Click here for the Media Day schedule of events.
Click here for the Media Day recap.
Click here to see top tweets from Media Day.
Click here for BYUtv's Media Day interviews and web chats.
Click here to see a photo gallery from Media Day.
Click here to find all radio interviews from BYU Radio - Sirius XM 143.
Click here to find all radio interviews from ESPN960.
Click here to find all radio interviews from 1280 The Zone.
Click here to find radio interviews from ESPN700.
Quotes from coaches
Kalani Sitake; head coach
On the experience of the coaching staff:
“They’ve been able to demand a lot from our players this year because they’ve done that and know it has worked in the past. They’ve had some trial and error in the past, so we are getting a group that knows how to push the limit and we have to be able to do that here at BYU in order to grow as a program and to get to the places we want to get to. I think the demand from the coaching staff has really been up there and our players have answered the call.”
On the lessons he has learned as a head coach:
“One of them is that we have the best fans. Our thought is that we are going to work to a Power 5 type of movement, so we needed to have a schedule that matched that, and it needed to depend on our fanbase. Our fanbase is better than a lot of other places in the Power 5. That’s one thing that is big time for us and everything is trending to that.”
“I’ve realized that you just have to be yourself no matter what. You can go about executing things differently, but I’m always going to be this person. It gets tested and mentioned quite a bit when you lose, but hopefully when you win a bunch it doesn’t affect you either. I’ve learned a lot of lessons with some losses and difficulty, but I am really excited about not having to learn lessons that way anymore. So, that’s the goal: to try and stay humble when things are going really well and keep improving.”
On coming off of last season and getting ready for this season:
“The season couldn’t come faster. We need time to get ready for it, but I just want it to get here. It was such a bad experience last year with the outcomes of the games and that’s not us. I would have felt differently had we played to our ability. I understand injuries are a part of it, but I just didn’t feel like it matched what our identity is. I feel much better with it now with how it’s going to play out. I have my expectations and I am really excited to get there, so we will see how it works.”
Ed Lamb; assistant head coach, special teams coordinator, linebackers
On goals for the team:
“I want to see our return game on the punt return and the kick-off return improve significantly. I’d like to see us add to the great tradition of linebacker play here at BYU that has been around for a really long time. I think we have the players to do it. I put a lot of pressure on myself to facilitate their needs and help them be as good as they can be.”
On impact he’s hoping to have on his group this season:
“A coach’s number one job is to motivate. I want to bring a motivated position group to the team. I hope that I will be able to give them insight into the strategy and techniques of the game. I have a commitment to do the best I can with them and work as hard as I possibly can with them.”
On what he’s looking forward to this season:
“This day is exciting, having you guys here, having people excited about BYU football. Every single day between now and the first game, there are things to be excited about. Somewhere along the line I learned to take it one day at a time and that I would enjoy my job better. There are players to be cherished. There are moments to be cherished. It doesn’t have anything to do with the wins and losses as for as taking advantage of every day and if we do that I think we will win more games than we lose.”
Jeff Grimes; offensive coordinator
On the quarterback situation:
“Quite honestly, in the spring there were days that one guy performed better than the others, and then the very next day it was just the opposite. It’s not fortunate in the sense that it gives you a little bit of stability through the summer, but I don’t mind that because I think it’s positive for our team to see that we are demanding the same thing in our quarterback as our right guard or our slot receiver.”
On his goals:
“My first goal was to develop the right culture and mindset within our group. One that would be hardworking, diligent, reliable, tough and play with great effort and tenacity. They wanted to be pushed and held accountable. The next piece involved them learning the language of our offense. They’ve done a good job with that but learning the real technical aspects of the game is where we stand to gain the most ground, especially during fall camp. That first two-to-three-week window will be critical for us.”
“If you develop the culture first, then you have guys who understand what the standard is and will work hard to meet that standard. If they love the game, believe in what they are doing, believe in what we tell them as coaches and want to be successful then they will do all the things on their own that it takes to be successful.”
On where the team is today:
“We are not where we need to be yet, and I’m not in a position to say that I’m pleased with where we are or that I’m content by any means, but I really like the group and their willingness. I think we have the right type of guys there and I think we are beginning to become a tough physical group.”
Steve Clark; tight ends coach
On managing practice regimen:
“You’d have to ask Kalani that – he’s the one that dictates that with the input of the coordinators. And whatever they say, that’s what we’ll do. But you don’t want to get guys hurt. There’s a fine line, but you have to do some live things so they’re accustomed to it when the game rolls around.”
On progress of tight ends:
“I don’t know if I could give them a grade, but overall, I've been very pleased with them, and we didn’t have Moroni. Moroni is going to help us. We were thin because we didn’t want to really use Matt. We could have used Matt a lot more, but we used the young guys. I think I’m as happy as I’ve been in years with the room right now.”
On mantra in his coaching room:
“Fight. I want them fighting. I can deal with fighters no matter what happens. If they’re out there fighting, now I don’t mean throwing punches, but if they’re fighting – then I can deal with it. If they’re not fighting, then I just can’t handle it. My story with football is that I’ve had to fight for everything. If they don’t fight, they don’t play.”
Fesi Sitake; wide receivers coach
On position group goals:
“Our motto is ‘do extra.’ The message I wanted to get across to them is that the teams that win championships and take their games to the next level aren’t the teams that just perform at a high level during mandated hours, it is what they do outside those mandated hours. I want the receivers to take advantage of every single opportunity to do extra and get a little more in. There has been an open line of communication and I think they’ve been doing those things to make progress this offseason.”
On receivers standing out:
“The main group of guys who finished off spring running with the ones are the ones who have spearheaded the expectations this offseason. Guys like Micah Simon, Akile Davis, Aleva Hifo, Neil Pauu and Talon Shumway are the ones who were making plays in the spring and have taken that leadership role this offseason.”
On coming to BYU:
“First things first, I left an unbelievable place to come to another one. I loved everything about Weber State. My wife and I knew that we were only going to leave our situation at Weber State if it was going to be really beneficial for our family. The biggest difference coming here has been the resources. It’s on a whole other level as far as what they provide. You look at this media day and the reach we are able to have with our fan base, putting ourselves out there on a global level that very few schools at the Power 5 level can do.”
Preston Hadley; safeties coach
Favorite memories of playing at BYU:
“Playing on that 2012 defense with those players and coaches. I look back and remember that we were convinced when we stepped on the field, people were there to see us play. No one could score on us and if someone did move the ball on us we were in shock.”
Defensive improvements:
“We’re going to keep doing what we’ve been doing. The areas that we’re going to try and improve are technique, execution and discipline. The safeties have been focusing on mastering tackling. Tackling is one of the most important and hardest things to do in football. We’re hoping it will show up in games this fall."
Outlook on safeties:
“We’re moving Dayan and Troy from corner to safety. They’ve both played in a lot of games here at BYU and have a lot of game experience. Their skillset really fits the skillset of a safety. Both are bigger, stronger guys and have a high football IQ. I think what they bring to the table physically, fits what we do at safety. We’re also very comfortable with the younger guys coming up in the corner position. There are a lot of good things to look forward to in the secondary, but now it’s about putting things together and putting it in games."
Jernaro Gilford; cornerbacks coach
On recruiting:
“Kids know what BYU has done over the past 40 years, it’s not a secret. They don’t really talk about a bad season because you could go to any team in the country and talk about a bad season. You could go to Alabama and talk about bad seasons in the 90s, but I bet no one thinks about that anymore. Certain programs have a certain brand where they’re just a winning program and BYU is one of them.”
On corner position group:
“Dayan has moved to safety, Troy could be a safety or corner and everyone else is still there. Chris Wilcox is the next guy up with him, Troy and Dayan all starting games together as freshmen and sophomores. He’s stepped up and has improved each year. I expect the same thing of Trevion Greene. Michael Shelton is going to definitely come and compete as my lone senior guy. He is ready to step up and was having a great spring before getting hurt. It will be fun competition come fall camp.”
Goals for the offseason:
“We’re just working on the small details. We gave up 25 plays of 25-plus yards and 16 could have been prevented through small things. The guy wasn’t better than us, it was blown coverages or bad eyes. Our guys have taken that to heart and have been working on these things since January. We’re working on controlling everything we can control, focusing on the small details.”
Ryan Pugh; offensive line coach
On what he’s looking forward to this season:
“Just looking forward to competing in our schedule. I think a lot of people have made a big deal about it, whether it’s tough or fair. I’m excited to see our guys go out and compete each week and improve. That’s why our offensive staff is here. I think everyone’s made that known. I’m excited to get started and work with a great group of men on a weekly basis and go out there to compete each week, give it our best and see where we end up at the end of the season.”
On expectations for the offensive line:
“As a whole we have high expectations for the offensive line. I think BYU traditionally has been known as a program that has great offensive linemen and we’ve talked about that as a group. Seeing them grow from the time we got here in January to now has been great. We’re pleased with the progress they’ve made but want to see what can happen when we line up Sept. 1 against Arizona. We’ve got a lot of work to do. They know that, and we know that as a staff, but we’ll get to where we need to be week one and between now and then it’s a lot of hard work for them.”
Ilaisa Tuiaki; defensive line coach
On motivation for the defense
“It’s important that you feel like you’re playing for something. When you’re not playing well on either side of the ball, it’s hard. When you’re on defense and you feel like you’re never going to put points on the board, then it’s hard. There’s a little give and take on both sides, but they definitely feed off of each other. There’s excitement with some of the stuff that the offense is doing.”
On the upcoming season
“We’re excited to start, and I think the team looks good, but we do need some more time in development. We’re going to get all those reps during fall camp and by the end of fall camp, we’ll have the reps that we need to get those kids ready.”
JJ Nwigwe; tight end
On this year’s focus:
“The biggest thing is the feeling that we all felt last season. We all went home and we could see everything in the media. It was a big change. Most of the players said that we need to work harder because we’re definitely better than a 4-9 team. In spring ball, the passion went up and the energy was there, so we just knew that we needed to do better.”
On what stood out from spring practice:
“The biggest thing that stands out is that it’s a new offense. So, I think trying to master the offense in such a short period of time and not having a prior year to play through it or anything is what stands out.”
On Coach Grimes:
“His new offense is alive. He expects a lot from us, so the energy level is up and the intensity in practice and the way we practice is just a lot better. I love Coach Grimes. He’s really fun to be around. When it’s time to get serious, he gets serious.”
Sione Takitaki; linebacker
On playing linebacker:
“The coaches saw that it was a better fit for me being a linebacker and I’m all for it. I’m all about helping out and seeing where I’ll be able to help the team the most. Coming from last year, they told me, “Hey, you weren’t bad. There was nothing wrong, but we feel like this fits you,” and I was all for it. I feel comfortable there and I feel like I can make more plays for the team, and I feel like I can fit better there.”
On senior year plans:
“All of the seniors have been working so hard. The whole team has been working hard. When you come off of a season like that you don’t have a choice but to work hard. You’ve got to hit it straight on and attack every day. I also want to enjoy my time with this team. Not just on the field, but off the field. I love these guys, these are my brothers that I connect with and that I’ll know forever. That’s something that I want to get from this season. Not only to have a good year, but to spend tons of time with these guys. The coaches are such great guys, just all around. It’s a good time to be alive.”
On leadership:
“There are a lot of guys that can feed off of each other. There isn’t really one guy that’s like, ‘Hey, I’m going to lead the pack.’ There’s tons of leadership. It’s a good finish. I believe in them, they’re my teammates. They’re putting in the work and working hard. The D-line is working really hard. Watch that first game though guys, I can talk your ear off all day, but you just have to watch the first game to see how we really perform.”
Butch Pau’u; linebacker
On attitude coming into season:
“I think there is a difference with how we are preparing for it. When you have guys coming in at 7 or 8 at night, it shows that they are ready to put in work. With the work we are putting in now, we will see some great success.”
On Coach Lamb and his vocabulary:
“He comes in and will say a word, and from Spring ball, every single day, there is a least one person who has to ask what he means. We are guys that are here for football. We didn’t get in with a 3.9. We weren’t Valedictorians of our schools. He is so smart. He knows so much about the game and that is because he has put in so much time and effort watching the film. That is something we have learned as linebackers to be successful. It’s not just watching certain plays.”
On goals for the year:
“One of my goals is to be the best leader I can be. I have to continue leading by example. When it comes to statistics, hoping I can get double digits after the game. I’m excited to see the young personnel that we have at every position, step up and do well.”
Tanner Mangum; quarterback
On preparing for the season:
“It’s what you do in the offseason that sets you up for success in the season. We’ve been going nonstop, it’s a never-ending process. We’re making the most of every chance we get and maximizing our time. Everyone has bought in and everyone is fully aware that it’s going to take some extra work and extra time to get to where we want to be. We’re excited to get out there and put our out best effort, our best product.”
On last season:
"When you go through something like that, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth, and you don’t want to experience it ever again. It motivates you to do more and do whatever is necessary to get there."
Beau Hoge; quarterback
On preparing for the season:
“Between workouts and player-run practices this offseason has been really good. The emphasis after spring was, let's not drop off, let's build off of what we just did. I think we've done a really good job at that, in regard to everyone getting bigger, faster, stronger and learning the offense as well.”
Joe Critchlow; quarterback
On the new coaching staff:
“The new coaches have been great. They've done really well to come in and show us the new offense. We've practiced a lot as an offensive unit to try to get better at it. There's a lot of excitement, a lot of energy around it. Going into the fall, we're all looking forward to great things.”
Troy Warner; safety
On decision to come to BYU:
“A big reason I came to BYU was the opportunity to play with my brother Fred at the college level. I thought that was something really special and hard to pass up. Also, the opportunity to represent BYU and represent a university that is more than just oneself. Being comfortable being here was big.”
On possible position change:
“As far as I’m concerned, I’m playing safety this year. I’ll be competing with Dayan and Austin Lee for the starting job. I think it will be a fun switch for me and I think I am more suited to play that position, so I am looking forward to it.”
On working with Preston Hadley:
“He is obviously educated in the game. He’s had a lot of experience and he brings great things to the table. I’m looking forward to being coached from him and learning from him, so I can be a better player.”
Austin Hoyt; offensive line
On Coach Pugh:
I love Coach Pugh because of his energy. In meetings and practice we tease him a little bit because he always seems like he’s running out of breath when he’s explaining plays because he’s so excited about teaching us. I really enjoy the excitement that him and the whole offensive staff in general bring.”
Thomas Shoaf; offensive line
On offseason prep:
“Learning the offense front and back more confidently, as well as being stronger and faster, is important. It doesn’t matter how big and strong you are if you don’t know what you’re doing then it’s hard to take advantage of that strength.”
Corbin Kaufusi; defensive line
On improving from last season
“There’s more accountability. Guys are stepping up and acting like a family. I think a lot of guys, including myself, sometimes don’t internalize that until a big problem happens or until you face a trial. For me, this last season was our trial and how we react to that can change everything. I love how our mentality has changed this last season. Let’s be real and let’s get stuff done.”
Dylan Collie; wide receiver
On returning to BYU:
“It is phenomenal. I love being here and you feel like you’re right back at home. Just to be back here and be at a place that has grown so much in five years since I was last here is awesome.”
On coaching staff:
“They are the initial and largest reason I came back to BYU. You have guys that have so much experience at high levels of football and very high-performance levels. A big reason I left Hawai’i was to be able to maximize a certain potential that I feel like I have, and these are the coaches that I know can get me there.”
On receiving group:
“These are all guys who are truly wanting to be the best players on the field. To be able to be around them and learn from them has been awesome. Obviously, building relationships takes time but that is normal in the world. These are great dudes that I already care for deeply and we just want to prove people wrong. That is our plan and that is what we’ll do.”
Micah Simon; wide receiver
On the new offense:
"I feel like I picked it up pretty quick and easy. I had extra meeting time with the coaches, so I could be on top of things."
On the new receiver coach:
"It’s been great. He knows so much. The different things he has been teaching us technique-wise has been great. He has done a lot for my development."
On what fans will be excited about with the receiver core:
"They will see guys that play with passion, guys that play with energy, guys that will make plays when they need to be made. I feel like we will be aggressive in the run and pass game. We are not going to let guys bully us around. We want to take the first punch."