PROVO — When longtime instate foes BYU and Utah State meet on the football field for the 89th time on Saturday in Logan, the Battle for the Old Wagon Wheel “won’t be about the coaches,” Cougars coach Kalani Sitake said repeatedly at Monday’s press briefing.
Perhaps it should be, because if not for USU coach Gary Andersen’s tutelage and mentorship, Sitake might not even be in the profession, let alone have the top job at BYU.
“Gary Andersen gave me the chance (in 2003) when he was at Southern Utah and was able to bring me along to Utah when he became the defensive coordinator there,” Sitake said. “Gary has been an influence on me in a lot of different ways in coaching and how you recruit and treat players. He has been a great mentor of mine.”
Saturday’s 8 p.m. clash (ESPN2) marks the first time the good friends will face off as head coaches; They’ve gone against each other several times before, however, notably when Sitake was Utah’s defensive coordinator and Andersen was in his first stint as USU’s head coach from 2009 to 2012.
And Andersen was on the sidelines last November at Rice-Eccles Stadium as an associate head coach and defensive assistant for Utah when the Cougars took a 27-7 lead over the Utes but eventually lost 35-27 in Salt Lake City.
Sitake has said he talks to Andersen and Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham almost every week during the season, but won’t talk to Andersen this week due to Saturday’s matchup.
But they will talk on the field before and after the late-night contest.
“We are not the ones suiting up and playing the game, so it is not about the coaches,” Sitake said. “We are focusing on the kids and will let them make the plays. Then we will hug each other after the game.”
Of course, when Andersen left Wisconsin in 2014 after two seasons coaching the Big Ten’s Badgers to take what was perceived as a lesser job at Oregon State, he persuaded Sitake to join him in Corvallis as OSU’s defensive coordinator.
When Bronco Mendenhall left BYU for Virginia after the 2015 season, Andersen immediately lobbied BYU to hire Sitake, a former Cougar fullback and faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — a prerequisite for head coaches at BYU.
“In my opinion, there is (only) one guy for BYU to hire, so what are you doing?” Andersen told The Salt Lake Tribune in December 2015. “He should be on the sidelines for the (Las Vegas Bowl against Utah).”
At his introductory news conference, Sitake said he was grateful for the way Andersen, Whittingham and other head coaches “went to bat” for him with BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe and other BYU administrators.
“I have mentioned (Andersen) and LaVell Edwards and Kyle and all the others that have been a huge impact on my coaching career — not just in coaching but as a person,” Sitake said. “I think they have helped me become a better (person).”
Andersen said Monday that Edwards and former Utah coach Ron McBride started the tradition of prominent instate coaches helping and mentoring each other. It is one of the reasons almost every college football program in the state is successful, he said.
Sitake is close friends with several other Aggie coaches, including defensive coordinator Justin Ena (a former Cougar linebacker), offensive line coach TJ Woods and tight ends coach Frank Maile.
“Justin Ena and I were basically inseparable when we were here in college,” Sitake said. “So, tons of respect for them and I wish them all the best of luck except for this week.”
BYU passing game coordinator Aaron Roderick and defensive coordinator Ilaisa Tuiaki have also had strong ties to Andersen throughout their coaching careers.
“I am sure (Roderick) is in the middle of that thing. He’s a really good coach,” Andersen said regarding which backup BYU quarterback the Aggies expect to face, Jaren Hall or Baylor Romney. “They have good coaches throughout that staff. … A-Rod’s influence is definitely there.”
BYU senior Austin Kafentzis, who picked up the crucial first down in the 28-25 win over then-No. 14 Boise State on Oct. 19, was recruited to Wisconsin by Andersen. But Andersen left for OSU before Kafentzis got to Madison.
“I have a new coach and I am happy where I am at. A lot of things went down a couple years ago, but that’s college football, that’s life,” said Kafentzis, who plans to say hello after the game. “Things happen and you just gotta be able to react and grow and learn from them. So there is not much animosity between us. … I am not going to give him a hug or anything, though.”
He will leave that to Sitake and the other coaches.
Cougars on the air
BYU (3-4) at Utah State (4-3)
At Maverik Stadium, Logan
Saturday, 8 p.m.
TV: ESPN2
Radio: KSL 1160 AM, 102.7 FM