Utah State’s surprising dismissal of head football coach Gary Andersen on Saturday after the Aggies’ disappointing and noncompetitive 0-3 start reverberated throughout the state.
Andersen has friends, mentors and coaches he’s helped develop at every college football program in Utah, including BYU.
“Well, I have a personal connection with Gary Andersen,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said Monday. “I would not be here if it were not for mentors that I have had in coaching. … There have been some great coaches who have been a big part of my life.”
Sitake mentioned Andersen, the late LaVell Edwards, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham, Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo, former Utah and Weber State coach Ron McBride and Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid as some of the coaches who have been instrumental in his success.
“In regards to jobs, I have said it before: I think we have great coaches on our staff that are future head coaches, and are future coordinators, and are great leaders, and so I will always be supportive of them climbing the ladder and getting their opportunities just like other mentors have done for me.” — BYU coach Kalani Sitake
Many have reached out recently to congratulate him on BYU’s 51-17 walloping of Boise State and the Cougars’ ascension to No. 8 in the national polls.
Now Sitake wants to see some of the coaches under him on the BYU staff get the same opportunities he did. That’s why he won’t stand in the way, he said, if Utah State wants to contact some of the assistants on his staff for the opening in Logan.
Frank Maile, 38, a former Alta High and Aggies player, was named USU’s interim head coach by athletic director John Hartwell. Weber State coach Jay Hill is another strong candidate for the job; former WSU AD Jerry Bovee, who hired Hill at Weber State, is now Hartwell’s right-hand man in Logan as USU’s associate vice president and deputy athletics director for external affairs.
Hartwell said Monday that BYU’s success this season played a factor in his decision to fire Andersen, so he’s probably taking a hard look at some of Sitake’s assistants — quite likely assistant head coach Ed Lamb, offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes, defensive coordinator Ilaisa Tuiaki and quarterbacks coach Aaron Roderick.
“In regards to jobs, I have said it before: I think we have great coaches on our staff that are future head coaches, and are future coordinators, and are great leaders, and so I will always be supportive of them climbing the ladder and getting their opportunities just like other mentors have done for me,” Sitake told the Deseret News on Monday during a video teleconference.
Sitake also used the question to praise Andersen, saying the former Southern Utah head coach “gave me a chance” at SUU and then Andersen and Whittingham gave him an opportunity to coach at Utah.
“So, a lot of appreciation for him, and in regards to (his dismissal), I know what he is about,” Sitake said. “I know he helps young men achieve their dreams and become the best versions of themselves.”
BYU football is not planning on any more media sessions the remainder of the week, because it is idle this weekend before hosting North Alabama on Nov. 21 at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Neither Grimes, Tuiaki nor Lamb were asked about the USU coaching vacancy Monday during their weekly “Coordinators’ Corner” program.
Should BYU add games?
Another hot topic during Sitake’s weekly press briefing Monday was whether undefeated BYU (8-0) should add games to its current 10-game schedule in an attempt to strengthen its resume for postseason consideration. Sitake addressed the question Friday night after the big win over No. 21 Boise State and reiterated that response Monday.
The coach wants to play more games — but not this week. It’s too late for that.
“That is something that our administration controls, and I know Tom (Holmoe) is on top of it, and if there is an opportunity for that to happen, great,” Sitake said. “To me, it doesn’t really matter what it could do for bowl games and things like that. All I know is we are bowl eligible and we are going to have another guaranteed opportunity to play with these guys again. But whatever can happen, we will appreciate. That’s our mindset of it.”
Sitake said his focus is on getting back to full strength (a couple of players suffered minor injuries against the Broncos), avoiding the COVID-19 virus, and find “opportunities to get better and stronger and more unified as a team.”
All of the players who spoke to the media after the Boise State game and on Monday are in favor of adding games.
“This team, we want to compete with anybody we can and just get as many opportunities that we can to play,” said receiver Gunner Romney, who admitted to getting “a bunch of bumps and bruises” and getting “pretty beat up” in the BSU game.
“Because it is a shortened season, and we have had a lot of bye weeks and we have one this week and then two more after our next game, we want (more) games,” Romney continued. “Everybody would be really excited if we got a couple more added to just get another opportunity to play.”
Romney said he got the wind knocked out of him after one catch near the goal line and had to briefly leave the game, but it wasn’t serious.
Tight end Isaac Rex, tied with Dax Milne for most touchdown receptions on the team with six, said the Cougars would like to play a game or two after the North Alabama game and before meeting San Diego State on Dec. 12 in Provo.
“Whatever Tom can do, we will play. I mean, we haven’t really talked about it as much. We are just sticking with the schedule we got, but if more games get added, we will play them, we will compete, we will win them,” Rex said. “So, if we get more games, then that will be awesome. If we don’t then it is what it is and we will deal with that, too.”
Stat adjustment
Receiver Neil Pau’u’s 1-yard touchdown with 11 minutes, 27 seconds remaining in the game was originally scored as a rushing touchdown, but has been changed to a receiving touchdown so the junior now has two TD catches this season.
Pau’u caught a pass from Zach Wilson that was changed from a backwards pass to a forward pass. The change also means that Wilson has thrown 22 touchdown passes.