2024 Big 12 Media Day Quotes

Opening Statement 

“We are excited to be here at Big 12 Media Day. From being in Dallas last year to Las Vegas this year, I’ve been really impressed with how the Big 12 does it. It’s first-class all the way. Myself, our BYU personnel, and our players have enjoyed the hospitality. I’ve just been really impressed with the Big 12 leadership. Specifically, Commissioner Brett Yormark has done an amazing job. I love the addition of new teams to the Big 12, and I’ve already gotten to know many of the athletic directors and head coaches in the conference. I’ve been really impressed with all of them. These are great coaches, great programs and I am looking forward to being on the field and enjoying our partnership in the conference together. 

In terms of our players, I’m excited to get to know more about our team. We’ve done some really cool things that I think will be beneficial for our program and our team, and I think it will show this fall. I just want to share my appreciation for all of our people involved with BYU, what we stand for, our culture, and our program but more specifically, our players. We brought five of them with us: defensive end Tyler Batty, defensive back Jakob Robinson, wide receivers Chase Roberts and Darius Lassiter, and offensive lineman Connor Pay. Hopefully, you guys get to know them and see the excitement on their faces in anticipation of the season. We’re looking forward to it. We’re anxious for it. The season can’t get here fast enough.”

On the quarterback battle

“We’ve been through quarterback battles before and competition at every position. We knew we needed to get better at a lot of different positions and play our best. So, I can’t tell you there’s a deadline other than when we know, we will know, and when the player takes it. We have a good number of guys who can play. We have four quarterbacks who have played college football. You mentioned Gerry Bohanon and Jake Retzlaff, but there’s also Treyson Bourguet and McCae Hillstead. All four have played college football and started games, and that gives me a lot of confidence, knowing that a lot can happen in college football. Last year, we had an injury at the quarterback position and had to learn from that. So, we are much deeper at the quarterback position, but we’ve done that with other positions as well.”

On Utah joining the Big 12

“Before I was a head coach and before I was a player for the legendary LaVell Edwards, I was a BYU fan. It just made sense that the BYU-Utah game was always on the schedule. I remember when BYU was playing Utah in the WAC and then the Mountain West. Then we went through some realignment in the conferences and BYU tried to continue to play that game when we were in the Independent era. Now that we’re in the Big 12, it makes sense that they’re in the same conference and also on our schedule. So, we’re looking forward to that game. Looking forward to getting up to Salt Lake City and playing them. We have other games before that one, but we’re excited that one’s on the schedule.”

On helping players from different backgrounds adjust to the team

“It’s all about family. It doesn’t really matter about your background. I think people are naturally ingrained with the importance of loving families, about good and wholesome things. At BYU, we just happen to be a faith-based institution. We represent The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints and one of the lessons we’ve learned from following the Savior is that we love one another. We are playing a violent game, but there’s some crazy and awesome lessons to learn in it about following the Savior, following God and His plan. You can learn those lessons when we interact with each other, and you can do it in the game of football. It doesn’t really matter the religion, but I do appreciate being at this institution of Brigham Young University where we can express our religion. We have different religions on our team as well and they can live their religion freely and be able to express themselves. I think that’s why I’m just honored to be a part of a university that allows that to happen.”

On the adjustment to the second year in the conference

“I can tell you the learning process from year one to year two naturally happens. Our guys now know what to expect. Last year was a lot of uncharted territory. There were a lot of new things that we weren’t sure how guys were going to respond to certain things in a difficult environment. I can tell you that through all that, the one thing we can definitely count on: our fan base is amazing. They do a great job. We can lean on that to be a huge benefit for us, but on the field we need to be more consistent and that’s what we’re going to slowly try to gain.”

On lessons learned in the first year in the Big-12

“Sometimes the experience itself is the key. Going from year one, I compare it to being a father for the first time. Before we had kids we had all these opinions on how you should raise your children. When we had our own child I realized we didn’t know anything. We just had to go through that experience. It’s hard for everyone to get ready for that. You just have to go through it. The first year in the conference was a learning experience not just for our players on the team, but also for our fans. The one thing that stood out was that our fans definitely belong and we as a team belong on the field too. We just need to be more consistent in our game.” 

On the defense (ESPN U)

“It helps having Jay Hill as our defensive coordinator. He established our defense last year. We had some growing pains but also saw some cool things too. I trust Jay’s leadership. He’s coached and played in this system. We were together at Utah for 10 years. We speak the same language. I like what we’ve done with adding new talent and developing existing talent. In year two with this defense, our guys feel a lot more comfortable with it. Spring ball was a huge indicator to me that our guys are going to take a next step with it this season.”

On the transfer portal (ESPN U)

“We have to use the portal, but it’s about fit. For guys to develop into what we want them to be, it can’t be just about football. It’s also about ‘What is this young man going to do when he’s here? Is he willing to live our style? Is he willing to promote the mission of our team?’ If he can do that, I think he will find a lot of success. We’ve had guys that have done this. Puka Nacua had a lot of success after he came from Washington and is doing great things right now in the NFL.”

On the additions of Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah (ESPN U)

“I’m excited. Adding the four schools makes sense, geographically, for us. It’s always good to have your rival there. When we went through the Independent era, we couldn’t schedule that every year, so it’s good to see Utah on the schedule this year. It’s good to have the conference so strong. What we need to do is create more parity so that at the end of the season in November, we have a chance to play for something more.”

On evaluating the 2023 season (ESPN U)

“The first season there was so much uncharted territory for everyone, fans, the university and our football program. Now that we’ve been through it, the learning process has already taken place. Our guys know what to expect, they know what to compare it to. Last year, they were feeling their way through it. Last season we had some cool flashes that showed us we can compete. I would be kind of nervous if we were just completely overwhelmed. That didn’t happen last year. We know we’re able to compete. Even though the last two games didn’t go our way, we finished strong. Now the question for me, as head coach, is ‘how can we perform with more consistency and get more wins?’

On increasing the physicality of play (ESPN U)

“It starts in the trenches. We’ve had to revamp what we’re doing with the offensive and defensive lines. Our new offensive line coach, TJ Woods has been at Wisconsin and some different places where he’s done some good things. He’s doing great things for us too. We’ve done some other things to improve too, in terms of bringing in and developing guys. There’s not just one answer. There’s a bunch of variables that go into it.”

On the run game in 2024 (ESPN U)

“We get Hinckley Ropati back from injury. He has tons of experience for us. LJ Martin is a guy who can run for us and so is Miles Davis. I think those guys will the main ball carriers for us.”

On the quarterback position (ESPN U)

“We have a good group of young men in that position room who have played college football. We have Gerry Bohanon who took Baylor to a Big 12 Championship. We have Jake Retzlaff who played for us the last four games of last season when Kedon Slovis got hurt. We have Treyson Bourguet who played at Western Michigan and McCae Hillstead who started games at Utah State. It helps to have guys who have been through games. Now we need to get them competing and see who the best one’s going to be. We will play the best guy.”

On offensive lineman Connor Pay (ESPN U)

“He’s been through a lot, different coaches, different schemes and different styles but you can always count on his toughness and leadership. I really appreciate Connor. I wish he had another year after this year.”

 

On practicing against the offensive line (KSL Sports Zone)

“I’m playing against a lot of our offensive lines that have come through, and it’s always great. I think we have a great team culture where you step out on the field and yeah, you try to murder each other for two hours straight, but the moment you step off, you’re back in the locker room. You’re back to your teammates, you take care of each other.”

On what separates quarterback pressures from sacks (KSL Sports Zone)

“Speed. It’s something that I’m definitely very aware of. At the end of the day, it just comes down to getting to the quarterback half a second sooner. Last season, I played at a lighter weight. I was at about 260, 265, where typically years before I played at about 280. That’s part of it, and the other part is not wasting movement. I’m really focused on making sure that I’m taking all the space I can and getting as fast as I can so I’m not that half a step behind.”

On freshman returned missionary offensive lineman Joe Brown (KSL Sports Zone)

“Connor Pay and I both served missions. We know what it takes to come home from a mission, try to get back in shape and get back out on the field. Joe Brown showed up, and I thought, ‘You did not just get home from a mission. You look like you’ve been training at an elite facility for the past two years.’”

 

On the team’s goals this season  (Behind the Mic with Greg Wrubell)

“Win. Last year didn’t go the way we wanted it to, but we were really close. We lost some games by just a little bit. We needed to fix a couple things, and I think this year will be the year to do that. We know what we’re going to do. We’ve been working hard this offseason. The team has been a lot closer than last year. Leaders are stepping up. We need to finish our games strong. We all need to work more as a team. I think us being closer as a team this year will help with on field communication.”

On year two in Jay Hill’s defense (Behind the Mic with Greg Wrubell)

“Everyone understands the defense more. We’ve been meeting together as position groups, with the leaders and watching film. Everyone’s getting better on the field too. I think our understanding of the scheme has improved a lot.”

On having Utah on the conference schedule (Behind the Mic with Greg Wrubell)

“I grew up watching the BYU-Utah rivalry. It’s crazy that we get to play them again. We beat them last time and I’m just excited for the rivalry game.”

On the growth of the cornerback position at BYU (KSL Sports Zone)

“It’s just exciting to know that we’re headed the right way in the world of corners. Coach [Jernaro] Gilford has done a great job. Coach Hill has changed a lot for us too. I think this new 2024 class that we just signed, it’s going to keep us moving in the right direction. They’re really athletic, really smart in football. They know how to play.”

On the defense finishing top-20 nationally in interceptions last season (KSL Sports Zone)

“I think Coach Hill put us in the right position to do that. He helped us understand schemes, formations and route concepts. Watching film with Coach Gilford is helpful too. I think that helps us a lot, just to know when to jump things and when you have to play over the top.”

On his favorite part of playing cornerback (KSL Sports Zone)

“When they throw the ball up, that’s my favorite thing. I trust myself that I can go up and get it, no matter who it is.”

 

On the offseason (ESPNU)

“This offense has been awesome. We’ve been working really hard, getting faster and stronger. We’re trusting in our offensive coordinator, Aaron Roderick, and what he has planned for us. This offseason, I’ve really learned that it’s all about the team. When you focus on others and get the culture to come together, you’ll actually perform better yourself.”

On the strengths of a veteran receiver room (ESPNU)

“We’ve played together before; we’ve made plays together before. There’s no stage we’re not ready for. We know the offense and the defensive schemes better. That’s going to be huge for us this year.”

On the importance of giving back to the community as a team (ESPNU)

“It’s about so much more than football. When you come together as a team and put God and others first, then it rolls into the season and onto the field. People will see that as we play on the field with physicality. After we knock the opponent down, we’re going to help them up. That’s the love and learn mentality that Coach Sitake talks about. It’s not soft, it’s more physical. I always think that the toughest guy to ever walk the earth was Jesus Christ. If we can emulate Him, then we’ll be the best team out there.”

On the importance of his faith (ESPNU)

“It’s a huge part of everything for me. I try to put God first in everything I do. When I do that, it makes me confident on the field. Instead of relying on myself, I know that I’ve put my trust in God, then He’s going to lead and guide me to where He wants me to be.”

On the outcome of last year (KSL Sports Zone)

“I think everyone was disappointed with the outcome of the season. We still did a lot of amazing things, and looking back it’s all learning. The first year in the Big 12, there’s a lot of unknowns but now going into year two, we’ve figured it out. This offseason was absolutely amazing. So we’re just excited for year two.”

On the amount of work going into Year Two of the Big 12 (KSL Sports Zone)

“It’s nonstop. It’s not only the physical work, getting stronger and faster but the mental side of things, really being able to slow things down when you step on the field and I think that’s the biggest thing we’re gonna see with a better group going into next year.”

On connecting with new transfers (KSL Sports Zone)

“I feel like whenever someone transfers here or comes in and you follow them on Instagram, you’re really showing them that hey, you’re on our team, you’re part of this program, and we love each other. We’re brothers. And day one you wanna go meet, you wanna go throw, and it’s just right then you get it going and then it rolls from there, you know you try to meet up every other day, get the timing down, go to lunch, and just make it so they feel that they’re part of this brotherhood.”

On moving forward (KSL Sports Zone)

“What we’ve been doing in this offseason is a little different than the past. We’re meeting up everyday as a receiver core and we’re going through plays. I think the biggest thing is alignment and getting it right right off the bat, and the play will take care of itself. We’ve got some athletic dudes that are gonna make plays, so if we can fix those little things, which is what we’ve been emphasizing in the offseason. Spending an hour a day just getting together as a wide receiver core and lining up, being three deep and you know, making it so we’re confident in putting anybody in so we can do what we need to do.

On working with Retzlaff and the other quarterbacks in the offseason

“We’ve traveled to California for two weeks, we’ve gone all over the place to get that timing down, not only with him, but with all the quarterbacks. Being able to be confident in whoever steps on the field in the season opener, we’ll be ready to go because we’ve put in the work.”

What he learned from year one in the Big 12 (Behind the Mic with Greg Wrubell)

“Adversity is our greatest teacher and we faced a lot of it last year. We handled some of it okay and handled a good amount of it poorly. Now we understand how it feels to move week-to-week through a conference. We know that any team can win on any given week. I think we will improve a lot this season simply from experience. Now that the team has gone through a Big 12 schedule we can go in with a lot more confidence knowing what that day-to-day, week to week is going to feel like and how we need to attack it mentally and physically.”

On his optimism for this season (Behind the Mic with Greg Wrubell)

“I’m optimistic for the season because guys like Tyler Batty and myself have been through a lot, lots of starts, multiple coaches, and I think we understand a little better how to handle that and keep the guys together. Bringing in new guys on the offensive side of the ball as well as the discipline we have had from the new strength coaches during the offseason makes me a lot more optimistic for the season. Obviously this is power football. This is the Big 12 and anything can happen. I feel we are much more suited to handle the rigors of a conference schedule this year.”

On expectations this year (Behind the Mic with Greg Wrubell)

“I’m very eager to exceed expectations. The media can rank us wherever they want but that is not our concern. Our concern is playing the best football we can and we believe that we can win every game on our schedule and that is what we are going to set out to do.”

On the future of the offensive line (Behind the Mic with Greg Wrubell)

“We have some young guys who are very promising, they may lack in game experience but they have a ton of talent so I am pretty optimistic about the future of the position group.”

On the quarterback battle (Behind the Mic with Greg Wrubell)

“Both Jake [Retzlaff] and Gerry [Bohanon] have different strengths so it is going to be fun to watch them compete as we go into fall camp because competition makes everybody better. They have done a good job of leading together and pushing each other because both of them want that job so badly and it will only make whoever earns that job that much better.”

On new offensive line coach TJ Woods (KSL Sports Zone)

“It feels a lot like when Coach [Jeff] Grimes and Coach [Eric] Mateos were here. Just the detail of the technique and the consistency of what we’re being coached on every day made a huge difference. Spring ball was our first time actually getting a chance to go out and execute what he was teaching. I felt that, on an arguably less talented offensive line than we’ve had in the past, we probably performed better in spring ball than in years past because of that. That makes me really optimistic for the season.”

On freshman offensive lineman Joe Brown (KSL Sports Zone)

“I don’t know if he will end up starting this year, but he’s going to be a staple on the offensive line for years to come. I’ve known Joe since he was little. He played at Lone Peak with my little brother, who just joined the team, too. It’s just been fun to watch Joe grow up.I think the biggest thing for him will just be learning the details of the game, learning how to play offensive line at the Division I level. Once he figures out how to do it, he’s got every physical thing. He wants to execute it; he just has to learn how.”

On being an offensive lineman (KSL Sports Zone)

“Offensive line is so intricate. It’s the most unnatural position in football. You have to master things that your body isn't really designed to do. You have to block someone who’s typically a better athlete than you, and you have to go backwards. I got to meet with [Coach Woods] a few times while he was being interviewed. At that point, I was still on the fence about whether I was going to just take my chances and declare for the draft or whether I was going to transfer to a different school. After I met with him a few times and he kind of outlined his plan for me and for our offensive line, I said, ‘Okay, I want to be around for this.’ And it’s been awesome. He’s exceeded all my expectations so far.”

 

On the experience of Big 12 Media Day (KSL Sports Zone)

“It’s a blessing that we get this opportunity to come out here at Allegiant Stadium. It’s a beautiful stadium. It’s nice getting to meet other teams, other players and coaches, just talking to them and getting a feel for how they are, how they operate over there, and then give them a glimpse of what we do. The whole thing has just been great. It’s sad it only lasts one day and not a few, but it’s been a great experience.”

On improving as receivers from last year (KSL Sports Zone)

“The standards never change. [Coach Sitake] is not going to change. He holds us to a high pillar because we’re probably the most experienced group on the team. So any time we do something, a little mistake, he rips on us. That’s what you need to coach, somebody that’s just going to get on you. That shows that he cares. It’s not just about you; it’s about the team. When you make minor mistakes, it hurts the team, so we have to be better.”

On doing something outside of the “norm” as receivers (KSL Sports Zone)

“I feel like we’re not just taught to play one position at outside. We play both. I guess that’s probably the most that we ever did where we had to go learn something else sometimes…We have to know everything.”

On the preparation that goes into crazy receptions (KSL Sports Zone)

“I feel like it’s more of a feel type of thing. Your body reacts on its own. You don’t really think about it too much. It just happens naturally. Nowadays, people do practice catches with one hand but in game time, you’re never thinking, ‘Okay, I’m going to go up there and jump and grab it with one hand.’ Your body just moves on its own.”

On what has changed going into Year Two at BYU (ESPN 960)

“I feel like going out there and meeting with the quarterbacks and knowing how they like to play, what throws they like to make and build that connection early. I didn't really get to have a spring last year with Kedon because I got here in the summer. So I knew I had to pick up fast. I had to know his tendencies and know what balls he liked to throw in certain situations. I feel like now that I have a year under my belt, everybody has seen like, ‘Okay, he can do this. I know we need to make a play. I know who I can look for because I know I can count on him.’ So that's the biggest thing to know that the quarterback, whoever it's going to be, that they know they can count on me to go out there and make a play.”

On quarterback room (ESPN 960)

“I feel like each of them brings their own game to what we need. I feel like any of them could run our offense. It's a complicated offense to run. Gerry [Bohanon] brings a different dynamic to the game. He has the ability to run and to expand the game for us. A lot of people say we didn't have that last year. Jake [Retzlaff] didn’t have a single turnover this Spring, so he's taking care of the ball better. Treyson [Bourguet] just learned the system too but I feel like he throws the deep ball as well as any of them. McCae [Hillstead] just got here and he wants to work. He's eager to work each and every day. You can tell he’s got a chip on his shoulder and he wants to prove himself. I feel like he’s got the ability to go out there and do that.”

 

On what he learned about the Big 12 after Year One (KSL Sports Zone)

“I love it. That's what I've learned about it. I love the camaraderie, I love the partnerships, I love the people, I love the energy and I love the fan bases. It's a totally different situation from other conferences. If you go to Gonzaga, they've got a fan base that's out of this world. If I go back to the Mountain West Conference, San Diego State and BYU had a rivalry, or the University of Hawai'i, you remember those games, but in the Big 12, every single game, their fan base is ready to go. Their fan bases just bring this energy, this fire and the meaning of each game. I love that part of the Big 12, and the competition. Every time you play someone in the Big 12, home or road, any sport, it could be a toss-up.”

 

On his role in connecting the bridge between BYU Athletics, BYU, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (ESPN 960)

“One of the great benefits of having an athletic program connected to a university that is connected to the church is the public space that athletics operates in. It has a platform that very few entities connected to the church have, as well as the audience. We try to embrace that.  We're trying to be more deliberate about how we message and ensure that our strategy is aligned to that message. The world of intercollegiate athletics has been turned upside down the last few years and there is a search for a new model. We will have to make some adjustments and we are making some adjustments. But whatever those adjustments are, that can't move us away from our foundational strategy to align with the mission of the church. At BYU, we talk about educating for eternity. We think about the development of a person, not just while they're on our campus, but all throughout this life and beyond. In athletics, we talk about it in simple terms. We talk about developing distinctive and competitive athletic programs that are founded on the principles of Jesus Christ. We want successful athletic programs, but they have to be distinctive. They have to present themselves as being consistent with the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. So, while we think about the dynamics and how things are changing, we can't move away from that, and in some ways we actually believe this is a great opportunity for us to even lean further into that.”

On BYU Athletics being a missionary tool (ESPN 960)

“We believe deeply that you can have a competitive program that is founded on the gospel of Jesus Christ. The world would suggest that you have to separate those two things and that it is sort of one or the other. We don’t believe that. We have seen plenty of evidence that when done well, that can actually lead to success on the field or court. We are not perfect at it and we make mistakes along the way, but every day, week and season, we make sure that we are headed toward that particular standard. That is what drives us.”

On joining the Big 12 (ESPN 960)

“We have loved this opportunity joining the Big 12 and the opportunity that it gives us to introduce ourselves to a whole new population that knows very little about BYU, let alone the church itself. Athletics has provided this magnificent platform for us to get to know people in those areas and get to know people associated with the sports.”

On BYUtv Big Stories (EPSN 960)

“We have had multiple university presidents whom have seen those stories and sent it out to their whole campus and alumni and have ended up getting multiple millions of views. They can’t believe that there is a university that would take their resources, time and energy to tell another’s story. The response has been overwhelming. We have had presidents respond in surprise that a university would treat an athletic event in the way that BYU does. They have said they are grateful to have us in the conference to show that these things can be done in a way that brings people together even when we are competing hard on the field.”