BYU Football Game Week — Southern Utah

“I am really excited about Week Two. We are sitting at 1-0 and feeling good about it. Obviously there are some performances that we wish we could have back but definitely some learning moments for our team and specifically for our offense. But we also had learning moments for all three phrases: special teams, offense and defense.”

“I am happy with a lot of the performances that we saw from individual players. Obviously we would like to see more points on the board and like to have more PATs than punts. But when you’re looking at it and evaluate the film, very fixable things where we can be in a better position to have more success in all three phases. All three phrases are looking to improve.”

“I want to compliment the ROC and the rest of Cougar Nation that were in the stadium. The electricity and energy was a definite positive for us. We appreciate it.”

Thoughts on Southern Utah
“Well coached team. Coach Fitzgerald does a great job, they are really tough. Really familiar with them being an in-state team, seeing them play quite a bit. After their performance against Arizona State, they have our attention. A lot of respect for them. I coached down there. My oldest child was born in Cedar City. We have a lot of fond memories of the program and looking forward to them being up at LaVell Edwards Stadium.”

How did you think the offensive line look as you watched the film?
“The mistakes go all around. I know that people are going to want to talk about mistakes on offense so it wasn’t just on one side or one position. It’s definitely humbling for them so let’s get back to our natural old ways and that usually comes back to the basics. We have seen them play better and we are looking forward to getting that done again this weekend.”

On the depth chart
“The competition is always going to be the key but when you’re looking at it in terms of the game, we have the knowledge that you guys don’t see and know when all 11 guys are doing the right thing. It’s hard to get frustrated at somebody that’s running the ball or that’s catching the ball or throwing the ball when the other 10 guys aren’t doing what they are suppose to be doing. You can’t just judge it on one game, we have all the information and we feel like these are the guys that got us there. But there is always an opportunity to for us to tweak it depending on who’s performing the best. That way the competition lives on.”

On the linebackers
“Really good players but there’s room for improvement. I don’t think they played without mistakes but the thing is that when mistakes are happening they are just trying to make the play. It can’t be freelance, it has to be in your responsibilities. They are suppose to be in a certain place at a certain time and make those plays. I can’t say they were perfect but we are looking for that perfect game. The one thing I can count on those guys is that they play hard and play physical with a lot of energy. I can always count on them being around the ball. I am really pleased with the level of physical play.”

On new players and the offense's slow start
“I think of most of it that I am going to focus on is that we make quite a few mistakes. That’s our job as coaches to make sure that we don’t make so many mistakes.It was a big time environment and some players first-time in the stadium. I would like to make excuses but we don’t have time for that, we have to see production. We have to see guys make better decisions and perform like we have seen them in practice.”

On the defensive line
“I thought that they were really disruptive. I thought they created a lot of alleys for our linebackers to run through. I thought they got great knockback at the line of scrimmage but there are things they can improve on. They lost a couple of gaps and didn’t use the right technique. A lot of that is guys just trying to step up and make the play rather than make the play through their assignment. Teams are going to have a hard time being successful against this defense if they can’t run the ball.”

On punter Ryan Rehkow
“Everybody knows that he has a strong leg and is a very good athlete. He’s got so many abilities and talents. He’s always been a team player and it’s not about him. I know one thing is that if we need him to make a play and make a kick that he can do it. I wish we could have blocked the fake punt a little better so he could show off his legs a little bit more.”

On the offense’s approach to week two
“Saturday’s performance wasn’t exactly what we were hoping for, but it was good enough to get the job done. We’re excited for this week. It’s a new week. Of course, we’re thinking about the things we can work on. Go work hard; that’s the mindset this week. We know we’re playing a good team this week. We want to turn things around for us.” 

On the different positions he’s played
“It’s been a fun experience. You don’t expect to come in and switch positions as much as I have but here at BYU you play where they need you. Our coaches help us a lot to fill into the spots where we need to play. It’s been fun to be around the tight ends, running backs and quarterbacks. All those guys and the coaches are special individuals. That makes it a lot easier on the guys who switch positions.”  

On playing his hometown team Southern Utah                        
“That’s the university I supported all of my life. I’m a T-Bird but I’m also a Cougar. I have a lot of friends and brothers in Cedar City. It will be a good opportunity to see all the families that I haven’t seen for a little bit. The thing I know about Southern Utah is they are fighters. They’ve always been fighters. We’re going to keep working hard and we’re excited to play them this week.” 

On Southern Utah
“They’re hungry, very hungry. We saw it last week with how they played against Arizona State. During my summer workouts I workout with a lot of those guys. I go down there and run routes with their quarterback. They have a great attitude in that program. Their coaches have done a lot of good things for them.”  

On being recruited by Southern Utah
“They were the first school that really looked at my play, looked at me as an individual and offered me. They played a big role in my childhood and in my whole recruiting process. It’s a special opportunity to play them this week.” 

On matching Southern Utah’s energy this week
“It’s very important. They have nothing to lose. They’re coming to play a big team like BYU. Everyone wants to beat BYU. We have to be ready to go no matter who it is. We have to practice and do everything we need to up our game more than last week. Urgency is vital this week. I’m ready to go and I know all of our guys will be ready to go as well.”  

On the injuries in the safety room and getting his first start
“It’s tough to have your friends and teammates [safeties Micah Harper and Talan Alfrey] unable to be on the field with you but at the same time it’s been a good opportunity for me. It was a dream come true to have my first career start and check that off the list. It’s been fun but I wish I could have my teammates there with me.” 

On playing with cornerback Jakob Robinson
“It’s so much fun playing with Jakob. We’ve been playing together since fourth grade tackle football. We played baseball, basketball and football together. We’re very good friends. Every time we go on the field, I know he’s about to make a play. That’s just who he is. He’s done that since a young age. It was a highlight for me to see him make those plays on Saturday.”  

On playing in-state games
“Every game is important, but you always want to win the in-state games. We approach each week the same. We want to win every single week and that’s the mindset this week.  

On choosing to walk-on at BYU
“Being close to home was a big factor in coming here. I was choosing between BYU, Utah and Utah State. I had preferred walk-on spots at all three schools. I just felt comfortable with the coaching staff here. I decided that I was going to stay home, go to BYU and earn my spot on the field.” 

On shutting out Sam Houston
“A shutout is rare and those are fun games to play in. You can’t do it without your teammates. We played very well together. It was fun to see it come together and have that be the first game of the season and [Defensive Coordinator Jay] Hill’s first game [at BYU]. Coach Hill is really good for us, especially in the safety room. He’s raised the expectations for us. We have a different mindset going into each week.”  

On the offense
“We’re a team. There’s not one without the other. There might be some weeks where we need the offense to put up 40 points. Then there might be weeks where we need to hold the opponent to a shutout. We know they’re going to do everything they can to get things rolling. We have supreme confidence in the offense. There’s no worries from us on defense. Every week we’re doing the best we can, and we know they’re going to do the best they can.”  

On making his BYU debut at home
“I was reflecting on the field during the game thinking about how happy I am that I came here. The crowd got so loud when we were on defense that it was hard for me to communicate with the defense. I like it though. It played into our advantage, especially during Sam Houston’s first couple of drives. They had those negative plays because of the crowd. I like that atmosphere. That’s my type of atmosphere for college football.”  

On his experience playing FBS teams while at Weber State
“When you’re an FCS player and you’re playing an FBS opponent, you’re like the little brother. You’re trying to prove something all the time. I think [Southern Utah] is coming into this game with their heads on fire trying to steal a win. Coming from the FCS, I know that when we played an FBS school, we always thought ‘let’s go steal one because they’re underestimating us.’ We can’t underestimate them.”  

On Southern Utah
“They’re a good team. Every year I’ve played them, they’ve been good. We have to prepare just like they’re the No. 1 team in the country, just to improve ourselves. We wouldn’t be a smart team if we overlook those guys.”  

Cougar Canyon & Cougar Walk
Cougar Canyon will take place on the West side of the stadium from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on game day. Food trucks and activities for all ages are available. BYUtv's pregame show Sports Nation GameDay and BYU Radio’s Cougar Pregame Live will also be broadcast live from Cougar Canyon. The Cougar Walk will take place from the north end of Cougar Canyon in through the soutwest corner of the stadium, starting at 11 a.m.

Cougar Canyon is expanding this season, south of the stadium. Cougar Club members have access to Cougar Club exclusive activities there. There will be activities available to all fans as well.

LaVell Edwards Stadium has adopted a NO bag policy, except for a few exceptions. Small clutch bags, no larger than 5” x 8” x 1”, with or without a handle or strap can be taken into the stadium. Medically-necessary bags will be permitted after inspection. One bag per person. No outside Food or drink will be permitted.

To see all stadium policies, go to the LaVell Edwards Stadium venue page.

Enjoy the convenience and reliability of UVX and FrontRunner to get you to and from the BYU vs. Southern Utah football game this Saturday. You can ride UVX for FREE and there will be extra service provided before and after the game.  For the best service, please head directly to the stadium stations, or bus, or UVX (it’s FREE!) within 15 minutes following the game. Note that UTA is adding even more busses to run for this 2023 season.

Visit rideuta.com/plan to plan your game day travel!

• rideuta.com/Rider-Tools/Schedules-and-Maps/750-FrontRunner
• rideuta.com/Rider-Tools/Schedules-and-Maps/830X-Utah-Valley-Express

Parking passes for all designated BYU lots are digital this season. If you are a passholder, you will see the pass available to download in the same location where you download your digital ticket. Please ensure that you download the digital pass before you start driving to the stadium, and have the pass up on your phone and ready to display as you arrive at your designated lot. Also, familiarize yourself with the parking map, if necessary. Having your parking pass ready to display will greatly expedite the process of pulling into the lot. As all parking pass holders get used to this new process, there may be wait times. We encourage you to leave for the game a little earlier than you usually do to allow for some extra time to park.