PROVO, Utah – With the third week of fall camp underway, the BYU football team practiced Tuesday before getting ready for another scrimmage day later in the week.
The defensive backs return a lot of familiar faces with seniors Troy Warner, Zayne Anderson and Chris Wilcox returning to action after all missing time the past two seasons.
Warner missed the first eight games of the 2019 season with an injury. Now a redshirt senior, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound defensive back is the most experienced returner having played in 35 games with 92 total tackles and 60 solo stops with two fumble recoveries.
Anderson has seen time a starting safety and linebacker and is expected to play all over the field in various roles. The redshirt senior has 121 career tackles and three interceptions.
Wilcox, also a redshirt senior, comes back after being plagued with an injury that kept him out for the backend of the 2018 season and all but one game in the 2019 season. Wilcox broke out during his sophomore season posting 32 total tackles including 23 solo stops with one tackle for loss and five pass breakups.
The Cougars will also return players with starting experience in Keenan Ellis, D'Angelo Mandell, Malik Moore, Isaiah Herron, Hayden Livingston and Shamon Willis. Jared Kapisi, Mitchell Price and Shamon Willis return with game experience, along with sophomores Morgan Pyper and George Udo.
While not new to program, Tavita Gagnier and Ammon Hannemann will suit up as redshirt freshman while adding new faces Caleb Christensen, Micah Harper and Petey Tuipulotu with transfers sophomore Wes Wright and junior Jacques Wilson.
The following quotes are from Tuesday's post-practice media availability.
Head coach Kalani Sitake
Full interview here
On the defense
The guys are doing great. I know that they haven't been doing as well in the live stuff, but we've held some guys out. We're going to be tackling and they will probably get more work on Thursday. We're going against Navy and that is a different beast. We will be tackling and going live against our scouts all the way up until the week of the game. We're just trying to get a balance between what we have already and the foundation that we've set and then also what we want to do against the option that we will see from Navy. That's just basically what we're focusing on. There's a lot of talent there and they responded really well defensively yesterday. I think they had fun with a better day yesterday and then there's a lot of practice. They did pretty well today – it's a good back and forth right now. We'll see what happens when we go live again on Thursday.
On focusing their attention on Navy
I think after the scrimmage we will make that switch and do a lot of the scout team work. But we've been doing a lot of Navy prep since we knew about that game. So we've been able to split some time up and defensively that's been a little bit of delay on our defense and them probably are not performing their best because we're splitting their time right now from different schemes, spending half the time work on the Navy stuff and then establishing our foundation for what's going to be our base package when it comes to what we do defensively and scheme. When it comes down to the Navy stuff, it's just way different in that it's a unique offense. There are moments where the air raid was a unique thing and now that seems more like the norm. The option is still unique and probably more having to do with the academies than anything else. They're going to test your toughness and their discipline so the scheme can change a little bit as far as what you're trying to focus on and try to limit their strengths. I think the defense will start to turn the corner right now and looking forward to Thursday, it's gonna be a lot of game-type situations. We will still get a lot of live tackling and work in some special teams. We haven't to spent a lot of time talking about special teams but, Ryan Rehkow and Jake Oldroyd have done a great job with punting and placekicking.
On the position groups and the depth chart
I think there's still some shifting around but it'd be hard to pick out the depth chart right now. I mean looking at all the different positions we still have some live work to do. I don't want to start forming a depth chart until we get to Thursday and get more evaluation on the guys. I think it's important to give newcomers and guys that have made a huge difference from how they played last year to this year, every opportunity to establish their place in the depth chart and for some of the starters to confirmed that they should be the starters. When you do that, it gives you an opportunity to see what you can count on going into this season, going into games and then possible rotation. I don't know if there's anything set yet and I know there are some guys that think there are some things they need to work on. A lot of it has to do with experience when you're looking at Matt Bushman and Khyiris Tonga – I don't know who's going to beat those guys out but there are other players that are in similar positions. We are looking at getting the best 11 on offense or defense and that depends on personnel groups. Right now is the time for them to make that mark and show that we need to put them on the field.
Defensive lineman Gabe Summers
Full interview here
On the defensive line going up against the offensive line
I feel like we have a really talented offensive line. We have a lot of skill there, but I've also felt that our defensive line has really held their own, even though I think we have a lot of younger underclassmen, I feel like we've all played well. We've been able to sync up, learn a lot and have a really unique opportunity to play the starters every single day and get ourselves better because once again our offensive line is is super talented and so is our offense.
On the defenses overarching priority in camp
I think more than anything on defense it's just playing aggressive. I think something we've focused on a lot that we've gotten better at is stopping the run, just making sure that we're assignment sound, that we're all playing for each other and rallying to the football. I feel like those are things that we've really focused on, that we've dialed in on to just make sure that everybody gets to the ball, that we're stopping the run and just taking care of that.
On what position he will be playing this year
I feel like they really want our three-techs, our defensive tackles like me and Lorenzo Faueata to have that space on the side so that we can rush the quarterback and do things of that nature. So I feel like they've really kind of set us up so we can have success rushing the passer this year.
Defensive back Chris Wilcox
Full interview here
On his health status during fall camp
I'm doing good. The coaches just wanted me to ease into it, but I feel good. I feel great and a hundred percent, so I am just waiting for them to give me the green light.
On the biggest difference in the defense from last year to this year
I feel like our secondary is gonna have to really step up. I know a lot of people were saying we didn't get enough pressure and stuff like that. So now we're going to hopefully switch that up it's the on the back end and we're going to have to cover the receivers really well.
On making the decision to play his senior season during the pandemic after graduating in April
For me, not being able to participate, like I played one game last year, I'm just ready to get back on the field. I know with everything going on, it's very unfortunate but I'm glad we're able to. I know there are other schools on the west coast that have canceled and I'm happy that we are able to still play. They're taking really good care of us as far as taking our temperature coming in and all the procedures we have to follow. So I'm just very happy, we're still able to play.