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BYU football coach Kalani Sitake said the 10th-ranked Cougars try to stay “hungry and humble” as they sport their 5-0 record and high domestic ranking in the game. Saturday’s rivalry with Boise State at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
The kick-off is at 1:30 p.m. and the 12th meeting of these regional rivals will be televised by ABC. BYU is doing its best to cut down on the noise that accompanied his unexpected departure, a start that has seen the Cougars lead end to end in all five games.
Sitake is obviously also trying to keep quiet about his situation as a starting quarterback for the showdown after substitute Baylor Romney left BYU’s 34-20 final victory over Utah State on Friday with a concussion and rookie Jacob Conover, the third stringer, played the entire second half. .
In his Monday press briefing before the Cougars practice, Sitake provided few details on Romney’s or season-opener Jaren Hall’s status, which comes as no surprise.
“As to when, they’re still in the running to play this Saturday,” he said of Hall, Romney and Conover, who were in that order on the BYU depth chart released Monday. “So until we practice and watch them, no one has been taken off (the depth board). So for now, starting today, everyone is still available to play.
Sitake usually only discusses injuries if they’re late in the season, and he said there weren’t any that fit that description in the Utah State game.
“We’ll see how the training goes and (choose) which one gives us the best chance of winning. That position, the quarterback, (is like) all the other positions out there where guys are always trying to come back from injuries and things like that. So O line, quarterback, running back, it doesn’t matter, ”Sitake said. “All positions go through the same protocol – which is the practice, and if you can practice, we’ll assess what situation we’re going to be in on match day. “
Because Romney is almost certainly in concussion protocol – and players rarely return from concussions in less than a week to 10 days – the second year in the red shirt from El Paso, Texas, probably won’t be ready. .
The question is whether Hall – who suffered rib bruises in the dying minutes of the 27-17 win over Arizona State – can play after Sitake said he was “close” to playing against the Aggies.
“I have always said it: we will protect our players, and sometimes even themselves,” Sitake said.
Later Monday, Boise State coach Andy Avalos told reporters covering BYU in a teleconference that the Broncos, after a disheartening 41-31 loss to Nevada, would prepare for the three with the belief that the Cougars offense wouldn’t really change depending on who the appellant is.
“They are all going to operate the offense effectively. We know they are all capable of doing it, ”said Avalos. “Some are a little more athletic than others when it comes to the quarterback’s running game. … Week after week, when teams have multiple shifts, this is usually the one (there are) that you absolutely need to consider in the racing game.
In BYU’s case, that would be Hall, the second-best rusher (55.3 yards per game) behind RB star Tyler Allgeier (112.8 yards per game).
“You put them all together and get ready to face an attack that has the ability to be explosive on the pitch in the passing game, has the ability to move the line of scrimmage,” Avalos said. “And you’re facing an offense that has the ability to have a quarterback (put a) race number. And this is how we have to be prepared, so we are ready to deal with any situation that may arise. “
Offensive linemen Harris LaChance and James Empey also missed the USU game and were replaced by Connor Pay (center) and Campbell Barrington (right tackle). Empey and LaChance were both back on top of both depths in their respective positions on Monday; Joe Tukuafu and Pay are listed as co-starters in the right guard, a position they’ve mostly held in the previous four games.
“The guys are always assaulted and the guys are trying to come back. We’ll see how it goes, ”Sitake said. “It’s hard to predict Monday before a Saturday game. But I imagine we’ll get more guys back this week. We hope.
Kicker Jake Oldroyd has only played for the second time in five games against the Aggies, and is now listed as the only starting kicker, as he shared that distinction with Justen Smith in previous depth charts.
Speaking on “Coordinators’ Corner”, special teams coordinator Ed Lamb said Oldroyd would likely be a daily decision for most of the season with past issues coming and going.
Defensively, the Cougars got linemen Tyler Batty and Atunaisa Mahe and cornerback Isaiah Herron last Friday and saw Frodo (that’s really a position on the BYU depth chart) George Udo play extensively for the first. times in almost a year.
“We like our depth,” Sitake said. “We have to get the guys back healthy though. Our depth has already been sufficiently tested. It’s time to get guys back. But I’m really happy with the guys who stepped in and made plays. “
Sitake and Avalos have both said they would like the BYU-Boise State series to continue, even though the now-independent Cougars are set to enter the Big 12 in 2023 and will need to significantly reduce their non-conference games.
“I really enjoyed the consistency of playing against Boise every year,” Sitake said. “And I appreciate their fan base and their schedule, just the way they do things. I think it’s a top-notch organization, from the college to the athletics department to the football team. I respect them a lot and we are looking forward to this game. “
He called the Broncos a “dangerous opponent” who played a difficult schedule.
“I’m glad they stepped up and played us last year,” Sitake said. “It was great of them to do that. They didn’t have to, you know (because of the pandemic). I respect them for doing this.
Despite this being his first year as Boise State head coach, after replacing Auburn-linked Bryan Harsin, Avalos played for BSU and faced the Cougars when the series began in the early 2000s.
“This series has been amazing for this region,” said Avalos. “It’s always a hotly contested game, a very physical game. I think it’s a game that both fans look forward to every year. It’s an incredible regional rivalry game that hopefully over the years we can continue to seize this opportunity. “
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