It’s rivalry week — BYU and Utah are back at it Saturday night in Rice-Eccles Stadium. Looking ahead to the game, The Daily Utah Chronicle spoke with Nate Cunningham, the sports editor of BYU’s student newspaper, The Daily Universe, to gain insight into BYU’s squad.
Q: What does the win against Arizona do for BYU?
A: BYU’s win over Arizona does a ton for the Cougars’ mentally. It validated the hiring of Kalani Sitake, it validated all of his decisions on hiring his staff, and it validated its schematic shifts. It was a massive confidence boost for the Cougars to defeat a Pac-12 opponent, and now they don’t have to be processing “what if” scenarios leading up to Saturday. Arizona isn’t Utah — I believe the Utes are a better team — but it must feel good to know that after spending the entire offseason installing new playbooks, they can be successful on a big stage against a big opponent.
The Cougars never set the tone, they were never the hammer, but rather always the nail.
Q: How was BYU able to top a team Utah has struggled against recently?
A: If the Cougars win on Saturday, it will be because their defense sets the tone early. Recently in the Holy War, it seems ike BYU was always reactionary. The Cougars never set the tone, they were never the hammer, but rather always the nail. I think, in part, this was because of the old coaching staff’s opinions on the rivalry (it was always “just another game”), but Sitake and his staff don’t carry that same opinion. I expect BYU to come into Salt Lake City with more confidence than they have in the past, but it will be expecting a dogfight.
Q: How has Kalani Sitake been settling into the season? And how have the players been under him?
A: Sitake has settled in as well as anyone possibly could have after being hired in December. The players have clearly bought into his philosophies (as showcased in the Cactus Kickoff) and, perhaps more importantly, so have fans and donors. Sitake and his staff aren’t part of BYU — they are BYU. The fans have embraced the new staff with open arms, because it’s abundantly clear that they want to be in Provo and want to be a part of BYU. They respect the institution, love the history of the program and want to create their own history in Provo.
The Holy War… should be the senior’s Super Bowl.
Q: What does this rivalry mean to this year’s roster?
A: The Holy War — although it might not be said openly by anyone — should be the senior’s Super Bowl. Taysom Hill and Jamaal Williams have never defeated the Utes, and they get one more crack at it. BYU has a tough and intriguing schedule this season, with games against UCLA, Michigan State, Mississippi State and West Virginia, but the Utah game is the most important on the schedule. With a win, the team can get the Ute monkey off its back.
Q: Who/what do you think is going to give Utah a problem on Saturday night?
A: The Utes’ offensive line struggled against SUU. While I expect the majority of those troubles to be rectified by gameday, BYU has a talented defensive line and it may be able to cause some trouble up front. If the Utes can’t run the ball — their bread and butter over the last few seasons — then things may get ugly for them. BYU looked very good against Arizona’s passing attack, so if it gets the Utes in 3rd-and-long situations, it will have the opportunity to create more turnovers.
Q: Who/what from Utah do you think will pose a problem to BYU?
A: Utah has a number of advantages. I think there is likely a slight mental edge on the Utes’ side (five straight wins will do that), and there’s obviously the home field advantage as well. But on the field, Utah’s edge might be Tim Patrick. His massive 6-foot-5-inch frame can be a huge mismatch, especially in the red zone. While size certainly isn’t everything, he’s going to have a significant height advantage on anyone covering him. He has already established himself as Troy Williams’ favorite target as well, catching two touchdowns against SUU.
Q: What would a win/loss do for BYU?
A: I don’t believe there’s a team in the nation more hungry for a win against its rival than BYU is right now. A win against the Utes gives BYU total confidence moving forward, and it buys Sitake years of good will from the fan base. A win returns BYU to a place it wants to be, because regardless of how you slice it, the Cougars have largely been the “little brother” under Bronco Mendenhall.
A loss probably lingers with them throughout the season. I think it’s a perfect storm that the players and coaches are aware of. The Cougars might be the more talented team, so dropping this game would really hurt them. But, from a fan base perspective, it would just be more of the same. Still, it’s hard to think there wouldn’t be leftover baggage that the Cougars would drag back to Provo for the UCLA game if they lose on Saturday.
The Cougars might be the more talented team,
Q: What do you expect to see out of this rivalry game this year?
A: I expect more of the same. A hard-fought, low-scoring dog fight. I think the first team to 21 points probably wins.
Q: Who do you think will win (score prediction) and why?
A: I have BYU winning 21-16. I think there’s a different feeling in Provo around this team, and I believe it stems from the coaching staff. I think BYU has found its swagger and confidence, and that will go a long way in Salt Lake City on Saturday. I believe the Cougars will rely on their defense once again, and they will win a low-scoring affair.
@kbrenneisen
@NW_Cunningham