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When BYU offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes was asked earlier this week why he wanted quarterbacks head coach Aaron Roderick to be part of his staff, Grimes joked, "For this game."
Roderick, for his part, has acknowledged that his familiarity with Utah will not change the game.
"They are really good," said Roderick. "A lot of teams know them very well and play them every year, but they can not score. There may be something here or there that could help, but they are good and we have some work to do. "
Some of the coaches in Utah have played or coached football at BYU. As head coach, Kyle Whittingham was a linebacker from 1978 to 1981, linebackers Justin Ena and Freddie Whittingham also played football for the Cougars. Ute receiver coach Guy Holliday did the same for BYU before going to Utah.
Roderick, Cougar head coach Kalani Sitake, and BYU defender coordinator Ilaisa Tuiaki have all been coaching Ute's staff under Whittingham.
"I've learned a lot," said Roderick. "Kyle is a great coach and I learned a lot from him, just like Kalani. He is as good as he can. He is one of the best coaches in college football and I have learned a lot. "
Roderick had been in Utah for 12 years and said he was expecting it to be strange to be in the dressing room of the visitors at the Rice-Eccles stadium on Saturday.
"It will probably be weird," said Roderick. "I still live about a mile and a half away. It will be strange to walk there as a visitor because I stayed there a long time. "
He saw the Cougar-Ute rivalry on either side of the field and said he loved it.
"It's big," said Roderick. "It's big every year. It's not like other games. It's a great game and we can not wait to play. There is so much excitement and passion in this state for this rivalry. I have been on both sides. No matter which side I was on, I wanted to win. You want to win for your players, coaches and their families, and of course for fans who give everything for them. You feel obliged to give everything.
The BYU coaching message before Saturday's match was that, regardless of the links and relationships between the two staffs, the outcome depended on what the players did on the field.
"I personally know coach Whittingham, but football is still football and it's up to the players," Sitake said. "I think he will say the same thing. I do not know if there is a ploy that football coaches do not know and do not know. We know each other well, but other than that, players do not have the story we have. They have to go out, play the game and run. It's going down to these guys. We know each other well as coaches, but we are not the ones who play. "
Cougar's players sent a message in the first half with their inspired performance, but BYU coaches also put them in positions to succeed.
A surprise return
Just a week after the BYU football team announced that senior defensive lineman Corbin Kaufusi would be out for the season due to injury, he was back on the field with the Cougars.
Kaufusi ended up playing significant minutes and tied for the first half of the draws with four. His presence in lobbying the background made a big difference for BYU.
Go to the area Three different Cougars scored in the first half for BYU.
Sophomore's distant receiver Neil Pau'u scored on a 10-yard pass, his first TD of the season and the third of his career. Cougar, tight star Matt Bushman has found himself in the end zone for the second time in 2018 with a 26-yard pass for TD, the fifth of his career.
Finally, Matt Hadley scored on a 1-meter dive to finish the mark in the second quarter, his fifth this season.
Another block FG
The Cougars added another goal to their total in the second quarter, while BYU's sophomore Khyiris Tonga got a good helping hand and scored Matt Gay's goal in the 54-meter mark.
Cougar opponents now have 6 goals out of 18 in total this year. BYU entered the No. 2 game of the nation as a percentage of opposing goals.
Bonus points
The Cougars lost the draw after a tail call and Utah deferred, giving the ball to BYU first. It was the twelfth streak in the draw this season … The captains of the Cougar team belonged to the defense: Sione Takitaki and Butch Pau … The flags of the former students were made by Daniel Sorensen (DB , 2008, 11-13), Kai Nacua (DB, 2013-2016), Devin Mahina (TE, 2010-14) and Reno Mahe (WR, 1998-99, 01-02). Adam Pulsipher carried the American flag, Matt Hadley, the flag of Utah, while Merrill Taliauli, Ului Lapuaho and Lorenzo Fauatea carried the flags of the team … The weather of the match was announced as being cool and partly cloudy.
Jared Lloyd, sports reporter at the Daily Herald can be reached at 801-344-2555 or [email protected]. Twitter: @JaredrLloyd. Instagram: @JaredrLloyd.
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