Everything BYU coach Kalani Sitake said about Notre Dame football
Notre Dame isn’t the only team headed to Las Vegas this weekend that had some extra time to prepare. BYU is in a similar camp.
The Fighting Irish (2-2) had a whole week off with a bye. The No. 16 Cougars (4-1) weren’t as fortunate, but they did play their Week 5 game last Thursday. That allowed them to reset, recharge and refocus earlier than playing on Saturday would have.
There comes a time, though, when time off doesn’t mean much. When adrenaline takes over and the most prepared team and/or the one that plays the best on game day gets the job done. That’s all BYU head coach Kalani Sitake is concerned about just a few days before Saturday’s Shamrock Series.
Here’s everything he said about Notre Dame football in his weekly press conference.
On Notre Dame in general
“A really talented team. Tons of talent, speed. And I think looking at their coach, Marcus Freeman is a great coach. He has those guys believing and playing. They’ve gone through some adversity but have seemed to get things back on track now. So I’m looking forward to a great matchup with them. We know they’re dangerous, and we don’t mind being underdogs.”
On wearing special uniforms vs. the Irish
“We have some really creative and innovative people on our team that do some brilliant stuff as far as marketing and having our players be seen and our program be seen out there, especially on social media and in the press. For me, personally, I’m a guy that wore the bib. So what does it matter what I wear as long as I get to play? But I understand the excitement and the energy. And I really appreciate the creativity and innovation that our people have here in the administration and everything that is involved with our program and our sport. That’s a lot of fun.
“I thought it was pretty cool, the reveal. I’m glad we did it Friday to the team and to the rest of the public now because you just get it out of the way. Now we focus on football and getting the work done. The excitement is there. The energy, the creativity. But now let’s go out and play ball.”
On being a betting underdog vs. Notre Dame
“I like the underdog mentality all the time no matter what the situation is. We know we’re going against a great team. Notre Dame hasn’t played their best football yet. And you can see the talent, you can see the phases and flashes of great players and great scheme and great coaching. But we haven’t played our best either. So we’re trying to go from that position of good to great, and I’m looking forward to getting that done this week.
“I feel like we are really close. I feel like the things that could get us to being a great team right now are the next steps forward, and that’s stuff we could easily address today. Hopefully we get that done, and hopefully you see a better team on Saturday. You see us at our best. That’s the whole focus; us playing at our best. That’s my job as a head coach; to make sure we get there. I am committed to getting that done because our players deserve it and our fans deserve it.”
On how the Irish look on film
“Everyone is good on their team. They have depth. They’re coming off an extra week of prep and a bye, so they should be as healthy as they’ve been. They’re really well coached. I think their coach has done an amazing job. You see the players, they respond to him really well. I think overall you could see that there is a really good team there.
“There is a reason they were ranked in the preseason so high. That team is still there. The players are still there. There may be an injury here or there, but the core of their team is bought into their coach and they’re bought into the culture. We know how well a team can do when the culture is bought into and everyone is all in.”
On what the Notre Dame brand means to BYU players
“The guys are smart kids. They have a great football IQ. They know the name Notre Dame and these big-name teams. You didn’t have to say much when we went to Tennessee a few years back. These guys know the historic value of the program of Notre Dame. But when we get out there, I want them to play the game. I want them to embrace the opportunity.
“This is a big-time program we are going against with great players and great coaching. It’s a tough task. I’m looking forward to this game because I want to get the best version of ourself. Sometimes going against a great team with great talent and you see it on film gets the guys really excited to get that going. It comes at the right time for us, this game. I don’t know what the result will be but I know we can live with the result if we show up and play our best.”
On BYU previously playing at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas in the 2021 season opener
“I think we know what it was like to go in there and play a game. We know that stadium. It was a really cool place. When the guys watch NFL games or other games that are played there they can always say, ‘Yeah, I remember playing there.’ It was a really good setting. It was a really cool spot. I really look forward to getting back there and playing this game. It worked out well for us last time so hopefully we get the same type of result.”
On facing Notre Dame as a player at BYU in 1994
“That was fun. You’re going against Lou Holtz. You’re going against a guy that when I was in high school, you had a lot of guys in the St. Louis area who played for Notre Dame. Just seeing everything there in South Bend was awesome. Being a true freshman and playing in that game was a lot of fun. I think there is a scene, a picture where Jamal Willis is jumping up on the goal line. My kids saw the picture. It’s framed up here somewhere. Jamal is jumping in for a touchdown, and my wife says, ‘Oh, there’s Daddy.’ So my kids point up to Jamal and I say, ‘No, I’m the guy down here blocking for Jamal jumping over the top.’ I think you can see my stomach. It was way better back then than it is now. But it was so much fun.
“I could tell you one thing; I was really impressed with the Notre Dame fans. So much class. Getting off the bus and them clapping for us, it was such a cool environment. Even when we left with the win, there was a standing ovation as we left. They really appreciated the way we played that game. Just a great environment and great history behind it. I’m really looking forward to playing them again and seeing their fan base mixed with ours. It’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s a football game, so it’s going to be intense. But there is going to be a lot of respect, sportsmanship and class from the fans and definitely from the players on the field.”
