BYU’s spring football is exactly what one might anticipate from a Kalani Sitake squad coming off a bowl victory and with busloads of returning starters.
The mood is cheerful, the weather is nice, and there is a positive ambiance.
Sitake is exactly how you’d expect a coach to feel after signing a large contract extension. He prevailed in the post-Penn State wooing. This gives him influence over present players and potential recruits. And the administration.
His message was: be humble and hungry.
It has a noticeable abundance of trust.
Kelly Poppinga, Jay Hill’s replacement, is leading Bronco Mendenhall’s pursuit exercises, demanding maximum effort and accountability from defenders as they sprint to get into position.
Offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick is deciding how to employ new weapons such as 6-foot-6 Oregon transfer receiver Kyler Kasper and two tight ends similar to Ryan Carsen, USC transfer Walker Lyons and Oregon transfer Roger Saleapaga II.
“I feel really good about the team,” Sitake told reporters earlier this week.
“Obviously, we still have a long way to go, but it’s great to have quarterbacks that already understand what we’re doing, and being able to see Bear (Bachmeier), his command of the offense is really nice. I mean, it gives you a lot more confidence entering the season. ”
It is difficult to make detailed observations when only exposed to a spring practice session for a few minutes. However, you may sense the mood. Even with partial pads, you can see route trees, cuts, receptions, defensive interventions, and footwork. What you can’t see is the physicality of a full-bore hitting session, in which strength and speed are used. Football.
You can see how well Sione Moa’s rehab is progressing without any blows, which is encouraging.
The new students, many of them freshmen, are interesting. Guys like receivers Legend Glasker from Lehi, Terrance Saryon from Portland, and Trey Roberts from American Fork.
You see and hear from veteran wide receiver JoJo Phillips, who is stretching his inner self to stand up and be a leader in the absence of Chase Roberts, using his voice to speak up to his squad.
This squad appears to be quicker and more athletic, however those assessments are best validated by game action while wearing pads, which we did not witness. And when it happens, several important starters will get little to no reps for safety concerns.
Sitake knows that he will have to improve on his 12-win program from 2025 this season. He knows that Texas Tech, the only team to defeat his club last year, is retooling from the portal, so he has wisely brought in transfer components. Otherwise, he will remain with every eligible returning starter except Parker Kingston.
This spring, a major topic will be how Poppinga will function in place of Jay Hill, as Hill’s participation on the team (recruiting, strategy) was transformative for Sitake.
Poppinga’s elder brother Brady, a former Mendenhall protégé and Green Bay Packer player, made intriguing remarks on ESPNTheFan 960 radio on March 10. Brady has always been a fascinating source for the press since his playing days as a Cougar.
“What stands out to me is that you have guys stacking years,” Brady said. You’ve got guys who maybe dipped their toes last year or joined the program last year. Now, all of a sudden, you reset the installation, reconsider your comfort level with certain topics, and an attack is aimed at you.
“That’s how Bear appears right now—he’s simply in the flow, which is enjoyable to watch. He is growing more comfortable with his tight end additions, as well as Kyler Kasper on the outside. “
Brady has been pleased with Kasper, corroborating what other onlookers have noticed.
“Kasper looks fantastic. The Oregon native and big-time receiver has excelled in the fade game. He’s also proved capable at route running in the short area.
“I also like how the receivers have been quite excellent at adapting to man versus zone — identifying dead spots in zone, recognizing leverage points in man, and running away from help rather than toward it.
“Those are minor subtleties that I’m not sure we saw a lot of last year. But that makes sense, since you had guys still learning and becoming comfortable with the quarterback. “That’s very much behind them now. “
Sitake noted that Bachmeier has spent a lot of time with receivers and that his offensive line coach has eight to ten guys that he would gladly rotate.
“We’re facing excellent competition,” said Sitake, who added that kicker Matthias Dunn is another Will Ferrin in the making.
Sitake said that recovering Big 12 leading rusher LJ Martin is limited, but he is practicing and helping out. “He’s faster than ever. “
He is also “thankful” that his team redshirted Oklahoma State defensive tackle Justin Kirkland, since he will take up a large place on the line with his stature in a block-eating scheme.
Right after practice, after meeting with the media, Sitake shuffled over to meet with a family of special visitors for a photo op, with players and coaches fulfilling other interview requests.
Yes, indeed. Except for missing troubled receiver Kingston due to legal issues, this spring, so far, can be labeled a sugar bowl, a Pop-Tarts hangover.
