Speaker 1: This is something special for you.
Speaker 2: It's time for Cougar Sports one part of Utah's ESPN
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Speaker 3: Welcome in Sport one three nine ninety point pre ESPN
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Speaker 4: We appreciate it when you do so.
Speaker 3: Without further ado, why don't we fired up the ESPN
the Fans starting lineup and I can introduce you to
my co host and the rest of the star set
of cast joining us for this beautiful Wednesday, February fourth
edition of Cougar Sports.
Speaker 4: He's sick, but.
Speaker 3: He showed up to work because we didn't have any
backup production.
Speaker 4: We feel for him.
Speaker 3: He's he's pushing through it. He's got some day quill.
He's been hydrating like crazy. Let's welcome in Ronald the
three Man Weaver to the show. Ronnie UK Buddy Hey.
Speaker 1: Doing his best.
Speaker 5: I can the fever was one on three. It's a
little down like over one on one. But man, I
tried to avoid it been but sometimes you just can't.
Speaker 3: Hey man, well, let much love always showing up, showing out, persevering,
appreciate your Ronnie. Let's also welcome in Hammertime show brand.
Always bring the hampers up Hambertime. Look, I'm not a
conspiracy theorist. I'm not a conspiracy theorists. I know I
come up with lots of conspiracy theories. I'm not a
conspiracy theorists. I will just say this.
Speaker 6: I will just say, Ronald three Man Weaver is a
lover of sneakers, Is he not?
Speaker 4: Yes?
Speaker 7: He is.
Speaker 6: He is Ronald Weaver. Three Man Weaver is from the
city of Chicago, Is he not? He is Ronald three
Man Weaver. Right now, we are all listening to the
song that Michael Jordan walked out to, are we not? Indeed,
is Michael Jordan not the most famous flu game of
all time?
Speaker 4: Is he not?
Speaker 1: He is?
Speaker 4: All right?
Speaker 1: Well, all I'm saying is this is.
Speaker 6: The ron the three man Weaver flu game today out
here on e ESP and the fan. We wish you
didn't have to be, but you know what, We're lucky
that we still get to have him because it's gonna
be an incredible performance.
Speaker 1: I don't know what'll be bigger in the city of Chicago.
Speaker 6: Ron's performance today or Jordan's performance in the playoffs. I
don't know, but the circumstances they seem to be similar.
Speaker 4: The flu the flu show it.
Speaker 3: Hey, well, you let me know if you if you're
feel a little down and in the dumps side and
you know you need to take it. Just rest, like,
sit down, just be sipping on your your your your drinks,
your electrolytes, et cetera, taking a little bit of the
medicine and you can just chill and relax.
Speaker 4: We'll take it from here.
Speaker 3: Appreciate you, Ronnie, Appreciate Brett always bringing the hammer. Shout
out to Vic Cram on the data aggression as well
as the the newsletter, uh and check out the rest
of our ESB and the fans starting lineup. We're gonna
get into some ky commentary Kevin Young discussing the b
y U Oklahoma state matchup, so we'll get to that,
getting into the the news and notes here in the
Naty Gritty. Also, we're gonna welcome to Kilane Chatake head
coach O the bo your Cougar football team at five
to discuss the recruiting class.
Speaker 4: Sign sealed, delivered. It's a signing day.
Speaker 3: B YU Football has a great class and they welcome
some return missionaries as well. We'll discuss that at two
forty five. At three forty five we get into some
maybe some some cougar bytes. Some people like Ken Palm.
Other peoples don't like Kenpom. I love Ken Palm. Shout
out to Ken Palm. Roay'ma I like the metrics. Look,
I take the metrics for what they are, and many
times they determine. They're a great indicator of who who
a basketball or football team is. It's not the end
all be all. We know that you must have a
little bit of both.
Speaker 4: In this life.
Speaker 3: You know, the intangibles and the tangibles, the metrics and
the feel of the game. Right, Like, we constantly criticize
certain coaches for leaning into metrics on fourth and short
or third and short right, or kicking a field go
or going for it on the four five yard line. Right,
you're going to criticize them because they're leaning into the data,
or maybe they don't lead into the data and they
mess it up. There's always critiques. There's always criticisms. You
got to own what your decisions are. And some people
just don't like Ken Palm right now, so moing delvi
into that I trust them.
Speaker 4: Though I trust Ken Palm.
Speaker 3: I think it's a great baseline indicator of who a
basketball team is. We'll discuss that a little. Keeping up
with the Cougar segment. At four or five, Brandon Dowman
will join us former BAU quarterback. What are the few
the proud quarterbacks that since two thousand that has played
in the National Football League? Is the quarterback factory still
alive and well at Brigham and what will it be
in the future. Darnell Dixon for a Cougar bed at
four thirty the Daily Heralding and himself, and then David Hunsicker,
the voice of the Oklahoma State Cowboys, getting your prep,
getting you're ready for that BYU Oklahoma State basketball game.
Speaker 4: And guess what Ken Palm is bringing.
Speaker 3: Up the Caboose at five thirty so college Basketball, Cougar
Sports at five thirty so cast a jamback show. Let's
get into it without further ado. That's your starting lineup,
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into some sound sale. B. Why you're getting prep getting
ready for that Oklahoma State matchup? K? Why when you
think about your first half struggles, have you considered any
lineup changes to jump start this Cougar basketball team.
Speaker 9: Yeah.
Speaker 10: I think everything's on the table as far as considerations,
So you know, we've we've analyzed it quite a bit.
Like I said, everything's on the table. You know, gut
Field not going to make a lineup change. But yes,
in terms of analyzing it to that degree, yes, we've
analyzed it to that degree.
Speaker 3: We have analyzed. Everything's up for discussion. But where would
you go. You're not deep enough really to do anything.
Kyle Collinsworth, I don't know if you heard this.
Speaker 4: We had him on the show.
Speaker 3: He said, there's someone that hasn't gotten ANYPT or a
very limited PT this year that is going to take
a step into a larger role. I said, anitie. I'm like,
what was it, Alexi Costick? He said, nah, not him.
Ronald whispers in my ear and says it's Dominique Dia Monday.
Tom and I had asked the question. This was about
a month ago. I you know, Dominique said something to
the extent on Instagram like you know, it's all in
God's time. It's God's timing. Do you remember when he Okay,
he put it out there, it's like God's timing. And
I said, I quoted it, I screenshot and I put
on Twitter. I said, look, is it Dominique Diamonday time.
Because at that time we knew there was some gaps here.
There's some gaps maybe defensively in length. There were some
gaps when with some three and D. Remember last year
Mowat mag stole the job from cannon catchings and became
a three and D expert.
Speaker 4: The expertise of three and D.
Speaker 3: It was beautiful, it was grand, it was wonderful, it
was it was fantastic, was beautiful.
Speaker 4: And we don't have that right now.
Speaker 3: We lost Dawson Baker, we locked lost Nate Pickens, we
have injuries. Brody Koslowski the high low hasn't been a
bucket pitch. We haven't got what we need from him consistently.
Hadem Boop has awkward mechanics and he's developing. He's a
great defender and a good rebounder, pretty pretty good basketball player.
But he's just not a He's not a well rounded
player yet offensively, Uh Canard Davis Junior has been ups
and down, ups and down, ups and down. Tyler Moruss
has been inconsistent and untrustworthy. You are thin, you are thin,
and golf we say thin to win. I don't know
if this team can be thin and win.
Speaker 6: I don't think so. I mean, I I've said this.
I feel like the plan with this team right now is, Hey,
somebody's got to go for forty tonight for us to win.
Cause again, like you look at this box score night
after night after night and you say.
Speaker 1: Okay, cool, who's scoring off the bench?
Speaker 11: Uh?
Speaker 6: Well, hadem Bo hit a three against Kansas, so that
was cool? Yeah, and then nobody else scored off the bench.
Speaker 4: And I'm with you.
Speaker 6: I got into a debate with fans over the weekend
because I was like, last year's team was deeper than this,
And I actually think I don't know if last year's
team was better than this, but I certainly think there's
an argument because obviously last year, you weren't as top
heavy as you are this year, but you were certainly
ten times deeper than you are this year. And I
mean we were having these conversations where like I mean,
Kevin Young basically had like the Batman tool belt, where
he he had all of the options.
Speaker 1: It was just a matter of like what did each
game dictate.
Speaker 6: Well, now you're in a situation where like you got
three things on the tool belt and the rest of
it's empty. Now those three tools are the battering, the
grappling hook, and one other thing.
Speaker 1: That's great, but there's.
Speaker 6: Nothing else left on that tool belt for you to
pull from. And to your point, like, it's gotta be something.
I know, Kyle Collinsworth yesterday said it's hard to guard
all three of those guys when we get to march,
and I agree, But you don't have to guard all
three of them. You just have to take one of
them away. Because even in these games, even in the Kansas,
the Texas Tech or the Arizona, like two of the
guys have still gotten close to twenty points. It's been
one other guy who's kind of been held back, and
then everybody else on the roster who just hasn't been
able to show up.
Speaker 1: My hope is tonight because you're playing Oklahoma State.
Speaker 6: In Oklahoma State, I believe is eleventh in terms of
opponent a three point defense. Basically, I'm hoping tonight is
the night where Oklahoma State is just so spread out
that whether it's Alexi Canard or hopefully Dominique, Because honestly,
I think I've said this three or four times that
where it's.
Speaker 1: Like, Okay, hopefully it's Alexi your Canard.
Speaker 6: I've said that enough times now that like if they
want to show up, awesome, I'm with you, Like, maybe
it is Dominique Delmande time, because we just could.
Speaker 4: It be exactly that? And that's the question. Who else
could it be?
Speaker 1: Who else?
Speaker 4: Who else?
Speaker 6: Maybe Hedem just has a magic three point shot that
we got a glimpse of.
Speaker 1: I don't know, but I don't know who else it is.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm not sure either.
Speaker 3: But everything's on the table, And you wonder when he
says everything's on the table is like an acquisition also
on the table.
Speaker 6: Harry coming out of his he was gonna say, kJ
Perry giving up all of a sudden play, I mean,
what else, like because here's the deal, Like you get
one year of AJ you get this is this is
the one year. This is the last dance, right, we
all watched the documentary This is the last dance, And
I look, I don't know that kJ Perry moves the needle.
Speaker 1: I don't.
Speaker 7: I was.
Speaker 1: I wish that he could. I don't think that he does.
Speaker 6: But if he moves the needle, like again, this is
last dance, this is the only time you get a
g This is the only time time for the next
several years where you're gonna have somebody competing for the
spot of number one player in the country. To me,
at that point, you take everything you can off the
shelf and you throw it at this thing.
Speaker 3: So Kyle collins Worth told us yesterday on ESPN event
that there's someone that has played very little that will
begin to play much more here shortly. So it sounded
like he didn't say he didn't say has not played
at all. Did he say that. I don't think he
said it has not played at all. But maybe you know,
like verbiage and the lexicon is up for interpretation, it
could be kJ Perry that had someone that has not
played very much or at all is going to be
playing for BYU here shortly, so kJ Perry, is it
Dominic Diamande?
Speaker 4: Is it Alexi Coostick? Is it Tyler Morass? Who is it?
Speaker 3: It seems like is is it a Mari Bailey?
Speaker 6: Apparently everyone on the Oh my gosh, that guy is
getting everyone unfortunately.
Speaker 4: Yes, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3: Like former UCLA stand up and Mauri Bailey said he's
attempted to become the first basketball player to return to
college basketball after playing in the NBA Games.
Speaker 4: Bailey has hired an.
Speaker 3: Agent and lawyer to prepare to fight for NCAA eligibility
with hopes to join.
Speaker 4: A college team and play one more season.
Speaker 3: Tom Hughes, a troller, tweeted out earlier today that breaking
former UCLA and Charlotte Hornet's guard to Maury Bailey has
signed with b Yu. Bailey is seeking a temporary restraining
order that would rule him immediately eligible to turn to
college basketball. This is a troll job. I don't think
this is true. It can't be true anyway, It's not true.
But he is trying to come back. He is trying
to come. Heming to He's just not coming to Brigham.
So but those are your options right now. Those are
the four that you're looking at and saying, Okay, who
is the most likely to step up?
Speaker 4: Who's your guy?
Speaker 3: And I would love this, like what is it that
you need? Like from a skill set standpoint, what is
it that you need?
Speaker 4: And who fills that role?
Speaker 6: I just, honestly, I know this is as simple as
the answer, but I just think it's just buckets, Like
I think you just really need. And I hate saying
this because the number that keeps popping into my head
is that seven point five points per game that Dawson
Baker was giving you.
Speaker 1: But like that's really all I think you need.
Speaker 6: You don't need somebody who can consistently give you eleven, twelve,
thirteen points. You just need someone who on a consistent night,
can get you out of slump, can can get you
back on the board, can stop long runs, who can
just get you seven and a half to eight points
a game.
Speaker 1: That's all I think you really need.
Speaker 6: Which I mean, it would be nice if it came
some of it came to three point line because I
just don't think. I mean, AJ's been improving at them,
Richie's been improving at them, Robert has been consistent, But
like because.
Speaker 1: Rob I think is so focused on scoring.
Speaker 6: Therefore he's not in distributor Chris Paul point guard mode,
like he just can't be because he's so focused on
doing all kinds of other things. I think it's pretty easy.
I think you just need points. Like I think defensively,
you'll be fine. You can figure it out. You just
need somebody who can get you a couple buckets.
Speaker 3: Is it kJ is it Dominique? Is it Alection Coastick,
is it Tyler Russe? Is it somebody else?
Speaker 4: Who is it?
Speaker 3: Who you lean it into and why? Kay Wise says
it's all up for discussion.
Speaker 4: It's all up for debate.
Speaker 3: Kevin, Obviously, you guys are paying attention to AJ coming
off the Showdown game. Are you concerned at all about
how he's handling that Showdown game?
Speaker 9: No, no concerns.
Speaker 3: I think those are great, No concern, no concern whatsoever.
Speaker 6: I just again, I've said this before, sometimes I don't know,
at least me, because when I did Sideline, my first
thought as soon as I got a question was what
would the coach say to this? And and like, look,
I think Jay is one of the best people in
media in this area. Because Jay is not afraid to
ask a single question.
Speaker 1: I think that's a great question.
Speaker 6: My problem is like, what's Kevin gonna say, you know,
like and because Kevin's gonna defend his.
Speaker 1: Guy, I wish.
Speaker 6: I just don't know what else he would have said,
And unfortunately he gave a short answer there.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think that the short answer was merited. Yeah, yeah,
he's fine.
Speaker 3: Uh, you made a big deal about the Big Three
being so unselfish, the triple combination as during Jordan likes
to call it the brig three. How that's worked so well?
Is there a point where you want him to be
AJ a little bit more selfish?
Speaker 10: I mean, if you're referencing the Kansas game, I mean
you'd have to show me the clips where he wasn't aggressive.
You know, they did a good job of every time
he got the ball, he was getting double teams, and
so I don't think.
Speaker 9: It was like, oh, AJ, be more aggressive. It was
like every time he got the ball, he got double team.
Speaker 10: So that's more on me probably to find ways to
get him in positions where he can't get double try
to get him on the move more and so forth.
But I think I think really my real challenge to
Aj is to just get himself jumped started on the
defensive end of the floor. I think that's you know,
our intensity level raises in the second halves and we're
trying to you know, that is something that we've discussed,
not just with AJ but with the whole team, just
having a level of intensity that's a little bit, not
a little bit, a lot of bit higher to start
games now. I think defensively, there's some things we can
do now actually with the coverages that we implore to
make ourselves get a little bit more aggressive, and maybe
that's a way we can kind of jump start the guys.
Speaker 3: So here's a couple of things that I think about.
I love that kay White points out, like, you're gonna
have to show me on tape.
Speaker 6: Instead of just obliterating someone immediate being like I know ball,
you don't. He's like, look, you're gonna have to show
me because I don't agree.
Speaker 1: But maybe it's possible that I'm wrong.
Speaker 3: He's getting doubled and that forces the ball out his hands. Now,
then he turns it to himself and he says, I
need to do a better job of getting him on
the move and making sure that he has opportunities to
find some solo coverage or you know, just you know,
shot opportunities where he's not being you know, just enveloped
by two defenders. And so love that fantastic commentary because
if you if you watch.
Speaker 4: The Kansas Texas Tech game, Texas Tech did.
Speaker 3: A phenomenal job of doubling Darren Peterson, where bwe he
really didn't do a good job of doubling Darren Peterson
in the first half. They didn't, like they didn't force
the ball out of Darren's hands ever, but Texas Texture
as hell did.
Speaker 4: They were forcing it out of Darren Peterson's hand.
Speaker 3: So then you look at what Bill self did in
the waiting moments, beautiful flare screen to Darren like he
went Darren went dry. I want to say, for like
five six, seven, eight minutes. If you're watching that game,
he just he was. His second half productivity was minimal
with Texas Tech making certain adjustments and even the first
half they were getting the ball out of his hands.
Speaker 4: So Bill had.
Speaker 3: To scheme an opportunity. The first three point shot phenomenally done,
but it was phenomenally executed by Darren JT. Toppins closing out,
he gives a little nutt. He gives a little you know,
pump fake and it kind of slows. It gets JT
off bounce. He doesn't elevate, and he may have just
a little bit, but it was kind of like short
lived elevation. And then Darren elevates and hits a freaking doozy.
Speaker 4: I mean, it just rain drops. It was phenomenal.
Speaker 3: And then he gets that that that high ball screen
potentially a pick and roll situation, and as soon as
he has the aperture of the window, he pulls and
elevates too quick for.
Speaker 4: The defender to get in his face. And it was
it was, It was perfect.
Speaker 3: So I don't know, Look, it's hard to scheme things perfectly.
You still need an elite score to do elite things
and elite moments.
Speaker 4: It's really hard to do. But I loved that commentary.
Speaker 3: I loved that introspection from Ky and uh Aj, do
you want me to.
Speaker 4: Be more selfish? Sure? But we got to get him
on the move a little bit.
Speaker 6: And I'm glad that that Kevin Young pointed that out
because it again I've defended Rob for there not being
a lot of ball movement because I don't feel like
he has a lot of guys to move the ball to. However,
where I'll push back on myself is say like, if
you are not in constant ball movement, And Ronald could
speak to this probably a lot better than any of us, Like,
if you're not moving, it's way easier to just blitz
a guy or send a double team because he's not
on the move. You know exactly where he's gonna be
because that's where he is right now. So I think
Kevin makes a great point outlining that. I hope we
see that tonight because because you know, Oklahoma State, they're
gonna say, hey, we may lose, but we're not gonna
lose to AJ. So we're gonna blitz him because we've
seen other teams do it and work. I hope their
counter is we were figured this out. We're not doing
this anymore. AJ's not getting doubled, and we got a
solution here.
Speaker 3: Yep, let's get back to the sound, Kay, Why just
a follow up on the defensive side. He also went
into the defensive effort a little bit more intensity, right.
He'd like to see that, especially in the first half.
That's something that Vic has been just ticked off about.
Speaker 4: He've been to oed.
Speaker 3: When Vic gets t oed, I mean that's your in
dire straits man. Viking's not a o guy man, So
you better watch your back Ky and Crew basketball. This
Cougar Caterors team he would like to see a little
bit more intensely. But just following up on the defense side,
are you concerned it all about the defensive struggles recently
or was it just the quality of the opponents that
you can attribute the poor defense to.
Speaker 9: Yeah, it hasn't been good enough. I mean that's something.
Speaker 10: I mean I came in over the weekend and yesterday
and watched every single one of our defensive possessions from
Big twelve play and have a pretty good feel for,
you know, things that we need to adjust. I think,
you know, every team is different, you know, every team
that you coach is different, and I think that's a
challenge I think for all college coaches with how much
the rosters change, and so what worked last year may
not work with this year's team. I think, you know,
we're trying to simplify, you know, take a less is
more approach, allow our guys to maybe make a little
bit more plays, tilting on aggression and less on so
scheme heavy. I think that's something that probably has put
our group in mud a little bit. So that's an
area we're trying to focus on. And then you also
have to get and I wouldn't say the equality of
the ponent if every team he plays good.
Speaker 9: So so so I think where it's been.
Speaker 10: You know, there's like in the NBA, and this is
no disrespect to any team or player that that we've played,
but in the NBA there's there's a website called Second
Spectrum that's like the analytic website on steroids, and there's
like a shot luck metric in there, and.
Speaker 9: We would be on the very wrong end of that
spectrum right now.
Speaker 10: I feel like every every every guy who is not
a great shooter or having a struggles has really teed
off on us.
Speaker 9: So that's something that we're adjusting.
Speaker 10: Maybe we're giving guys the ball has been finding the
right people in a lot of instances, but we've got
to do a better job of still getting to contest
there and so forth.
Speaker 9: So I think there's a lot that goes into it.
Speaker 10: But the bottom line is our defense has been poor
the last several games, and there's those are kind of
the reasons as to why we're trying to fix them.
Speaker 3: Any thoughts there, guys, anything that stood out to you,
b Hammer.
Speaker 6: I'd like to know more about the shot luck analytic.
That sounds that's really interesting. I do think like, I
don't know, man, because there were parts of that game
against Kansas that Darren Peterson where like I see what
he's saying, like especially the one where Darren is right
above the elbow and AJ is in perfect guarding position
and Darren literally sends a tear drop to the top
of fog Allen Field House and it just drops in,
and I'm like.
Speaker 1: What is AJ supposed to do there?
Speaker 6: That's one where I was like, all right, that's gotta
be like one hundred percent on that shot, luck mat
or whatever it is that Kevin NaN's talking about. But
then you watch the Texas Tech game and you see
Saron Peterson just go nuclear hitting that shot, like falling
off to his least shide, shooting back to his right
and he trails it, and I'm like, how much of
it is luck and how much of it is it?
Like sometimes guys are just that good and they just
hit shots like that.
Speaker 1: I don't know.
Speaker 4: It's unfortunate that you had to deal with it, but man,
it's tough.
Speaker 1: It's a combination of both things.
Speaker 5: Just to give my thoughts because Brett had asked a
question as of a reviewed the film, and this is
basketball one on one when I play pick up, because
I do this in pickup, which is crazy if people
don't like that. I try to like go analytically with it.
When you know a guy's good and other guys aren't
hitting shots, your game plan of defensively works to double.
So until BYU spaces the floor and hit shots, they
have to be true. Why did't Aj get loose in
the second halfle Richie started hitting shots and he couldn't double.
So that's what it comes down to. This team will
lose Ben constantly if they can't have the supporting cast
outside of the Big three, space the floor or even
other Big three. They have to hit threes. That's what
it comes down to. The reason why I worked so
well is they would hit threes last year and then
other guys could get going. So they have to do that.
I think that's the biggest thing. And then defensively, because
the defense was you know mid along with you know,
not hitting shots. That's why the blowout was happening in
the first half, but when they played better in the second,
as they've done all season, you saw what happened.
Speaker 9: So I think that's what it occurs.
Speaker 5: They have to hit three point shots tonight and Oklahoma
State's gonna let you. They play man and man.
Speaker 1: They really don't like to switch.
Speaker 5: So this is the game to really get going and
get your identity back.
Speaker 4: In my opinion, let's get back to the sound.
Speaker 3: How do you feel your guys k why have responded
to playing a better schedule this year than last year.
Speaker 10: Yah, it's a great point, and you might you probably
bugged the coach's huddle at the end of practice. I
literally just said that to the team ten minutes ago.
And that's a compliment, you know, I mean coach self.
I think someone showed me a quote we had. I
mean that he felt like that was the best half
they've played all year. It was the first half against us,
and so you know, guys up for it. You get
tired of seeing b Yu on Big Monday or college
game Day, or you know Aj.
Speaker 9: Devance of this, Richie Saunders that Rob right this, you
know KBA Cada Defensive.
Speaker 10: Player the Year watch or whatever thing he just got,
so you get sick of it.
Speaker 9: There's a human element to it.
Speaker 10: And and you know, you know, if you play a
good game against b YU that it's gonna you know,
that's gonna mean something. And like I said, that's a compliment.
That's I think that speaks to where we're trying to
take this program. But there's a sense of responsibility that
comes with that. I mean, I faced that when I
was in the NBA. You know, when you're good, people
want to they they're coming after you like they have
that they have that game circled on their calendar.
Speaker 9: And that's part of.
Speaker 10: I don't know, like I said, trying to take this
place to the level that we are.
Speaker 9: And so how do we how are we responding to that?
Speaker 10: I always say below average at the moment, like we
got to do more, you know, But again at the
same time, and every game is hard in our league.
You know, there's so many good teams. It's in our league.
It feels like half the league's in the top ten
almost every every week and.
Speaker 9: There's no nights off.
Speaker 10: So you gotta you have no choice but to respond
to it, or you're gonna get left in the dust.
Speaker 3: Gonna be left in the dust BYU strength the schedule.
It's robust, man, It's a tough one, There's no doubt
about it. Plenty of Quad one opportunities.
Speaker 6: B W.
Speaker 3: Well use four and four in those Quad one opportunities
now four and oh versus Quad two four and over
Squad three, five and zero in Quad four.
Speaker 4: So those four.
Speaker 3: Losses and Quad one opportunities will hurt, right, As g
Man likes to say, shot through the heart, it hurts.
But this is a tough schedule. Eight eight Quad one opportunities.
That's far this season.
Speaker 6: I hate to say this and be the boogeyman, but like,
doesn't this kind of feel like football, where like the
mediocre teams to good teams. Man, you can handle those
guys in your sleep. Yeah, but when it came to
the good teams. That's I shouldn't say good teams when
it came to the great teams because everyone they've lost
to is like top fifteen. That's where you fall off
a little bit and they haven't been able to get back. Now,
the good thing is, like you have a lot of
opportunities the rest of the season to prove that you
can beat those teams. However, if you can't beat any
of these guys, which shout out to Kem Palm. Ken
Palm has them favored I think in nine out of
their last ten. So the analytics and I think you
said this a little bit yesterday, like Kevin Young can
figure this thing out, Like Kevin Young is a smart
enough guy. I think Ken Palm and Kevin Young know
something that I don't because I'm a little bit more pessimistic.
Speaker 1: But I'm believing in the optimists.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm I'm definitely optimistic about the future. Look, this
is a tough in the immediate future. There's a tough schedule.
There's no doubt and by is gonna be favored, as
you mentioned, in nine of the last ten games, and.
Speaker 4: They're probably gonna win.
Speaker 3: Uh, they're probably I said they're gonna go seven and three,
and that's maybe a pessimistic take. They can go and
do they can go nine to one. It'd be glorious
with the O nine one. They're nine and one, they're
a three seed, where with the opportunity to be a
two seed, Like they're a lock for a three seed,
and they're leaning probably towards a two seed going nine
and one. In the back end of this schedule, So
I would love to see it, and I hope it
happens going forward. So how does he feel about how
they responded? Like he's giving them truths, saying, look, this
is a very difficult schedule, night in, night out, night
in and night out. It's uh, it's always a refining fire.
But it still makes the question, what is b what
you're gonna do? Differently, k Why has enumerated these things.
He's like, I went I went back and I watched
every single defense possession. We're gonna simplify that is a note.
We're gonna simply and let these guys just be athletes
and probably go out and play, try to fight through screens,
try to be a little bit more simplistic in their
defensive approach.
Speaker 4: Let's not overcomplicate it. And so you're gonna see that.
And then k C.
Speaker 3: Kyle Collins Worth mentioned and as did kind of k
Y K Why said like everything's up for discussion as
far as lineup changes are concerned.
Speaker 4: KC.
Speaker 3: Kyle collins were stated yesterday and I quote, I think
there's going to be a surprise step up that hasn't
got a lot.
Speaker 4: Of minutes lately coming in.
Speaker 3: I'll let you guys figure out who I'm talking about.
But someone who's barely played this year is going to
step up coming down the stretch. I was looking at,
like the options Lexi, Dominique, Tyler, Marrass.
Speaker 4: Would Hedeem Boop be in in that group?
Speaker 1: I don't think so.
Speaker 3: So then okay, if Hedeem's not in that group, yeah,
there's no way. It's not Hadeem, Right, So you know
who the other option is, Jereed McGregor. Now, so you're
telling me there's a chance. Now, I'm not saying it's Jared, right,
but I was trying to look for a fourth heories
it's not. No, I can't imagine it's Stayton because he
can't hit three.
Speaker 4: He's he's a he's a shot blocker. So it can't
be Staton. And it's not gonna be Abdullah.
Speaker 3: He's already been playing significant miniscence as a rival. So
you literally you have Alexi, Tyler, Dominique or Jared.
Speaker 4: That's those are your options.
Speaker 1: My money's on Diamande for right.
Speaker 6: But however, I will say, like it it is interesting
that he wasn't that he didn't say who it was,
and usually like The fact that he didn't say the
name makes me think like this is not like a
former player, just like giving a guest. This feels like
a scoop, or like it's a scoop, like this is
legitimate information.
Speaker 1: This is not a former player making a guess.
Speaker 4: Yep mm hm exactly.
Speaker 1: Which is good. But we would just like to know
who that is.
Speaker 4: Who is that case?
Speaker 3: But I appreciate him dropping a few gems on us yesterday.
Speaker 4: Shout out to to KC.
Speaker 3: All right, a couple last things before we go to
break here in then, anybody what stands out to you? Actually,
let's come back. Let's come back with the Scabingerport. We'll
go to break. Please don't go anywhere, cougardation. That was
a great segment brought to you by our good friends
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Speaker 4: We'll go to break. We'll get into Paul Today, Question
of the Day and more coming up next.
Speaker 3: This is Grugar Sports one O three nine ninety eight point three.
Speaker 12: Holds lonely breaking down amount to film on his beloved
Cougar football team. He's talking Cougar Sports and he's doing
it right here on one O three nine. Yes, Stray
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Speaker 11: Com get on doing a the lavigation to it fast
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Speaker 4: Jelly Roll took home some Grammys. I believe band of
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Speaker 3: And we'll try we'll try to find a sound bite
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and Savior Jesus Price and his uh it is accepted speech.
So shout out to jelly Rollband of Today. Brought to
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we're gonna welcome in Kilane Satake in this segment, but
before we do, want to get into the couple less
sound bites from Ky in the media availability earlier today.
B Yu versus Oklahoma Steak 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, Ky.
Speaker 10: 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 9: Excuse me, in.
Speaker 10: An area where we you know, early on, I think
in Big Twelve play that 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 9: I thought we handled it better.
Speaker 10: 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 3: 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 insider, Oklahoma State insider on the
show yesterday check it out on the podcast. A great
interview and he said, as much, look this, this team
can score.
Speaker 4: The best of them. They can get shots. They have
great scores. Defensively, they've struggled a little bit.
Speaker 3: I think they're like eighty four or so in defensive
efficiency in the country. A couple of last things from
Ky before we welcome kalinichatake, did you watch the Kansas
Texas Tech game.
Speaker 4: The other night? Just wanted your thoughts. Overall thoughts on
that game.
Speaker 9: I did watch it. Christian Anderson's good. That was my thought.
And you know, kansas Is.
Speaker 10: I think finding rhythm is also what I thought, you know,
Darren's ability, Darren Peterson's ability to make I did watch it.
Speaker 9: Christian Anderson's good that was my thought.
Speaker 10: 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 kinda I mean, we saw it
firsthand obviously, but they're they're catching a rhythm, you know,
and that's part of a season, you know.
Speaker 9: I think we did that last year. We caught a rhythm.
Speaker 10: 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 is 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 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 missive beat.
Speaker 9: You know, that's really impressive.
Speaker 10: 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 3: Yeah, look, it was a great game. It was an
exciting game. The finish was fantastic, and the star, 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 first overall pick because of scoring ability, because
of his unique individual skills, that he's a good defender too.
I was looking looking at some of the you know,
some of the experts, like I think there was twenty
NBA scouts that were were that that that opined, voted,
casted their their their votes on who would be the
first overall pick and this this NBA draft, and twelve
of them have said Darren Peterson.
Speaker 4: A of them said aj De Bonsa.
Speaker 3: So you're gonna see upside potential with AJ, no ceiling
on his ability, and then you have more of the.
Speaker 4: Refined score, more polished player.
Speaker 3: In Darren Peterson right now, good length, good athleticism, just
an elite score.
Speaker 6: 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.
Speaker 1: Okay, maybe these guys behind the.
Speaker 6: Scenes, maybe they already know, Hey, he's not actually injured,
he's just playing because he's load managing. I hate to
put that on a kid. I want I don't want
to assume any bad intentions. But that's 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 Darn,
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 3: Like, yeah, well, 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 ESP and the fan, especially with
U with signing day at hand and also spring balls
right around the corner. What a tremendous season it was,
b Why you're going twelve and two and it was?
In my opinion, I think you can make a strong
argue it's a top five season and b WA 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 Killanie Satake?
Speaker 4: What's up? Killani? How thatck? Are you? Buddy?
Speaker 11: My man?
Speaker 7: How you doing it?
Speaker 4: I'm doing fantastic, man. It's a great day to be
a Cougar.
Speaker 3: 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.
Speaker 4: As the glory days.
Speaker 3: You look at the the late eighties early nineties with
like Ty Depmer and Heisman Trophy winners and things of
that nature. I felt like five to twenty eleven 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.
Speaker 4: It's been awesome.
Speaker 3: 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, Kilani, Hey.
Speaker 7: I mean you're saying glory days. 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 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 are 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 4: Klinie, you're the visionary.
Speaker 3: 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: I think it's the funding young men that can fit
perfectly with the mission of the team, the mission of
our universe, in 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
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 YU, but it's something that can give you
a lot of joy. And the joy comes for sharing it,
but also from knowing the role that you're in that
it can help others and and and really make someone
You know, we could really help someone's life and change
someone's life. And then you start realizing, man, I kind
of like the person that I am when I'm helping others.
And especially a time right now, especially college football, where
everything's about me. This is a place that we wan
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 3: The recruiting for BAU 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 signees that are most likely coming
in to make an immediate impact, right, So let's take
out the transfer portal signis here for a moment and
looking at the December senties, how many of these true freshmen?
Speaker 4: What percentage of the true freshmen do you?
Speaker 3: And you don't have to name names and things 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 Bear didn't get to do that,
he came in Junal. 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. This is going to be fun to see
these guys compete. And then, 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 the best guys
out there that earned it.
Speaker 3: Sometimes the artisan crafting, you know, the clay, They're only
as good as the clay. You were once upon a
time a player at b YU, you coached against BYU.
Speaker 4: You're coaching at BYU right now.
Speaker 3: How would you compare and contrast maybe the talent that
is currently on the roster to the prior eras in
b WAU football history.
Speaker 7: Yeah, the talent and the development and this 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 and we very younger out playing days. 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 going to have that. But I think
overall as 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 b YU 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 are just of that
are not at the church that are reaching out to
us because of our competitive advantages, which is high academ them,
be on a code, and so what people thought that
those were always kind of a thought 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 whyse 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 3: Yeah, it's something that stands out to me about your
messaging to not only your team, to Cougarnation and to
anybody that is interested or could be interested in BYU athletics.
In the post game of the 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 and
a lot of them are 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 uh and
mostly because I learned so much from all of them individually.
I mean, I know, Ben, you won't won't want me
to say this everybody, but I learned a lot from
coaching you back at at Eastern 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 I'm
glad 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 are 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 then even
that that that moment sature that I got to coach
you for a year. I learned from so many of
our teammates. I've made from you and from everybody. I mean,
we had wal 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 whole career and not
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 3: Well, love and appreciate your kalate, congratulations on the UH
on the signing of all these great young men, and
hopefully you know you want to see them, you know,
be Cougar's for for four or five years, right, and
be Cougar's for life.
Speaker 4: There's the transfer portal, right.
Speaker 3: 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 4: Well.
Speaker 7: I think that's the way to go through life. I mean,
we had some guys that wanted to 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. Doesn't take anything away from them as people,
and it doesn't take anything away from what they were
you would like, uh 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 Kien and Marion
playing in the in the biggest stage, in the National
Championship Game, and 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 Scouty and they get to
see who he's, what he's about, and who he is
as a person. I 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 Letslow.
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
great way to live life and to be positive. When
it's all said and done, we're just thankful for everyone
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 transactional that you're either with us or against us.
You've always been with us and we can appreciate that.
Speaker 3: Much love to you and your family, Coloni, Congratulations on everything, Congratulations.
Speaker 4: On the extension.
Speaker 3: Looking forward to you becoming the Polynesian Lavelle Edwards as
you promised us over a decade ago.
Speaker 7: I love you, brother, appreciating it.
Speaker 3: Man, much love to you, my guy appreciates you. Have
a great rest of your day. Klonie 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 uh. I think a bevy of talent from the
transfer portal. Clifton linebacker from Kansas State. Pockey fenw from
Washington that day.
Speaker 4: That's a dude right there. That's a dude, right you guys.
Speaker 3: 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 lineman with defined triceps, And you know what,
I'm 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
sali Apaga Organ tight end, Junior Sea offensive line, Utah State,
kada ulauave cal all a SEC linebacker coming in, Javon
Williams coming from the SEC to t.
Speaker 4: B Au cornerback.
Speaker 3: And then Zach Yamauchi from Stanford. Really nice acquisitions there.
And then the December side East kyahway Akana, Seph and
Isla Team Justice, Braithwaite, Adam Bywater, Devon ecka legend, glasger
Ty Getchi, Brock Harris, Antonio Johnson, Neamayah Colone, Braxton, Lindsay Graham, Livingston, Writer, Lyons,
Matthew Mason, la Petimuala 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 in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 4: We'll discuss more on the flip. But don't go anywhere.
Speaker 3: Kugarnation plenty to get to on a beautiful Wednesday, February
fourth edition of Cougar Sports. That segment broad to you
by Royal Army dot Com BYU swag created by fans
for fans.
Speaker 4: Stay loyal to the Royal. Rep the WY the Right Way.
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Speaker 4: Today, let's go to break.
Speaker 3: Please don't go anywhere more to get to on a
beautiful Wednesday edition of Cougar Sports.
Speaker 4: Here one of three nine ninety eight point three is