Speaker 1: It's time to celebrate the friggus team sport known to
man where modern day gladiators collide for all the chloe
on the Gridire, Let's talk some college football on Cougar
Sports with Ben Fred.
Speaker 2: Welcome back in your Sports one of three nine ninety
eight point three es being the fan. I'm Edgrital broadcasting
from R. Baderwell Studios Bandawell dot com. Get on that
free Q and A no obligation to do a vast
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and he unstop. A little college football segment, Gonna get
into all the news and notes coming out of the
college football world, maybe even talk some cougars in the pros,
like Fred Warner being activated off the injured reserve. That
are you kidding me? It's great that dude man that
he is an alien, he is not human. He will
be activated off injured reserve ahead of the Saturday's game
in Seattle for the Divisional round, per head coach Kyle Shanahan.
Pretty ridiculous, pretty crazy. Fred Warner suffered what seemingly was
a season ending injury earlier in the year and now
he's back. I was watching highlights of him run around
of practice last night. But you gotta be Kidney, who
is this man? We used to see that from like Taysom,
He'd get injured season and he injured somehow get back
and be bigger, batter, and better than ever. What a
tremendous feed for Fredworder. But we're gonna delve into all
the news and notes coming out of Brigham as well
as the college football Well it's gonna be brought to
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Welcome in Odeon Men's Wear CEO. We got Bring Day
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Speaker 3: How you doing? Hey, I just gotta make one. I
don't know if I understood you correctly, but I want
to make sure everybody knows that we don't check your
status if you're active or not before you walk in
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Speaker 2: Even though what I said is if you are still
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Speaker 2: Want Everyone's welcome, All visitors.
Speaker 3: Welcome, one hundred percent love it.
Speaker 2: Hey, h Bradon what's caught your eye? During the college
football transfer portal season? As we get the into the
lead up of the College Football National Championship Game.
Speaker 3: I would say, what's caught my eye? It is just that,
I mean, we've retained everybody. What an awesome feat for
I think we talked about this a little bit last week.
But with everything, you know, losing j Hill and Gennaro,
Like I was really worried about general. Obviously when we
lost J Hill, I thought, like, you know, a lot
of the guys are probably gonna say we might lose
a couple, but Gennaro was the one coach that I
was super worried to lose, Like I was. I was
to the point where I was. I think I even
said on the show, like if we have to make
him DC to keep him, like that might be worth it,
just because he's so crucial to keeping guys here and
he's been you know, that's just a hard position with
the double minorities to recruit and the fact that he left.
And still we didn't lose any of our main contributors
in that position. Obviously lost tab On Beasley, but like
not our number one and two that I was nervous about,
Like that's huge. And then you know this week we
started pulling people out of the portal and Katu however,
he say, the last thing is somebody I'm really pumped about.
Speaker 2: So it's a great day to be a Cougar, There's
no doubt about it. Is there an acquisition that you're
most excited about? Is it the the hawsers up front?
The three guys And by the way, Pockey Finale is
one of the most ripped offensive lineman I've ever seen.
If you can see the definition of the tricep of
an offensive lineman. Uh, that dude's stacked. That dude's not
the soft, supple offensive lineman of the past, that dude's
that dude's yoked.
Speaker 3: So Tjon Caromo two point zero is what we're saying this.
Speaker 2: Maybe I'm telling you T John is one of the
very few that had that try shep that definition. Pocky
Fenale's got it too.
Speaker 3: Yeah, No, I'm I'm super excited about that. I really think, like, yes,
we're gonna we're gonna notice and talk about the guys
on the edges and you know some of the recruits
that are giving me more of the skill positions. But
obviously as a former offensive lineman and as something that
I really think that was what did us in this year,
like not saying that offensive line wasn't wasn't incredible, Like
I thought they were great, but they weren't elite, and
we needed elite to play against Texas Tech and win.
And I think you know, that was a place they
clearly recognize the coaching staff did that we need to
go and try and build that even stronger because that
was where I feel like that one spot if we
would have had that offensive line totally locked down against Tech,
I think it would have been a totally different game
on the offensive side of the coin.
Speaker 2: So, uh, what give me your eval as a fan,
as a Cougar sports insider, de Mario Warren the defensive
back coach, quarterbacks coach, and the passing game coordinator.
Speaker 3: I'm excited about it. You know, he's got he's got
a lot of experience, but he's also has a ton
of experience in the area. I think, honestly like it
makes a ton of sense in terms of getting a
minorities here. He's familiar, familiar enough with the church with
you know, him coaching the SUU for so long, even boys,
he you know, has got some of that aspect there,
but he's still a double minority, can still bring in
a lot of those guys.
Speaker 2: I know.
Speaker 3: He on his Sports Nation interview, he said that Gennaro
is his best friend in the coaching world, and so
I think, I think it's a really great fit. I
think he's, you know, the best thing we could ask
for in that spot. And I think it's going to
be a really big thing. And I think he's gonna
bring in some recruiting ties that are you know, we
we haven't had. We might lose a couple that we
that we had with Gennaro, but I think we're gonna
get some some other guys, and I think we're hopefully
we don't have a big drop off there.
Speaker 2: I don't think you will, would your you know, what
do you want from the safeties coach? Or let me
let me ask you this. I've been debating with with
certain individuals about this. Do you want to Mario to
coach your corners or your safeties? If you could bring
in like a another guy to coach corners, like I
had put out my list of cornerbacks coaches that have
some connectivity to b YU DeVante Cross. He was a
former Virginia cornerback GA at New Mexico. Current Utah Tech
cornerbacks coach Brian Mitchell currently at n C State. Former
BYU and NFL cornerback and cornerbacks coach at b y
U Dwayne Walker. Maybe there's Charles Mack at Utah State,
Preston Hadley, Rob Daniel, Eddie Hecker, Mike David. If you
could bring back someone to coach corners and to Mario
coaches safeties, would that be a route that you'd be
interested in pursuing. Or even Brandon Bradley, You know, Brandon
Bradley was another guy on my list.
Speaker 3: I mean, I love those guys. I think if you're
getting a coach just as good or better than Warren
and you can that, it makes most sense to move
them over. I think you go with that, But I
don't think you. I think you go after whoever the
best coach you can get. I think enough of the
guys on the staff can move around that. I think.
I mean, even to Mario said in his interview with
with Sports Station that originally it sounded like he was
going to possibly gonna come when Gennara was still here
and he was going to be safeties coach. So obviously
that's an option, but I think it depends on who
you bring in. I don't want to go not that
I love some of those guys that you mentioned, but
they're not proven. I think we're in a we're in
an era now with with the resources that we can
go and get a guy who's proven and then let
those other guys still kind of grow up through those
those ranks. Guys like you know, Eddie Heckert, who's gonna
be an assistant out there at Michigan. Let him keep
growing up through that route. I don't know that I
want him to be the corners coach this year. And
let's go get somebody who is qualified ready to go
right this second. And if you have to move tomorrow
for that, I think that's totally great. But I don't
know that you have to if you played a safeties coach, Grady,
you find a linebacker's coach and let and let k
Pop go to safeties, like I think he could do
any of those.
Speaker 2: Okay, So okay, let's say tomorrow's the quarterbacks goes passing
a coordinator. What about Gavin Fawler? You know, I know
he's at Weeper State. Would you go and get him?
Tanner Jacobson, would you go get him? He's a former
defensive back and safety and was coaching up at Tyler
Junior College. You have a couple options there that especially Gavin.
I mean, he knows the defense quite well and is
essentially an internal hire if you get him back to b.
Speaker 3: YU, I would say Gavin was one that I obviously
there was a ton of smoke behind it, and the
fact that he hadn't been announced by Weber yet. That
was what I thought was gonna happen. I think we
even talked about last week, and I was good with
that because it was the internal It was somebody who's
super familiar with the system, had been coaching with Jay
in that position, so I would be good with that.
I think Tanner Jacobson also brings a totally different type
of experience. I think you do that, but I think
it's better for Tanner to go and you know, kind
his teeth in another spot, one more level up, and
then it's better for Bau long term for some of
these guys to keep growing in their spheres outside and
then come back when it's time and they're ready.
Speaker 4: At that spot.
Speaker 3: But I wouldn't be mad with either one of those
guys if that was what it came down to.
Speaker 2: Brain Day CEO vote on Men's where braidon? What deals
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Speaker 2: So Transfer Portal I went through the numbers, the acquisitions
and the attritions, if you will, year over year since
about twenty twenty two. We currently sit at seven incoming
transfers and there are twelve on the out How many
do you think BYU acquires this offseason? Last year was
thirteen and you lost twenty seven. It looks like it's trending.
And look, there's going to be springball too, so you
could see some some other players that enter in after
spring ball and we can add to the list. But uh,
what do you make of it? What do you what
number do you think it's going to be both attrition
and acquisition?
Speaker 3: Yeah, attrition wise, I think there could be some guys
that after spring, you know, if they kind of see
the writing on the wall and move. I don't know
if I could, if there's a number I can think
up off my head. I think in terms of acquisitions,
we're at seven. Now, I think they're definitely gonna try
and get another two corners, at least, probably a running back,
a couple of other positions. If there's other opportunities, I
would guess we end up around end of twelve acquisitions
by the end of it, and then maybe two or
three more guys hit the portal after spring.
Speaker 2: What's your priority right now? Is it a QB two,
is it a CB three? Is it an RB two? Uh?
Where do you have your eyeset as far as positional
transfer portal?
Speaker 3: Uh?
Speaker 2: You know, just your your your your your your, your wants,
your need if you will. If you were director of
player personnel at DYU, I.
Speaker 3: Would say cornerback, corner back, So see me corner just
because I feel like I feel like that's the spot
that the top two with from Evin and Trey are there,
but everybody else is just not proven yet. Like I
think that they're good, they're gonna be fine, but just
not proven. So I think those are the two spots.
Running backs another one. But I am a bigger believer
in MOA than I think the average fan is. But
I still think you want to have depth there because
hasn't proven to be super I think this last year's
injury was flu super fluky. But but I would say
corner is the first position I'm nervous spout, and then
running back next.
Speaker 2: It's uh, it's interesting, right, Like BYU hasn't taken any
poral running backs over the last couple of seasons, But
in the early I want to say, late two thousands
and even early, you know, twenty twenties, it always seemed
like there we were picking up running backs. What gives?
What's going on?
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think it's interesting. I think it's I don't
know what it is. I would say it's probably that
the coaches believe more in.
Speaker 2: The room.
Speaker 3: We than maybe the fans do. I think they think
that they've got that. I also think there's a chance
that LJ. I mean, it would be really hard to
get a guy right now. Back when we were getting
those guys out of the portal, there was nobody in
the room or the guys weren't proven in the room.
So it's easy to come in and say, hey, you come,
come to the team and prove yourself and you're gonna
be the starter. That's a lot harder when you have
LJ coming back. Even though it's the last two years.
So I think anybody coming is going to come in
to be a depth piece, and if they're looking at that,
they're saying, well, we've got depth pieces we need, you know,
RB one A. And I don't think there's very many
portal backs that are looking out there trying to come
in and compete with LJ.
Speaker 2: Yeah, just said, you know the twenty twenty three career,
you got Dion Smith, Aiden Robbins that were added in
twenty twenty two. I want to say, I'm trying to
think of who you picked up in twenty twenty two,
but it was twenty two EnEx Nowahine Houston, Hamily, Chris Brooks.
Speaker 3: Yeah, Chris books him and then the year before that
was a Supa And why can I think of the
other guy that?
Speaker 2: Oh?
Speaker 3: Yeah? But yeah. So I do think it's mostly that
those years there was more availability, and so people saw
it out of the portal as like a hey, let's
come in and compete immediately, where having a competians LJ
isn't most I wouldn't saying most gause. A lot of
the guys in the portal are going in for playing
time and then to come and try and compete with
with l J would just I don't know if that suits.
What their what their goals are.
Speaker 2: You got Devon Aka coming in from Lee High. I
don't know if you've got an eyes on Devon Aka
and whether or not he would be the guy, a
dude that you'd you'd buy into to be an RB
two RB three obviously, Shiny Moa and Jovesta de Mooney
they're gonna be the mixed Preston Rex as well. What
about the s UU running back? It's not too far
away hop skipping to jump away. He's got great straight
line speed and he was one of the most productive
running backs in college football this year, albeit at the
FCS level. I think he topped out at like twenty
three point seven miles per hours as fast as speed.
Joshua Die He's originally from Everett, Washington, runs a four
to three nine and tallied one eight hundred and thirty
one yards last season. And what was it? Uh? I
mean he rushed for a lot of touchdowns as well.
What do you make of that?
Speaker 3: Yeah, I would definitely, I would love to have him
come in. I think he's a he's a back that's
a different skill set than l Jencione, A little more
on the I think he's obviously way more proven than Jobasa,
but they run similar. They're more of that you know,
quick quick back. So I would love to get Die in.
And the fact that he hasn't signed anywhere yet, I
think to a sign that maybe we're at least trying there.
But I haven't seen much, you know, smoke. I saw
it a lot run as it came out, but I
haven't seen anything recently. But I think it would be
It would be awesome to get die We'll.
Speaker 2: See how it plays out. Once again, remind Cougar fans
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Speaker 2: There you go. That is Odeon Men'swear CEO Brydon Day.
Appreciate him hopping on. Let's get a little keeping up
with the Cougars coming up next, Let's get Brian Keele's
comments on the new hire at BYU, the defensive coordinator's
former teammate Kelly Peping. I get his thoughts as commentary
on on how he he likes this this particular higher
and what is in store for BYU Cougar football with
k Pop at the helm of the defense. This is
Cougar Sports. On one of three nine ninety three eight.
Speaker 1: Tweet ESPN Sports Center updates.
Speaker 5: Starting off in the rafters, BYU announced that on Valentine's Day,
February fourteenth, against Colorado, they will be retiring the number
thirty two to honor the career of Jim er Ferdett. Jimmer,
of the twenty eleven Naysmith Player of the Year, will
be the fifth Cougar with his number retire, joining the
likes of Roland Minson, Kresmirchosich, Mel Hutchins and Danny Ayne
Fordett still hold the record for most points in a
single season with one thousand and sixty eight in an
average of twenty nine point eight points per game. On
the actual court, the Kubes were able to slide by
TCU and what was a slow start for by down
six at halftime, AJ Debonsa turned his game up to
an eleven took the horn Frog to town. Although he
was feeling under the weather, finished with twenty five points
and six rebounds of what many on social media are
calling his flu game. Those twenty five points is a
new conference play high for AJ, topping the twenty four
he scored against Kansas State. The final score from that
game was seventy six to seventy. Elsewhere around college basketball,
number ten Vanderbilt felt the Texas yesterday, leaving room for
BYU to slide back to the top ten with a
win on Saturday.
Speaker 2: Going over to the NBA, Yegor.
Speaker 5: Joeman continues to launch from deep, and he continues.
Speaker 2: To make them.
Speaker 5: He added another five to three pointers tonight, totaling seventeen
points in the NETS loss to the Pelicans.
Speaker 2: Jegor are hitting those multiple threes.
Speaker 5: He has now tied the NETS rookie record for most
consecutive games with multiple three pointers. He also set a
rookie record for most games with four plus three pointers
by a net. I'm Cameron Clark and this has been
your ESPN The Fan Truger Sports Center Update brought to
you by Royal Army Brand dot Com. With Royal Army Brand,
you can look good, feel good, feel good, play good.
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Speaker 1: This is Cougar Sports with Ben grittele on ESPN at
its time for Keeping up with the Cougars. Brought you
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Speaker 2: Cocome Bank, Cougar Sports one of three nine ninety eighty
point three s Men the Fan. I've been brutal broadcasting
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Google reviews. Who won't be disappointed? All right, let's get
out to the hotline. Welcome in former BYU great one
of the best athletes to come through Brigham and I
was looking up the stats here. He's ranked fifty fifth
all time in total tackles with two hundred and five
and he may be the fastest linebacker to come through Brigham.
Let's welcome in Brian Keel, my former teammate. Be How
the heck are you man?
Speaker 4: Doing well?
Speaker 2: Brother?
Speaker 4: Thank you?
Speaker 2: Hey? What's what's keeping the Keel zone busy these days?
Speaker 4: Give us an update, same same stuff, just the new year.
Kids are getting older, Winter sports and in full effect
basically keeps us busy every evening. So other than that,
just enjoying the maybe the pinnafle of BYU sports, maybe
maybe the best year in YU sports. We'll see.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean you were part of a great era
for basketball and football combined football. You can make an
argument during that era, the four year stretch from like
you know, your five year five two thousand and five,
two thousand and nine, that's one of the winningest ares
in bya football here history. You're part of that. The
best era, you know, for many was the eighties, late seventies,
early eighties with a national championship and you had you
had Danny Ainge and and great kid in the and
the crew leading them to an elite eight, so that
that that combo was pretty special. Do you think this era,
the Kilani era UH in the last you know, four
or five years, is UH is rival rivalrying the UH
the era that you played in and maybe even surpassing
UH the the best era of college athletics history at UYU.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think UH this is gonna be a golden age.
And yeah, the eighties were absolutely amazing. Obviously it's hard
to beat a national championship, but I'm also you know,
I'm a realist, and I understand that the schedule that
they played in that year wasn't that tough. And uh,
you know that's that's the way the b YU won
it's national championship. Is is a method that I'm totally against.
You know, they were they were chosen. They won all
their games, nobody else won all their games, and then
they were chosen, right and and I'm against that.
Speaker 6: That's the same that's the.
Speaker 4: Same methodology that kept do I U out of the
playoffs this year. They were not chosen even though even
though they had earned it. So, you know what, what
is my my point? My point is, like I think
right now, the the talent that is both on.
Speaker 6: The team and then on the on the opposing teams, the.
Speaker 4: The strength of schedule, the difficulty of the schedule. I
just I just think it's it's unparalleled, both both not
just football but basketball too. Yeah, which this is going
to be the Golden age, That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 2: The golden era of b y U athletics. And what
what has has created this golden era? Would you say,
like if you were to we always talked about pie
chart accountability on the show. You know what where do
you who do you dole out like the credibility to
the the you know, the merit to in this process
to what and who?
Speaker 4: So well, before I answer that, I'll answer that, but
well back to what you said. You know, like when
you and I played in not five year stretch, you know,
when we were there and maybe the next couple of
years after we were there, Yes, that is that was
a great air too, But this is still the same thing.
We didn't play against the competition that these guys are
playing against now, and and so it's just it's not
it's apples oranges comparison, and so it's just it's really
hard to compare eras. So go back to the to
the question that you just said. Honestly, I think it
is the decision makers being willing to locate the resources
be that time for dollar bills to go match up
with the talent and the dedication and the passion that
the Bous always had. And I think that's the difference
the last couple of years in football and basketball that
has that has boosted them up. It's I think it's
a combination of the passion that's always been there and
now all of a sudden which has not always been there,
a willingness to allocate resources that's never been done before.
And when when moost teams get together, great things happen.
So how you that's what we're seeing.
Speaker 2: Resources matter. There's no doubt I think in the in
times past when we've maybe heaped criticism, you can look
at the resource critique. We've also discussed on these airways before,
like how buy us changing culturally from an honor code standpoint, right,
how they're approaching that, how they're uh maybe approaching recruiting
obviously stuff to find the right fits, et cetera. Being
in a P four uh P four conference helps the
the additional revenue money coming from TV and then that
being obviously allocated. As you mentioned, uh Kalani's culture I
think deserves some credit here too, and how it attracts
and retains talent.
Speaker 4: Yeah, and and and before somebody out there that's listening
or who's not listening or anybody as well, they just
they just spent money. That's not obviously they have, but
that's not all that it takes. And and you don't
have to look any further than like say Lsu, who
was was mediocre at best this season and spent all
sorts of money. And and they're not the only one. Michigan,
you know, Texas was was decent but not great, and
they spent a ton of money. They were right right
there at the top. And the list goes on and on,
and so it's not just spending money, it's both. It's
culture like you just mentioned, and the money and the resources,
the passion, all that stuff, it all goes together. And
uh and so yeah, that's that's what they have there
in Provo. And that's why we're seeing what we're seeing
in the two flagship sports of football and basketball and
all the other sports have always been great. They've always dominated,
and it warms my heart to see it. They win,
they win offers championships like it's nobody's business, and they
win national championships and it's awesome and and and that's
part of why I love BYU because it's just a
place of excellence everywhere you look, not just sports, not
just the main sports, but all the sports, and not
just the athletic department, the whole the whole university is
just a culture of excellence. And I just absolutely love it.
Speaker 2: As b why former b YU great Brian Keel here
on your Utai ESBN radio network, getting a little keeping
up with the Cougars and getting his thoughts on BAYU football.
Uh who is Kelly papinga Brian Keel And Uh what
was your reaction when he became the defensive coordinator for
b YU.
Speaker 4: I mean, to me, he's just a great friend and teammate.
Couldn't be couldn't be more excited for Kelly and opportunities
for him personally, and then also for program and and
just everything that it means. And it's just, uh, it's
just cool to to see somebody that that you you bled,
sweat and cried with on the battlefield twenty years ago
to rise to this level.
Speaker 6: I mean, it's just so cool.
Speaker 4: One of one of the greatest times of my life
was a two month period that I was training after
after the senior right after our senior season in California,
and I lived with Kelly and we were training and
it was just it was one of the greatest times
of my life because it was just it was so
fun to to have no other focus other than football,
improving our bodies, and and then all the hope that was,
you know, the hope, just the hope of what was
hopefully to come for in the next couple of months.
And it was just such a fun time. I absolutely
loved it. And I have always loved Kelly, but that
was that was just a fun time. And and it
has been really really cool to see him progressed throughout
his career, and I'm just excited for this opportunity.
Speaker 2: Yeah, Kate Pop's got his opportunity and I think he's
gonna seize it. He's got a lot of mentors in
his life after the Bronco was a mentor of ours
as well. He's going to take components of maybe the
Bronco era what he learned at Virginia. He's got Gary Anderson, J.
Hill touch points. Now it'll be probably a combination of
of those coordinators. I'm sure there's other touch points as
well that he's he's mentioned, and he's going to put
his own flair to it. What type of defense do
you think we'll see with k Pop at the helm
of that defense?
Speaker 4: Yeah, that's a great question. And while you were saying that,
it actually just made me think of something biggybacking off
of what I just mentioned. You know, Kelly and I
we went to this facility and we trained for two
months and it was it was revolutionary for me. I
I the whole time I was in Provo, I was
trying to gain and really couldn't do it.
Speaker 6: And then we go to this place.
Speaker 4: We're there for two months and I gained twelve pounds
and my body fat went down. I mean just was
and and really the difference was the science. Obviously, you know,
you're you're working out twice a day, so that that
was different. But then beyond that was the science, the
nutrition and the science. And anyway back out of the
times your question, So you know Kelly and I were
there for two months, and what did Kelly do? Kelly
recorded the workouts and at that at that point in time,
Kelly's plan, outside of trying to play football, was to
go into the support science sports exercise science, YEP, and
either be a strength coach or a trainer or something
in that in that realm. This was before he had
decided to go into quoting. Obviously he went he went
to the Cardinals and he was there for a year
and and that, but this before any of that, and
Kelly took notes of the workouts, understood the workouts and
when we got done training, we came home and and
and still needed to train for for pro DA and
and for the upcoming season. And Kelly had all the workouts,
he had everything diagrammed. What's my point here, Kelly is
the type of guy that is gonna he's gonna extract
all the usefulness from his surroundings. So going back to
what you said, Yeah, we were all mentored by Bronco
and and some people are able to extract what Bronco
has to offer. And Kelly is the type of guy
who absolutely did that. And and then and then you
you know, you go to his time at Boise and
he's the type to extract to useful information from Boise uh,
and then the last couple of years with Jay Hill,
who is a phenomenal coach obviously, and I have the
highest esteem for I think Kelly has extracted all of
the information from him, and so I just that's why
I have such my expectations that hope for Kelly, because
that's who he is as a person, and he has
that work ethic as well, and when you combine those
things and then there's just high levels of possibility.
Speaker 2: One of the things that we've debated amongst fans amongst
maybe even former players, is you know what type of
front will be why you be employing it? And I'm
sure it'll be multiple, but uh, this last year, I
was I was kind of I was trying to, you know,
kind of look at the percentages and and I this
is a rough count, but I got it confirmed by
a few people there in the building. It was roughly, uh,
seventy thirty front with a stand up outside edge similar
to what we played, but not always the weak side edge.
You'd have a strong side edge stand up uh, you know,
kind of like a Noo Sea time with baby Jack
Kelly off that strong side edge.
Speaker 3: Uh.
Speaker 2: They they ran a lot of nickel too. They ran
some like three three five in that out of that
thirty front. A lot of us, you know, we've always
want to, Hey, we want to get in that forty front,
and Bay fans want that, and and it's what Kyle's
done and Jay did and Gary did it at Utah.
I don't know if that's the future of Vau's defense
or for it's more of this hybrid with a majority
of it being you know, seventy sixty percent of it
being more of a thirty front with a stand up
outside edge two point guy, give me your thoughts on
this and what you would like to see.
Speaker 4: Honestly, I think that that stuff's important, but I think
what's most important is crafting your scheme to to the
personnel that you have. And I think there's a lot
of really clever and really X and O sound football
coaches out there that are just stuck on their scheme
or whatever it might be when they don't have the
personnel to run it. And and so you know, I
personally I like a four four down front, but like
you know, in order to in order to run that,
you need you need the personnel. And so so that
that's what's going to come into play. They can recruit
who they can bring in and what type of guys
they have, and I imagine that, you know, Kelly will
adapt this scheme to to the guys. And I think
that's the reason why we've seen that the last couple
of years, and that's what I expect going forward is
is uh, you adapt, You adapt to your X and o's,
to the Williams and the Joe's that you have on
the roster.
Speaker 2: Do you think we're gonna get to a point where
and I've made these these comments before. It's like, typically
with the four down front, like you need you need
some dogs, you need some dudes up there, like you know,
watch that Texas Tech defense A front, but they have
they have two deep there too, So you have to
have at least four dudes at defensive tackle that can
win one on ones and be twitchy. You need four
dudes at the defensive end spot that are at that
two fifty two sixty range that have great ability and
great band or even just ridiculous length, et cetera, and
twitch It's like, are we going to be able to
find that as a you know, four round guys? Is
that the most the most likely year in, a year out?
Or is it what we've seen over the last thirty
forty years BYU has been more LBU than it's been
any other position, quarterback, offensive line, running back, you know,
it's it's tight end. We've had more LBUS. We produce
more linebackers than we do any other position.
Speaker 4: In my opinion, yeah, I agree with that, and I
think that has been our history, but I don't necessarily
think that's our future. Like meaning it's a given that
that that will say the same and like to the
point that you were just making. I think if you
look nationally, the two best defensive fronts in my opinion
are Texas Tech and Miami and absolutely just traumatized quarterbacks
with the with the pressure, with the pressure that they bring.
And it's a that's a that's a that's a William
Joe thing. That's just that's just dudes. That's not scheme,
that's not you.
Speaker 6: Know, there's some of that that goes into it, but
it's just those guys.
Speaker 4: Those guys are just dogs, Like like you just mentioned
the guys that those two two teams have. And I
think now that going back to what we said with
the willingness to allocate resources, I think I think those
that type of dog is in play. And it's still, yeah,
it's got to be a cultural fit and it's got
to be an honor code fit and all that stuff,
but I think that's in play. I think it's it's
available and put be on the horizon. I don't I
don't know if it's you know, I'm not predict predicting
or yeah, or you know, but I think that's in play.
And I think that that's the proven in in terms
of disrupting the quarterback. I think that's that's the best
way to do it. But again, you got to have
those dogs, and not everybody has them.
Speaker 2: The transfer portal giveth and it taketh away by us
required seven guys, right, seven dudes. Three of them are
offensive lineman. You did pick up a linebacker that could
replace Jack Kelly and Kado Lave and all the least.
You see player that Vic so Oda, one of our
teammates coached up and he's a you know, Vick is
a fantastic coach. Okaate's gonna come into ball out. Jake
Clifton linebacker, Kansas State wide receiver Kyle Casper and Uh
Walker Lions, uh tight end at a USC You know this, Rossie,
you watch a lot of football, Keel. You know if
you were to say, hey, there's a couple of positions
or a couple of acquisitions in a position group that
you'd like to see, what are they and why?
Speaker 6: Yeah? So, well, let's just go back to our season.
Speaker 4: Obviously we lost to one team. Okay, we we lost
to to Texas Tech twice. Why did we lose those games?
I think we were competitive enough to win Defensively, I
think offensively we couldn't move the ball, couldn't couldn't generate
the points competitively enough to win those games.
Speaker 2: Ye, why why.
Speaker 4: Could we not? Why could we? Why could we score
points on everybody else but not on Texas Tech. I
think it was a matchup issue. I think it's part
of the problem. I think part of it was having
a young freshman quarterback who had a phenomenal year, of
record setting year, just an extraordinary year, but still as
a freshman and and you know, still a little nervous
and you know, not not experience, not a seasoned veteran
to to to go against the defense that suffocating. But
then the other issue is and and we've talked about this,
it's it's it's somebody who can create separation at will
and stretch the field. And this is this is an
issue that by Us always had. If you go back
to our senior year, you know we we are our
big competition was TCU and Utah and and it was
tough against those defenses with with athletic secondary for our
receivers to create separation and and score the points that
we scored on everybody else. And and when I want
us play Texas Tech twice, that's what I that's what
my mind went back to, is from the receiver quarterbacks
back there, there's nowhere to go with the ball. There's
just where are you gonna go with the ball? And
you watch it from the wide angle, there's just nowhere
to go with the ball. And it's it's we need
we need more guys that can create separation and that
that's the one thing I think that we'll really take
our team to the next level in my humble opinion.
Speaker 2: So separation in the wide receiver room. Separation can occur
from like a tight end, right Walker Lions come from
usc possibly Carson Ryan had a pretty good year, you
know it. But but running backs too can create separation.
I mean, Harvey and Curtis, we're really good at their
one on ones. Right, is to kind of get break
down a little bit more of this separation. Uh, And
where it comes from? Is it primarily thinking your your
wide receiver room?
Speaker 6: Yeah, well, I think in terms of that's not the
only place where separation comes from.
Speaker 4: But in terms of what I think our team is
currently missing and has historically missed, it is that position.
It's a guy, it's a it's a it's just a
top end receiver who can stretch the field and and
and stress the defense. And you know, that's that's something
that we really haven't ever had at least consistency, consistently,
and today, you know, the game of football is all
about that player that's that wide receiver once that that
that stresses the defense. So the decoordinator is at night
late seeking how can I stop this guy. If I
don't account for this guy, it's going to burn us.
Speaker 6: And and it just changes the game.
Speaker 4: When you have that guy. You know, that guy doesn't
even need to get the ball. He doesn't even need
to have eight for one and ten and a touchdown
he took to change the game. It's just the threat
of that guy. And that opens everything up.
Speaker 6: But it opens it.
Speaker 4: Creates separation for the other receivers, and it opens up
the running game so that the running game's not jet
so so jammed up. And if you go back to
those those two Texas Tech losses, part of our issue
was we could not run the ball. We ran the
ball great on everybody else. If we do not run
the ball against those guys, and it it you know,
stimy off the rest of our offense. And so they
go hand in hand, and I think for us to
really get to the next level, which is what's what's
what's the next level, it's getting in the playoff and
winning playoff games. That's the next level. And in order
to do that, I think that's what we need.
Speaker 2: Brian Kiel former b Y. You great talking some BYU
football here on your Utah ESPN Radio network. Last thing
before we let you go, Keel Zone, appreciate you hopping
on talking some ball with me today and excited to
see you know what, b why you not only retain
most of their most of their roster, all their key players,
but they also retain their offensive coordinator, all their offensive coaches.
They lost j Hill and General. Those were two big losses,
there's no doubt. But much of everything that makes BYU
great over the last five years is retained. And so
I think it leans into your golden era initial commentary.
It's like, man, that's special, right that that we're trending
in that direction and that all this retention is happening
while all the new resources are coming in. And so
next season, do you think b YU can be better?
Do you think they will be better than they were
this year?
Speaker 4: Honestly, I do I think they will take a step
forward to en be better. I think I think with
everything that you just mentioned, it just it gives me
confidence that, honestly that I really don't know that I've
had before. You know, it's it's always just kind of
like a wait and hope for the next season. But
I think we're at a point now where it's this
expectations and if you look at the premiere programs in
the country, which is where we want to get. I mean,
it's it is year after.
Speaker 6: Year, it's just a given that they're going to be complete.
Speaker 4: On the biggest stage. And and I think that's I mean,
we're not there yet obviously, but that's where I think
we're capable of.
Speaker 6: Getting where I want to get, where I think all
the decision makers.
Speaker 4: Down there want to get. And so that that's what
it is. It's this year and in year out. It's
it's expecting the most and then doing what it takes
to then go deliver it. So yeah, I do I
expect us to be to pick up right where we
left off and take a big step forward. And the
biggest piece of that is that young stresman quarterback who
is phenomenal is now going to be a second year
quarterback and have a year of live bullets under his belt,
and I think he's just going to be that much better.
And that's that's why I'm excited and so optimistic.
Speaker 2: Actually, I have one the last question for as debating
with John about this recently, is weight gain for a
quarterback good or not good for their throwing strength? We
talked Bachmeyer. You know, he's a hefty dude. He's a
hefty dude, right, He's got he's got some girth to him.
He was listed I think at two twenty and then
it was moved to like two thirty. Man he looked
like he was he was rumbling around at like two
forty this season. Should he drop weight, gain weight, keep
his weight the same? What do you think and what
type of impact does it have on throw and arm strength?
Speaker 4: I think whatever weight he was at he should try
to hold. And if I were this is just me,
if I was him, I think he should maybe try
to lean up at that weight, and that is more
for elusiveness and wiggle than anything else.
Speaker 2: Yep.
Speaker 4: In terms of in terms of throwing the ball, I
don't think weight. I don't It doesn't matter It's just
that's torque and leverage and mechanics, and that's I don't
think that's going.
Speaker 6: To factor in, uh in throwing the ball, because I.
Speaker 4: Mean there's there's hefty quarterbacks, there's skinny quarterbacks. I mean,
I've I've seen some of the skinniest quarterbacks absolutely have
rifles for arms. And I played with one, Sam Bradford
was a was you know, the look the look at
the guy was a wet noodle, but he had an
absolute cannon on his shoulder, and you know, and then
and then there's the other end of the spectrum too,
So I don't think that matters. But elusiveness, I think, uh,
if you lean that up and develop that, I mean,
how how old is Barry's eighteen? Is he nineteen something
like that? I mean, yeah, he's just you're not your
explosiveness is not it's not maxed out at that age,
like you know, that's he's still got several years of
of explosive increase and you know, trich muscle fiber and
and so that's the stuff Like if I was him,
that's what I would focus on. And and it's going
by it's for elusiveness, for a capability be the best quarterbacks,
the best quarterbacks in today's football. They control it and
they them get away m hm. And that that takes,
that takes us capability.
Speaker 2: So keell Zone, best way to support you what you do,
how you do it for all of our listeners.
Speaker 6: Just support by you.
Speaker 4: That's all I care about.
Speaker 2: It's all you care about. No, you're an entrepreneur. What
businesses you running these days? Keel Zone.
Speaker 4: Yeah, gokoogs, gokugs, that's what that's what matters.
Speaker 2: I love it, appreciate you man, support Brigham Baby, support
uh Brigham Young University. There you have it.
Speaker 4: Kill Zone, Thanks so much, buddy, Amen, ye, thank you sir.
Speaker 2: All right, there you go. That's Brian keel That second
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