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BYU soccer coach Kalani Sitake didn't mince phrases when the Cougars bought again collectively a pair weeks after their 31-28 loss to unheralded UAB within the Independence Bowl.
“We aren't pleased with the way in which we ended the season,” Sitake advised the Deseret Information Friday. “I've (relayed that message) to the gamers and coaches, the workforce. They know precisely my ideas going into this spring, and going into subsequent fall.”
BYU begins spring practices Monday within the Indoor Follow Facility on campus. Sitake and his workers will conduct three practices per week for 5 weeks — usually on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Groups are allowed 15 practices in spring camp, with the ultimate apply slated for March 31, which can also be alumni day. The Cougars will carry weights and have movie periods on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Sitake stated he isn't certain but whether or not they are going to have a spring intrasquad sport or scrimmage in entrance of the general public, for a wide range of causes.
“I've to take a look at the workforce’s (scenario) and see what sort of depth we are able to put out on the sector,” he stated.
The coach stated that “a technique or one other” the Cougars could have an occasion for followers this spring. Particulars are nonetheless being labored out.
“We could have plenty of various kinds of competitors on the sector,” he stated. “It doesn’t need to all be 11-on-11 stuff. It may be some drives and a few drills, and a few 7-on-7 offers. And we are able to additionally work on tackling with among the drills we've got there.”
‘Simply maintain working’
The Cougars entered spring camp the previous two seasons with one thing to show. They'd a chip-on-our-shoulder angle in 2020 after they went 7-6 in every of the earlier two seasons. They sought extra validation in 2021 after critics stated their 11-1 file and No. 11 end within the ultimate Related Press High 25 ballot was the results of a straightforward, COVID-altered schedule.
What’s the theme this spring, after BYU went 10-3 and knocked off six Energy 5 groups in 2021?
“I believe it is extremely much like what we've got stated in previous years — simply maintain working,” Sitake stated. “We nonetheless have plenty of work to do.”
When the Cougars reconvened in January just a few days after star operating again Tyler Allgeier declared for the NFL draft, Sitake says he witnessed “an enormous enthusiasm to get higher, and a large amount of motivation, and a large amount of care to carry out higher.”
That loss to the Blazers by which BYU’s depleted and injury-ravaged protection struggled to get off the sector resulted in plenty of self-scouting and an examination of how the Cougars can keep more healthy and get deeper shifting ahead.
“We're holding the identical mindset (of not being glad), but additionally elevating our expectations and our calls for of one another, and actually, actually doubling down on our tradition,” Sitake stated. “That's going to be the important thing.”
Sitake takes a 48-29 profession file into his seventh spring camp as BYU’s coach, and a new “unprecedented” contract he signed final Dec. 10. He's 21-4 the previous two seasons.
“We're by no means going to be a program that's complacent and looks like we've got arrived,” he stated.
‘Competitors goes to be key’
A phrase that can be heard rather a lot the following 5 weeks is “competitors,” Sitake stated.
Each place will theoretically be contested, though fifth-year junior Jaren Corridor is the presumptive beginning quarterback. Offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick advised the Deseret Information just a few weeks in the past that Corridor is wholesome sufficient to compete in spring camp however gained’t do rather a lot as a result of he's a identified commodity.
“For us, spring practices are a option to get our workforce working actually, very well collectively as a gaggle, with all of the returning starters that we've got on offense, after which including the brand new guys to it,” Sitake stated. “Competitors goes to be the important thing.”
With plenty of returning starters on each side of the ball and particular groups, Sitake stated the objective is to perform at a excessive and environment friendly degree, but additionally give youthful gamers an opportunity to point out what they'll do with and towards confirmed first-stringers.
“Youthful guys have to show themselves, and present that they'll match their potential and that they've the grit and the work ethic to get it achieved,” he stated.
Sitake may also be searching for guys to step up off the sector and fill the management void that resulted when Allgeier, heart James Empey, receivers Neil Pau’u and Samson Nacua and defensive finish Uriah Leiataua moved on.
“I do know we misplaced some guys, however I would like leaders to step up and maintain one another accountable,” he stated. “We now have a sure customary that we function below, whether or not that's on offense, protection or particular groups, there's a sure customary that we have to accomplish, and spring ball is an enormous a part of getting there.”
Listed below are 5 storylines to observe as spring camp unfolds:
• The race to be Jaren Corridor’s backup
Apart from 2020, when Zach Wilson stayed wholesome your complete season and emerged because the eventual No. 2 choose within the 2021 NFL draft by the New York Jets, the previous half-dozen or so years have proven that BYU will want a number of quarterbacks to get by means of a season.
Baylor Romney’s unsurprising departure for a profession within the working world leaves a gaping gap within the race to be Corridor’s backup in 2022. The 2 major candidates are former four-star recruit Jacob Conover of Chandler, Arizona, and Boise State switch Cade Fennegan, who grew up in Dallas, Texas.
“We really feel actually good about our quarterback, and be ok with what's behind him, and the fellows that may most likely push him for enjoying time,” Sitake stated.
Roderick stated Conover, Fennegan, Sol-Jay Maiava-Peters and Nick Billoups be part of Corridor within the crowded quarterbacks room, however acknowledged the previous two have barely extra taking part in expertise.
“These guys are good gamers,” he stated. “Conover has been in this system a few years now, and Fennegan has been right here since final summer time. So these guys know the offense nicely and they're each going to get reps this spring. … We all know sufficient about Jaren now — we have to develop who the No. 2 man is, who the No. 3 man is, and go from there. I'm excited to see how that battle performs out.”
• Changing the nice Tyler Allgeier
Allgeier’s announcement by way of social media on Dec. 28 that he'll hand over his ultimate season of eligibility at BYU and declare for April’s NFL draft was not sudden. But it surely does create a pair attention-grabbing questions for the Cougars. Who will substitute the college’s single-season speeding chief? And can they do it by committee, or establish a again who can fill Allgeier’s footwear?
One reply got here on Jan. 5, as Cal RB Christopher Brooks dedicated to BYU and instantly enrolled. Brooks, who rushed for 1,734 yards and 14 touchdowns and caught 50 passes for 345 yards in three seasons with the Bears, seems sturdy sufficient to be the workhorse. He’s 6-foot-1, 235 kilos.
Stanford fullback Houston Heimuli has additionally transferred to BYU for his ultimate season of eligibility. Fifth-year senior Lopini Katoa remains to be within the fold, having rushed for 242 yards final 12 months, on 61 carries, whereas taking a backseat to Allgeier.
“Clearly we've got to switch Tyler Allgeier,” Sitake stated. “The lucky factor is we've got Lopini Katoa coming again. That, together with the opposite guys which are in that group, then trying on the guys we've got added like Chris Brooks, and Houston Heimuli on offense, we must be good there.”
Jackson McChesney and Hinckley Ropati mixed for 18 carries final 12 months, and are additionally within the combine, together with Miles Davis, whose growth was thwarted by an damage in fall camp final 12 months.
• Preserving everyone concerned, even injured gamers
As ordinary, a number of key gamers won't take part within the contact parts of spring practices, resulting from damage. That listing contains tight finish Isaac Rex and linebackers Payton Wilgar and Keenan Pili, whose accidents and subsequent surgical procedures have been reported on final fall.
Friday, Sitake introduced that cornerback Keenan Ellis will take a medical retirement after struggling a extreme neck damage within the season opener final September towards Arizona, however will nonetheless be concerned with this system in a technique or one other.
“Gamers like Isaac Rex and Payton Wilgar and Keenan Pili, we aren’t going to count on them to do a lot on the sector, however we wish them to do issues with teaching and educating the youthful guys,” Sitake stated. “The injured guys won't have a free move from spring ball. We want them to supply a few of their expertise and their management.”
Sitake stated that when the aforementioned Wilson underwent shoulder surgical procedure in January of 2019, he nonetheless made it a degree to be taught and develop in spring camp of 2019, and he expects the present gamers to do the identical.
“This may give them an additional advantage going into the season,” Sitake stated.
• Needed: Defensive playmakers, proficient newcomers
After Pili was damage within the Arizona State sport and Payton Wilgar opted for shoulder surgical procedure in November, BYU was with out its two greatest defensive playmakers the previous few video games of the season. And it confirmed. The Cougars had hassle stopping Virginia, USC, UAB and even Georgia Southern.
Guys like Ben Bywater, Max Tooley, Tyler Batty, Malik Moore and Jakob Robinson stepped up and made performs, however not sufficient — particularly within the loss to UAB.
So the Cougars want to search out extra playmakers, even when all of the aforementioned come again wholesome within the fall.
Defensive coordinator Ilaisa Tuiaki advised BYUtv’s BYU Sports activities Nation that the protection “is rather a lot additional forward this 12 months than we have been final 12 months, for certain,” heading into spring camp, however questions stay.
An enormous key can be getting cornerback Micah Harper again. After a promising freshman season, Harper sustained a devastating knee damage in spring camp final 12 months and missed your complete 2021 season.
“This 12 months is about fine-tuning issues, persevering with to develop, but additionally simply staying wholesome,” Tuiaki stated. “That's going to be an enormous factor for us. We need to make certain we come out of spring ball wholesome, and with all the fellows who're able to contributing going into fall 100%.”
Defensive newcomers to regulate, together with DB Talan Alfrey (who suffered an Achilles tendon damage final 12 months in fall camp), true freshman Aisea Moa, a four-star recruit from Weber Excessive who enrolled early, and DE/LB Logan Fano, again from a church mission.
A few different defenders who've performed nicely up to now however have been hampered by accidents, guys akin to security/linebacker Chaz Ah You and DL Lorenzo Fauatea, additionally bear watching to see if they'll start contributing once more.
• Sustaining momentum for the Huge 12
BYU introduced by way of Twitter on Friday that 5 new individuals have been employed on the help workers as athletic director Tom Holmoe’s promise that Sitake’s “unprecedented” contract signed final December would come with an even bigger help workers.
Former BYU security Gavin Fowler is a defensive analyst, whereas Tyson McDaniel and Matt Mitchell are offensive analysts. McDaniel has been at Arizona State and performed quarterback at Snow School. Mitchell was a graduate assistant at BYU in 2020 earlier than following Jeff Grimes and Eric Mateos to Baylor. He’s again.
Spencer Reid and Dalton Elliott joined this system as power and conditioning assistants. Reid is the son of Kansas Metropolis Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and has been at Colorado State the previous few years, whereas Elliott was at Utah State.
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“That is just the start,” Sitake stated Friday. “There are extra issues which are occurring. The wheels are in movement, clearly. You might be beginning to see the issues that Tom talked about, this excessive degree of dedication to the soccer program. That is simply the beginning of it.”
Sitake stated the loss final 12 months to Baylor — the place the Cougars have been manhandled within the trenches — and the fall-off on protection when key gamers bought injured confirmed this system that there’s work to do earlier than it joins the Huge 12 in 2023.
“There may be all the time one thing to work on and to enhance and get higher,” Sitake stated. “That's what I'm attempting to do. I don’t have all of the solutions, however I do know the place to search out them.”