It was

weird.

So, sorry to interrupt.

To your point, think about us in 2009, right? We – We're 20.

Beat Oklahoma.

Beat Oklahoma.

Yeah, Jerry's World.

And getting back to that is why they're going to stop, you know, the Sun Devils tonight.

So what do you attribute that to? Why is it that we're not getting as many takeaways and our turnover margin hasn't been as good this year as opposed to other years?

Yeah, that's interesting.

I think about the sacks that we have.

Like this is the most sacks we've had like in a while, right? Even with Coach Hill.

here.

I think there's one game that we had.

It was like we had four sacks.

You got good vision and anticipatory skills,

How good do you think that UCF team was? Do you think they were a little bit underrated? Or what did you see? K-Pop said that the team speed, they hadn't faced a team with that type of team speed all season long.

I don't think they were underrated.

I think it's a team that has momentum, and they started off at the very bottom of the hill, and they have momentum that's going up.

And I think BYU, unfortunately, caught them at the wrong time based off of how BYU played, right? So I don't want to give UCF a lot of credit, but I also want to...

compare how bad BYU played.

I mean, the fact that they played that bad and still had an opportunity to win, I think that's also to your last question also is what gives a lot of fans hope.

It's like we played horrible.

So what do you attribute that to? Why is it that we're not getting as many takeaways and our turnover margin hasn't been as good this year as opposed to other years?

How big was it?

Yeah, it was huge.

And I want to take this to your point because I want people to understand that the culture, I would say this, the culture is why we're winning right now and why we, when it comes to the NIL and just how things are, the landscape of football, we're retaining guys because of the culture.

And so when you look at it from a strategic standpoint, guys aren't having to go and learn a new system every single year or every other semester.

They get locked in.

It's kind of like when all of us play, right? As a freshman, I have no idea what's going on.

By the time I'm a senior, I'm a master at the philosophy and the methodology.

I could, like, what did you see out of those guys at the wideout position?

How big was it?

Yeah, it was huge.

And I want to take this to your point because I want people to understand that the culture, I would say this, the culture is why we're winning right now and why we, when it comes to the NIL and just how things are, the landscape of football, we're retaining guys because of the culture.

And so when you look at it from a strategic standpoint, guys aren't having to go and learn a new system every single year or every other semester.

They get locked in.

It's kind of like how when all of us play, right? As a freshman, I come in, I have no idea what's going on.

By the time I'm a senior, like I'm a master, you know, at the philosophy and the methodology.

I could, like, what did you see out of those guys at the wideout position?

But, um, so sorry for the background noise, but it was the worst experience for me then because I had everybody tune in and, and, and, and it was the most embarrassing moment for me

meUm, I really feel like it was a distraction, um, for me specifically.

I don't know.

I can't speak for the other guys.

Maybe that's the case for them, too.

But why I say it was, it was, it was a distraction because at the time I was dating like three girls, and, like, they all came with pictures.

Or, or not pictures, signs.

We just match up better.

What do you remember about the lead up, the build up in that 2009 game versus TCU? What happened? What, what, what was-

It was the worst.

It, it was the, it was the worst experience for me.

Like, I always, I always talk about, uh...

And I'm getting out of my bubble now, out, out the Uber.

But, um, so sorry for the background noise.

But it was the worst experience for me, Ben, because I had everybody tune in and, and, and, and it was the most embarrassing moment for me.

But I feel like Notre Dame is a more beatable team because of maybe the style, uh, in which they play or maybe, uh, the personnel that they typically recruit, we just match up better.

Is this a concern for you? Have you played a team before below that was obsessed about beating you, that their entire offseason was based around you? They feel like you stole one from them, and this game is their biggest game, they feel, of the season? Did you have any one of those?

I don't think so, but you know what it reminds me of? It reminds me of...

2008.

So I got here 2009.

And this is when TCU started to take over the conference.

And I remember hearing stories like going into 2008, when TCU beat BYU for the first time in like a while.

Coach Patterson would take BYU jerseys and place them on the practice dummies.

I think they're petty about that.

I don't know, maybe.

I was trying to give it some animation.

I think it's a great time to be a football fan, but I think just in general, the athletic program, despite some of the off-the-field and court issues that have been circling, I think BYU, I think we finally arrived.

I think being ranked 14th You know, for the first time, like you said, since the 80s, before I was born.

You were born, but I wasn't born yet.

And I think that's proof right there, right? We usually are always disrespected, even when we do good, like last year.

We still get out of the college football playoffs.

right? Is this the year? Is this the time? Is this the place, 2026?

So for you, what is the ceiling, what is the floor, and what is quota? I think we've discussed this possibly before, but where do you stand in that debate?

Yeah, I'm still there as far as it's big 12 title.

You got to get, you got to use.

So, so I would say minimum, you got to get to the, to the big 12 conference game.

And then I would say maximum would be you, you, you win that game.

And the reason why I said maximum, like I could say, make it to the college, you know, football playoffs, but if you want to be 12, you're, you should be able to, if you're in a position to make it to that game, And then if you win that game, you know, I would say that you're probably in the playoffs.

So that's the thing would be is minimum, make it there, maximum, win it, and then, you know, we'll go from there.

When I want a serious answer with no fluff, I'm asking you, I'm addressing it as your governmental name.

So my question to you, how confident are you that this defensive backfield will ball out? And how much depth do you think you're going to need this year?

Yeah, I've been getting this question all camp.

And I think I can confidently say that I don't know.

And I only say that because there's a new corner coach.

There's a new safeties coach.

I believe in K-Pop.

He's been in this system for a minute now.

When I want a serious answer with no fluff, I'm asking you, I'm addressing it as your governmental name.

W- why do you think at times this team, this BYU secondary could struggle?

Yeah.

I think it, it, I think it has to do with, with the...

I mean, you got a new safety coach and a new corner coach, right? And then you have K-Pop.

Even though K-Pop's been there- And he understands defense.

You know, like, like I said earlier, he's gonna be putting his own, you know, flavor and, and swag on things and, and, uh, I, I know that there are certain concepts and terminology that the, the, the corners coach and then the safety coach is, is bringing in and having a, a, just a different perspective from their experiences.

And they're gonna wanna do things, you know, their way.

When you were playing under Bronco Mendenhall in hi- in his defense in your time at BYU, w- was it an expectation for you to know what your teammates' responsibilities were that were around you as well, or did they just expect you to know what you had and focus on what your duty was? W- what was the dynamic there in terms of what you were expected to understand and know about how the defense was working as a whole?

W- why do you think at times this team, this BYU secondary could struggle?

Yeah.

I think it, it's the, I think it has to do with, with the...

I mean, you got a new safety coach and a new corner coach, right? And then you have K-Pop.

Even though K-Pop's been there and he understands defense, you know, like, like I said earlier, he's gonna be putting his own, you know, flavor and, and swag on things and, and, uh, I, I know that there are certain concepts and terminology that the, the, the corners coach and then the safety coach is, is bringing in and having a, a, a just a different perspective from their experiences, and they're gonna wanna do things, you know, their way.

And, you know, if I come in as a...

If I'm a coach, right, if I'm a corner coach or a safety coach, I'm coming in and think this is how things were ran previously, I don't...

When you were playing under Bronco Mendenhall in hi- in his defense in your time at BYU, w- was it an expectation for you to know what your teammates' responsibilities were that were around you as well, or did they just expect you to know what you had and focus on what your duty was? What, what was the dynamic there in terms of what you were expected to understand and know about how the defense was working as a whole?

People are concerned about it.

I think JoJo – okay, I'll say it like this.

Under Kalani, I would say since 2020, I think every single position, regardless of staff, has progressed.

Like the star players, right? And I really believe that he's created this system where – Young guys, they get the reps that they need to get in order to get that game experience.

They're still working hard.

They know their role.

They accept the culture that everybody in the whole nation looks at and wishes that they had the same culture.

Now, what are your expectations for Coach Lewis Walker with the cornerbacks here? What have you heard about Lewis Walker? What do you know about Lewis?

say it like this.

Under Kalani, I would say since 2020, I think every single position, regardless of staff, has progressed.

Like the star players, right? And I really believe that he's created this system where...

Young guys, they get the reps that they need to get in order to get that game experience.

They're still working hard.

They know their role.

They accept the culture that everybody in the whole nation looks at and wishes that they had the same culture, and they admire it when he does.

Now, what are your expectations for Coach Lewis Walker with the cornerbacks here? What have you heard about Lewis Walker? What do you know about Lewis?

Yeah, it's, you know, Evan and Trey, that's pretty good, right? Like when you were playing, what was the first group good and the second group question? Like how was it when you were playing? Our teams were

horrible.

Respectfully.

Horrible.

I say this all the time.

Other teams, I'm talking about like Wyoming, Colorado State, New Mexico.

They would come and talk to me.

But once again, I think your biggest question mark is the clay may be decent, but do they know verbiage? Do they know terminology? Do they know where they're supposed to be? Do they have proper technique? Do they have proper alignment? Do they know how to communicate with the safeties? Do they know how to communicate with the linebackers if they're in a nag situation, a close side tight end? Like, do they know their role? And that may be the biggest issue, and that's where you can get some big, chunk yardage plays on the back end of your secondary, even if you have decent

Yeah, it's, you know, Evan and Trey, that's pretty good, right? Like when you were playing, what was the first group good and the second group question? Like how was it when you were playing? Our teams were horrible.

Respectfully.

Horrible.

I say this all the time.

Other teams, I'm talking about like Wyoming, Colorado State, New Mexico.

They would come and talk to me.

One, because I'm a double minority, right? I'm black and I'm not LDS.

But once again, I think your biggest question mark is the clay may be decent, but do they know verbiage? Do they know terminology? Do they know where they're supposed to be? Do they have proper technique? Do they have proper alignment? Do they know how to communicate with the safeties? Do they know how to communicate with the linebackers if they're in a nag situation, a close side tight end? Like, do they know their role? and that may be the biggest issue, and that's where you can get some big, chunk yardage plays on the back end of your secondary, even if you have decent talent.