the past.
I think that's kind of the next step for him.
And I think frankly, that's what's holding uh Keebocata back
a little bit, is his inability to score outside of
six feet. Other teams know that, you know, almost and
when that lob play is taken away, then you don't
have much left. So so yeah, I agree, those two
guys seem like they're too that you can get a
little bit more out of and moving forward. And I
think Kevin knows that he put Kadeem in the starting
lineup the other day, and I think Alex at the
start of the second half in the West Virginia game
and place with Mihilo. So yeah, it seems as if
those two could be really big keys if by he
isn't going to turn this thing around.
Speaker 2: Jay Drew Desert Red News talking BYU Basketball.
Speaker 3: Do you think they get to win versus Texas Tech?
Speaker 4: Wow, that's a tough question.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I do.
Speaker 4: I you know, I do. I haven't. I think the
talent is there. I've said this a million times to
you guys and others. There's nothing like home court advantage
in college basketball. Mediocre teams somehow can rise up and
play well on their home floor. I thought back to
back these last two games at West Virginia and Cincinnati,
very mediocre teams that on their home court, spurred by
their home fans, can really find another gear and start
following their confidence growth and they're got spurred by the
home crowd and they take off. And I think YU
can do that again. So yeah, I think I think
they can beat Texas Tech on Saturday, and then I
really do.
Speaker 2: J Drew Deseret News. We appreciate you, Jay, Thanks for
hopping off for a cougar beet.
Speaker 4: My pleasure anytime.
Speaker 3: Thank you. Yeah, we always like having you on, Jay.
We like to have you on every week. It's the J.
Drew Segment, the J Drew Cougar Beat. Baby, I love it.
Speaker 4: Let's do it.
Speaker 2: Thanks Jay, appreciate you. With slute you follow Jay, follow
jy on x and read all of his content at
the Deseret News Desratnews dot com. That segment was brought
to you by Primo Golf. Premo Golf Apparel dot Com.
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Let's go to break, Let's get into a little Shioni
moa RB two conversation Ronald three Man.
Speaker 3: We was able to catch up with Kalani Setzak