BYU Head Coach Kalani Sitake on the CFP, Notre Dame and Big 12 Expectations | Sports Illustrated

Brian Fisher here for Sports Illustrated Big 12 Media Day joined by BYU head coach Kelani Satake.

Kelani, it's always that time of year where you, you, you can see it right around the corner in terms of football is here.

How excited are you about this season?

Yeah, I mean, uh, this means that it's right around the corner and fall camp's right around the corner.

So, uh, you know, all us coaches have vacation right now, so vacation goes by really quickly, and, um, I'm, I'm excited.

I mean, Uh, before we know it, the, the first game will arrive.

I, I, I know you, I know you were, you were pretty chummy there with, with Joey McGuire, and, and you have been.

I know you guys are close friends.

What was it like going through just seeing from afar what he went through this whole summer?

Yeah, I mean, you know, just, just, I'm friends with all the coaches and, uh , because they're good people, and so that, for me to connect with them, uh, makes a lot of sense and, and.

Uh, if anyone's knowing what I'm going through, it's, it's the other head coaches.

And so, having these opportunities to be in Big 12 meetings with every one of them and, and seeing some things, I mean, we're able to, to, to talk a lot about the, the state of college football, how everyone's taking advantage of what they can, um, what the, what the rules are, and how we're trying to, you know, predict what's gonna happen.

I mean, that's, It's a lot of fun, but it's, it's a lot more fun when you do it with people that are like-minded, that are in the same business as you.

I mean, you had to handle two years ago, an offseason departure as, as your quarterback.

How from, from just a, from a roster standpoint, from a team standpoint, how do you handle losing a guy like that?

Yeah, I mean, I think they have, uh, you know, Will Hammond's a really good player.

So, uh, the, the one thing I do know about Texas Tech, they have, um, amazing talent, and, uh, they don't, they don't, it's never about one person.

They have a great, uh, team unit, and it's, it's a culture that Joey's been able to provide for, for them there and the success they have is, is because of his leadership.

And so, um, you combine that with the, with their athletic director, with Kirby, with everybody that's involved, uh, I, I think they have a really good chance.

I mean, you're looking at the conference that has so much parity and so it's, it's, uh.

You know, nobody's been able to repeat for a number of years, and so I'm hoping they don't either, you know what I mean?

But, but if anyone can, it'll be that team and it'll be with Joey as, as a leader.

I mean, you guys have come so close, not only to winning the Big 12 the last couple of years, but, but getting into that college football playoff.

Do you, do you feel like you have that team to, to take that next step?

Yeah, I'm, I'm not worried about um those things.

I, I, I need it, every year I need to get these guys to be at their best.

That's all.

I can't control how good the other teams are too.

And so, um, you know, our focus isn't really about the result and what we're trying to accomplish.

It's, if we can just be at our best and focus on that, we can live with the results.

And I, I, I think that mindset has been really good for us since we've been in the, in the, In the Big 12 in this conference, and so, uh, I'm just hoping that, you know, that, that, that'll hold true this year.

We'll see how, how it looks at the end of the year.

But, uh, being having that, that focus and mindset has been really good for us.

Where's that, where's that growth coming from, on your roster?

Who, who's, who's stepping up, you know, from the offseason workouts?

Well, it helps having a quarterback that's returning, you know, um, last year everybody was wondering who the quarterback was going to be.

Uh, this year, we know who it is, we know our, our situation, we know, uh, the depth that we have in that room.

We have a lot of capable players that, that are, can play for us at QB, um, but it's just a matter of there's a lot of talent, there's just a lot of names that people haven't heard of before because, uh, they're kind of brand new, you know, but we have a lot of guys that have, uh, experience playing, they're just not household names yet, and they, they will be, but You know, next year we'll find something else to pick on, uh, with BYU that, that, you know, we're deficient at or, or people don't know about.

Some changes on, on defense, obviously with coordinator changes and new faces and all that.

What, what, what can we expect out of that side of the ball for you?

Yeah, I think we have to expect the same kind of production and, and, um, we have a lot of returning starters there, a lot of guys that have playing experience to work with, and, and I knew Kelly Pepino's gonna be a great, uh, coordinator, um, and I, that's who I handpicked from the beginning.

I, I knew that he would be a Someone that if we possibly lost Jay Hill, I, I plan on Jay Hill becoming a head coach sometime soon and for his departure.

So, you know, we knew this was a possibility.

And the fact that it's here now, I feel like it was an easy transition.

And then we're able to add some really good coaches to complement his , his style.

So I feel really good about everything from spring until now and Uh, we'll just have to wait and see, but, but, uh, I feel really, uh, confident in his, his skills as a leader.

How, how weird is it for you, for somebody who's, who's worked with Kyle Whittingham, who plays, it seems like every time you guys play, it's a classic.

How weird is it to see, not see him in, in the state?

Yeah, it's, it's, uh, different, um, you know, but he, he's, uh, he looks good in blue.

I can tell you that, you know.

So, um, uh, and, and, you know, being a BYU football player and, and, uh, You know, it's been, it's been cool to see the things that he was able to do at Utah.

I worked for him there for, for a decade and so, um, it's nice that it's a good friend of mine that's the head coach at Utah now.

And, um, I went from having a, a, a good friend and mentor as a head coach and now another good friend and, uh, and, uh, as a head coach.

And so it's, it's gonna be a lot of fun.

It doesn't mean that we, it makes it easier, you know.

So all these things are difficult, but I just like that the rivalry game's back on the schedule.

Um, And that it's just something that we can count on every year.

Speaking of the schedule, a lot of people are circling that Notre Dame game.

I, I know it kind of came together quickly, but, but how excited are you for that ?

And truthfully, how much do you expect that to be kind of a make or break in terms of your playoff, uh, resume?

Yeah, nothing's make or break.

I mean, you know, we have 12 opponents that we know are on the schedule.

Obviously, the coaching speak is that do it one week at a time.

But we see all 12 and where they all fall and um we, we made plans for us to try to be at our best at all 12 of those.

And uh when that time comes, I'll focus on that.

But right now, we're focused on getting the whole team ready and getting some, we have a lot of work to do in the last month before we get to fall camp.

Um, so we'll, we'll, we'll go in the phases that it comes and not have our eyes fixed on, on one thing.

I mean, that's, we gotta be where our feet are and, and, and these young men understand that and luckily, I get to coach guys that That actually live it and I don't have to teach it to them.

You have had quite a bit of roster turnover, especially, you know, last year, I think you had 160 plus new, new faces.

How have you kind of been managing that and, and also, how much of a focus is it for you after you get through that to, to have that retention piece in place?

Yeah, I think the, the having the foundation of, of, uh, a good number of players that understand the system and have been there and worked through it, the some of the guys that we get in the portal are guys that, that we actually We should have got before, you know, we, we messed it up either we didn't evaluate them right and correctly and didn't see that they're actually better than they were.

And that so I give them a lot of credit for giving us another chance and then for us to, to, um, to, to, to recruit guys that, that already know what we're all about and they want that environment.

The system, they want that locker room at BYU.

So that's that's always been a really positive thing for us.

BYU has been in the press a lot, especially athletically, for your success on the football field.

We've seen what men's basketball has done, certainly a lot of other sports.

What is, what is the secret ingredient there in Provo that's kind of led to this moment to have success like it has been?

We have amazing support and the fan base is unbelievable, so.

To have fans show up for games on the road, no matter what the sport is, uh, for football, it's been amazing.

I can imagine for all the other sports, the, the support and the, uh, the, the buy-in and the love that they have for, uh, BYU athletics is something that's special.

So, uh, as a football coach, I appreciate all our fans.

How excited were you?

The Big 12 had a, had a nice , uh, fullback for that, uh, first team preseason.

Yeah, I mean, the fullbacks are, are, uh, fullbacks, they're rare.

Yeah, yeah, but they, they obviously, uh, They can get some things done, you know, um, but yeah, I, I, I'm just proud that, that our, our first, my first touchdown as a head coach was done by a fullback.

And so we can, whatever happens from here on out, we're, we're good to go with.

But going year 11, I'm really proud that, that, the, you know, old linemen, fullbacks, the, the unsung heroes get some credit.

Year 11, I mean , you mentioned that, is that clicked in your mind like you, you've been there that long?

I feel really old right now, yeah, but, uh.

But I'm really grateful and thankful that I get to be at my alma mater, a school that I love, and, uh, you know, to be here and, and to do things that Lavelle did for me and, and all my other teammates and, and people that played for Lavelle, uh, the years passes, guys in, in college football, like Steve Sarkisian, Kyle Whittingham, uh, myself and others that played for Lavelle, and then Andy Reid was the one that played for Lavelle.

And so there's, He's got a great influence in, um, in football altogether, whether it's the NFL or, or college, and I'm, I'm glad that he's a mentor of mine.

Well, exciting times there in Provo, and I'm sure we'll be out for a bunch of games, uh, this year, given how good your team is.

That is Kelani Sataki, the BYU head coach here at Big 12 Media Days with Sports Illustrated.