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FAMOUS IDAHO POTATO BOWL: BYU VS WESTERN MICHIGAN

December 20, 2018

Boise, Idaho

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl press conference. Thank you for joining us.

With BYU first, Coach Kalani Sitake will give an opening statement and then we'll open to questions.

COACH KALANI SITAKE: Well, thank you very much. Want to show our gratitude, appreciation to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, allowing us to be here in Boise.

We've had a great time here this week so far, and looking forward to the game tomorrow. Want to also thank Kevin McDonald and his staff, the Bowl officials, and volunteers, everyone that's been involved in taking care of our program and showing them a great time with activities and the festivities that have been going on. The hospitality has been awesome and we've enjoyed our stay.

Just hope we know how much we appreciate them and also the City of Boise, getting to know the community and being involved with them and doing some service projects with them has been really fun.

Also being able to spend that time with a great team like Western Michigan and Tim Lester, the head coach, has been really good, getting to know them and some of the activities and meetings we've had. It's been a great interaction with both programs.

Looking forward to the game, and also thanks to Boise State for allowing us to be in their facilities and utilize their weight room and practice fields for this game.

I brought along with myself, two captains, Austin Hoyt, our right tackle and Sione Takitaki, our starting middle linebacker. We're open for any questions.

Q. So talk about just getting ready now for the game, putting all the preparation together and what you have to be ready for from Western Michigan with the game tomorrow.
COACH KALANI SITAKE: Well, I mean, using all the practices was really important for us. That was the main thing that we wanted to do was get -- obviously we had some injuries we have to deal with and some guys to insert in the game plan, and allowing them 15 practices to get ready, it's a huge benefit for us.

Also, allowing the other players to get more practice time and work on our scheme our fundamentals, it's really huge for our progress in developing our players.

But also being able to hang out with these guys and spend more time. I'm really proud of our players and coaches, the way they have been able to balance. A lot of these guys are still taking finals and they are taking their finals and hanging out in Boise and trying to practice and handle all that and I'm sure doing a little bit of Christmas shopping along the way.

These guys have been able to handle a lot of things, and I'm extremely proud of how they are addressing and getting close to the game.

But the main thing about this trip was getting to this game. I think our preparation has been really good, and I'm excited to see these guys play.

Q. You'll be down a couple major contributors on defense. How do you plan on filling that void tomorrow against Western Michigan? Just with a couple guys like Corbin and Isaiah that won't be playing, how do you think you'll do without being with those guys tomorrow?
SIONE TAKITAKI: It's hard to lose guys like that that are really good, big impact players for the team but next man out. And I feel like the guys right behind them is feeling right and Coach has done a good job.

We've had a ton of practices from our last game to now to prepare for Western Michigan. I think with the scheme that we have and everything that we've got going, I think those guys will be good filling in for those guys.

Q. For Coach and Sione, how much did you look at the common opponent, the only one, Northern Illinois? They beat them and put up 28 points. You lost to them at home. How much did you look at that tape to figure out how you can proceed with Western Michigan?
COACH KALANI SITAKE: Well, we looked at every game, so with all that time for preparing, we watched every game and looked at our scouting report on them. I think every matchup's different, but that's something that we can really draw on, the common opponent.

Our players know what type of program and that Western Michigan is a really good program, so we have to be ready for them.

We feel like we respect all of our opponents that we face, and this is no different. We just get a little bit more time to prepare for them. Been really impressed with the way they played the game. I think they play the game with a lot of sportsmanship and class, and we look forward to the opportunity of sharing the field with them tomorrow and our guys definitely respect them a lot.

I don't know if you can draw a lot into that one game, but we'll try to utilize it as much as we can, all the plays that we've seen from every game so far this year.

SIONE TAKITAKI: I watched that game, but like Coach said, you watch their whole season, and you know, try to analyze who and exactly what they are going to do.

They are a good team, really physical. They can run the ball, with this time we have, I feel like we've been preparing really well for them. Tomorrow we'll see what the outcome is, but they are a really good team.

Q. Along the same lines of what you're talking about with next guy up, you've been in a linebacking group that has had to make a lot of changes, with Isaiah, Zayne, Butch being limited, just you being inside and outside and doing different roles. As you think back over the season, what's that been like as you've been with that group and had to make so many changes and adapt during the year?
SIONE TAKITAKI: Yeah, beginning of the season, you know, you start with Zayne, Butch, myself and you're like yeah, and you look at the depth and you're like, maybe some of those guys won't get no playing time probably 'til next season, but they will learn a lot this year.

Guys went down, and so next man up. You know, the guys learn quickly and they are waiting patiently for their time and once they got that time, kind of like Isaiah, he's kind of been waiting and once it was his time, he went out and shined. I know he got hurt out there but next man up. We've got to see who else can step up and play this game.

Q. Austin, through the season with the quarterback change and some of the injuries at running back and those sort of thing, how have you seen the progress of the offense?
AUSTIN HOYT: Yeah, there's been a lot of changes, just at quarterback, running back, with all the different injuries and stuff. Kind of the same theme, just next man up.

I think we've had a lot more meetings, kind of together like offensive line and running backs to make sure that we are all on the same page, especially. Especially because the running back still have newer guys and younger guys getting reps.

I think just being able to meet together has been able to help everyone get on the same page, just being able to adjust to whoever is in and making sure everyone does their role right.

Q. How do you expect Zach to play tomorrow in basically his first Bowl game?
COACH KALANI SITAKE: Perfectly. That's what I'm praying for, perfect play from everyone.

We've really liked the preparation, and I think that it's a funny game sometimes, you know, but I think what we can do is minimize mistakes for the team.

Zach, individually, I think he just has to do his job. Doesn't have to do anything too crazy and just stay within the realm of his responsibilities, and I think we'll be fine.

But I've been really impressed with how he's taken the field and the improvement he's made week-to-week. Really looking forward to seeing him get out there and play give these seniors a chance to get a win.

Q. What is Zach like in the huddle? What are some characteristics or an anecdote from the games that illustrates what he's like?
AUSTIN HOYT: He's fun to work with. Lat couple games we haven't been huddling as much. But just a memory I always remember of Zach, whenever we were in the huddle, he just got to the line as he's calling the play, looks over at Tre and I, gives us a wink, a sly little smile. He's always having fun in the huddle and just always having fun out there while he's playing, and I just love the command he has whenever he's calling plays and whenever he runs them, he has great poise whenever he's out there playing.

Q. This is for the two players to talk about the culmination of the career and a season and everything you guys have gone through as brothers and it's all going to come to an end in 24 hours.
SIONE TAKITAKI: Yeah, man, looking back, you know, even today, I'm a little emotional. I'm like, man, this is my last practice I'm going to have with all my brothers that I've got to know, and even in the past, you just think back on your time, like man, you know, it came by fast.

But I'm definitely enjoying this one. Try to get this one for my brothers. Just kind of end it off right.

AUSTIN HOYT: I feel the same way. I think these last couple weeks, I've just been realizing my time at BYU is ending as a player. I just think back, my freshman year, 2012, I've been here forever, like a fossil. But just all the memories I've had, all the friends I've been able to make and all the wonderful experiences I've been able to have.

It's just been an incredible ride. I'm so grateful I was able to play here at BYU and have such a great time.

Q. Along the same lines, this is the football cycle that you've seen as a player and as a coach. What's it like watching each group grow through this culmination and get to this point where they are wrapping up their BYU time and looking ahead to their futures?
COACH KALANI SITAKE: I've been really proud of these guys and seeing them when I first got here in this job. Just to see the progress they have made just as men. You know, they are both married and just seeing them progress from being a young adult to becoming an adult and I'm just pretty fired up with what they are going to do at the next level and not just football.

I think they will both have a chance to play at the next level in the NFL. More than anything, just seeing them graduate and progress in life. They are going to -- one day they are going to look back at it and be as old as I am and just really be proud of what they did on the field and off the field.

I'm proud of them as individuals but I'm really excited -- you hear them talk. They just keep talking about their teammates and the opportunity that they get to spend more time with them. The focus is going to be on them and their teammates as a group and family. It will kind of change a little bit, but they are always going to be part of something really big, and I can speak from experience as a guy that's done it myself, that it just never ends. They have made lifelong friends and they will be there forever.

Q. Austin, it's no secret that BYU's offense has been most effective when you've been able to run the ball and be balanced. You have to know Western Michigan is going to try to take something away, probably the running game, what do you have to do on the O-Line to make sure you'll be balanced in the game tomorrow?
AUSTIN HOYT: Yeah, I think a big focus of ours is just being physical, especially the running game, being on the ball and getting on guys and being able to drive them down the field. I think that's probably one of our biggest keys is just being able to be physical and dominate the line of scrimmage so that we can run the ball.

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