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Locked On Cougars - Daily Podcast On BYU Cougars Football & Basketball

BYU Football & Jake Retzlaff's Keys to Beating the Wyoming Cowboys & a 3-0 Mark

Will the BYU Cougars overcome the Wyoming Cowboys in their upcoming clash in Laramie? Dive into the rich history and fierce rivalry between these two teams as they prepare to face off in Laramie.

This episode features an exclusive interview with BYU wide receiver Kody Epps, who shares insights on the team's mindset and his expectations for the Wyoming game. The discussion also covers the Cougars' running back situation, with injuries to key players LJ Martin and Hinkley Ropati, and analyzes the offensive play calling, especially the adjustments made during the SMU game. Quarterback Jake Retzlaff's performance is scrutinized, highlighting areas for improvement, while questions arise about the underutilization of BYU's talented tight ends. A brief look at the recently announced 2025 BYU non-conference schedule adds to the excitement.

Tune in for an engaging analysis of the BYU football program's strategies and challenges as Brigham Young University (BYU) gears up for a pivotal matchup against Wyoming.

Duration:
40m
Broadcast on:
13 Sep 2024
Audio Format:
mp3

Will the BYU Cougars overcome the Wyoming Cowboys in their upcoming clash in Laramie? Dive into the rich history and fierce rivalry between these two teams as they prepare to face off in Laramie.

This episode features an exclusive interview with BYU wide receiver Kody Epps, who shares insights on the team's mindset and his expectations for the Wyoming game. The discussion also covers the Cougars' running back situation, with injuries to key players LJ Martin and Hinkley Ropati, and analyzes the offensive play calling, especially the adjustments made during the SMU game. Quarterback Jake Retzlaff's performance is scrutinized, highlighting areas for improvement, while questions arise about the underutilization of BYU's talented tight ends. A brief look at the recently announced 2025 BYU non-conference schedule adds to the excitement.

Tune in for an engaging analysis of the BYU football program's strategies and challenges as Brigham Young University (BYU) gears up for a pivotal matchup against Wyoming.

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It's the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. Five-hour energy shots give you the feeling of alertness and energy you need to get in the zone and get things done. With zero sugar, a convenient portable size and coming in several flavors like watermelon tropical burst or my personal favorite grape, it's exactly what you need to get through the day. Five-hour energy.com, the set of number five-hourenergy.com and use our code LockdownCFB to receive 20% off your order. This offer is only valid until September 30th on one order and cannot be used with other promotions. The code is not good on subscription orders. Go to five-hourenergy.com today. The BYU Cougars are headed to Laramie, Wyoming looking to a 3-0 on the seasons they face off against the Wyoming cowboys. Why does it suddenly feel like it's like 2009? You are locked on Cougars, your daily podcast on the BYU Cougars. Part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. What is up everybody? I'm Jake Hatch, your host here on Lockdown Cougars, resident BYU insider. Thank you for making Lockdown Cougars your first view or listen of the day and big thank you to all of you who like to call every dayers. Right here on your original daily podcast focused on the BYU Cougars. Today's show is brought to you by our friends over at Game Time. Download the Game Time App today. Create an account and use the promo code LockdownCollege for $20 off your first purchase. All right, it's BYU. It's Wyoming. It is the third and most played series in BYU football history when they face off against Wyoming cowboys now. That series obviously has been a little bit on a hiatus for the past 15 or so years with BYU having only played Wyoming twice, once in that poinsettia bowl and also two years ago at Lavelle Edward Stadium, but BYU is headed to Laramie, Wyoming to War Memorial Stadium. And as I mentioned in the open, why is it like it's 2009? Well, because it's the first time since 2009 that BYU has gone to Laramie to face off against the pokes. I am looking forward to this game if for only one reason. BYU is looking to go 3 and 0 on this season and building momentum as they prepare a week from tomorrow for their big 12 opener against Kansas State. It's going to be a late night affair at Lavelle Edward Stadium. This is a good run through on the road to get yourself tuned up for that. And I'm looking forward to seeing how BYU handles all of this. Remember, BYU is a heavy favorite in their opening game against an FCS opponent. They handled things quite well against Southern Illinois. Then they marched into SMU and Klinas Taka, I thought, had an absolute masterful job of selling it. They were double-digit underdogs and go out there and shock the world and grind out an 18-15 win over the Mustangs last Friday. Well, coming into this one, you're a pretty heavy favorite on the road against Wyoming Cowboys who are 0-2 and looking at one of their major rivals coming in on their home turf and they're hoping to reignite their season with a big win over the Cougars. So the biggest thing I'm looking at in this game is can BYU handle themselves as a proverbial big favorite and also not have that as our good friends over with the solid verbal podcast call it, the letdown look ahead. Do not look forward past Wyoming and say, oh, Kansas State's out there on the horizon. Focus on the here and now. Handle Wyoming. They're going to throw the kitchen sink at y'all because as we heard from Cody Tucker yesterday, if you missed that podcast, a great in-depth conversation about what to expect from Wyoming, from his perspective, having covered the pokes for years, they're going to throw everything they've got at the BYU football program in Kaunice, Taki, Aaron Roderick, Jay Hill, on down the list, Jake Redslof, everybody on the BYU football roster and their coaching staff has to be ready to absorb what Wyoming is going to throw at them. Am I all that concerned about what Wyoming's got in terms of its overall prowess right now? Not so much because when you have Harrison Whaley, they're starting running back who is not going to play tomorrow. That takes a lot of the edge off what could be a pretty powerful rushing attack BYU would have to face. Evan Zavodas apparently got a very strong arm but has not been very prolific with it so far this season. And the Wyoming defense has been gashed and it's something that bit of a wounded animal. BYU has to go into War Memorial Stadium and just handle their business. Go out there, get the job done. Now, you will have to do it without both L.J. Martin and Hinckley Ruppati, your top two running backs in this game, that obviously puts a dent in what BYU had hoped would be a very heavy power run game, shorten this game, grind out a result and get out of there. But I think it's also an opportunity. Remember, just two years ago, Miles Davis set a career high with rushing on 13 carries for 131 yards. Now, that was aided by a 70-yard run as many of you might recall at Levella Edward Stadium, but Miles has got to be thinking, "All right, I got these guys," and he's in line for a major role in this. Obviously, when the top two guys in front of him on the depth charter out, Miles is thinking on the captain now, to still the line from his captain Phillips is that movie. Well, I would say that Miles actually should still be the number two back in this game. I would if I were BYU make Enoch Nawahine our primary back, because Enoch, in my opinion, is better between the tackles. What Miles Davis thrives in and what he showed against SMU was his ability to attack on the edge. When you need to get out there on that wide zone or toss player, an option like they did to get that 37-yard sprint down the sideline instead of that game-winning field goal against SMU, that's what Miles Davis specialty is. You're not going to have him bash his head 30 times in the middle of the defensive line and hope that's going to pay off. He is a guy that is best used as a complimentary back, and that's why I think Enoch Nawahine, in my opinion, should get the start tonight. Also, Jake Retsloff, what is he going to look like as he comes off a game where he had three pretty crazy turnovers and had a lot of people questioning if he was going to be the guy. Aaron Roderick clarified in media availability earlier this week that they had never considered replacing him in that game against SMU, even though yours truly is well, they feel like a thousand gazillion of you out there alongside me thought that Gary Bohann might get a look against the SMU Mustangs. Jake has got to look at this as his opportunity to go out there and win back some confidence in him. He said it last week, Jake against SMU used his quote unquote "mool" in this season. If he continues to be a turnover prone machine, eventually the patience is going to wear thin and BYU will replace him. You cannot afford to give Wyoming any type of hope if you're Jake Retsloff by having bad turnovers, tossing up a wounded duck for an interception, allowing the ball to get stripped out from you. Sometimes, as Aaron Roderick says, it's better to just take the loss on the plate, live to play another down, take that sack, to tackle for loss. Whatever it is, keep the ball in your possession. Jake gets too sped up at times and I'm hopeful against Wyoming, he shows he's learned from that performance against SMU, we'll find out. Other thing I'm looking forward to in this game, BYU's defense based on what I've seen from Wyoming's offensive line through two weeks should feast on the Wyoming offensive front. Their right tackle when we talk with Cody Tuck yesterday about it, they said the young man took all the blame for it, he gave up three sacks against Idaho. Against Idaho, BYU has got five sacks and a bevy of tackles for loss already this season. Against an offensive line that has proven to be more like Swiss cheese, BYU should be able to go out there and make life turbulent. Probably a good word for Evan Sabota in the backfield for Wyoming. I hope that BYU's defensive line has a field day against the pokes. I want nothing more than to see John Nelson, Blake Mangelson, Tyler Batty, Logan Latoui, Isaiah Banya, Bodie Skoonover, Josh Singh, David Lott, let all those guys go out there and do their thing. That doesn't even preclude the linebackers from getting in on the action. We saw it last week, Isaiah Glasker and Jack Kelly have proven to be forces off the edge. I'm sure that Harrison Taggart's hoping to get in on the sack party as well for BYU. I want to see BYU's defense just absolutely rough up, Wyoming, and don't allow them to do their thing. Now is that going to make the home faithful all the more mad, and you'll probably start hearing some rather derogatory chants directed towards BYU? Absolutely. But that is part of the lore, the fun, just the tenor of what playing in Laramie, Wyoming is all about as a BYU football player. Jake Retsloff already heard it earlier this week. Do not leave the locker room or be on the side without your helmet on, and he's dead right. There have been far too many incidents of urine, bombs, coins, and all kinds of stuff. My father was at a game when he went up to Laramie one time when those inebriated cowboy fans peed over the ledge onto BYU football players walking into the locker room. It is a hostile, hostile environment, but it's one of the true road environments that I think hardens players. That's the one thing I want to see from BYU. Can you go into a place where people legitimately hate you, and can you go out there and perform to the level that we're all expecting you to? That is a big question mark, and I'm looking forward to it. I think the biggest thing for BYU, my three keys to the game, just real quick. Number one, take care of the football. As Klannen Satake said earlier this week, take care of the stinking ball. That was a shot directly across the bow of Jake Retsloff. There's no qualm about saying that's who that was directed at. Take care of the football. Number two, get some extra work for these young running backs. Yes, I know that Miles Davis and Enoch Nawa Hine are probably going to get a lot of carries in this game, but I want to see Pokai Aunga, as well as Sione Ai Moa, get a chance. Aaron Roderick said that red shirts are out the window at this point for the running backs. Let them get some action, get some run, and see what you got in those young men. Number three, I want to see BYU's defense limit Wyoming ideally to single digit points. They'll probably have it in their mind that they are gold, that they want to shut Wyoming out. That's absolutely incredible. If you can shut out a team on their home field, that would be an incredible effort. I'd like to see BYU have a goal of just shutting everything Wyoming tries down and keeping them single digits. Do you have a touchdown? Sure, but keep it to seven points. Don't allow them to build confidence early in this game, because that's I think a big part of this. You've got to make sure the crowd essentially stays out of it. Now, they'll still be hostile, they'll still be saying things, but you don't want to give them hope and believe that their team can pull off that upset. That is where you get in trouble, playing in a place like Wyoming. Just ask Texas Tech, last year, who went to Laramie and lost. Really crazy things happen in Laramie, Wyoming, and let's hope that BYU is the latest victim to go up on to the high plains, the 72-20, and suffer pretty rough defeat. It would be a pretty deflating thing if BYU were to do that, but I'm fairly, I'm actually very confident in BYU going into this game. I think the mindset's right for the team. I think they learned a lot of good and hard lessons in that win over SMU, and now go put it on a full display and get yourself the three of no, and then get ready for big 12 play against Kansas State. All right, coming up here in just a moment, we're going to talk with Cody Epps, a wide receiver for the BYU football program, a guy that I absolutely enjoy talking to every opportunity I get to do it. We had a great chat about the wide receiving core, what he expects as he travels to Wyoming for the first and probably only time in his life, as he kind of mentions, and also get his mindset as a wide receiver, what he's hoping to prove out there on the gridiron for BYU. We'll get into that next, right here, on locked on Cougars. Today's show is about to you by our friends over at eBay Motors, Passion, driving patience, the Formula Clinic winning championships is also what keeps your ride or die alive. eBay Motors has everything to maintain your vehicle and level it up to peak performance. Superchargers, roof racks, exhaust kits, LED headlights, and more, whether you're into speed, power or style, eBay Motors has got you covered. 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Thank you once again for making lockdown cougars, your first listen of the day, check out our friends over at the Lockdown College Football Podcast, Spencer McLaughlin's doing a great job, keeping you up to speed on everything in the Big 12/College Football Universe. You want to hear more about the PAC-12, trying to reconstitute itself? Well, check out the Lockdown College Football Podcasts, it's available wherever you get your podcasts, also available on YouTube, and it's a proud part of the Lockdown Podcasts Network, your team, every day. All right, I had a great opportunity earlier this week, but after BYU Football Practice, to catch up with one of my favorite guys on the BYU Football Program. Cody Epps is a walking quote, and I say that in the most loving terms. He is a guy who is not afraid to speak his mind on a bevy of different issues, but at the same time, has some fun along the way. Cody has been pretty quiet so far this year, and Ed Norton, obviously one of our Lockdown Cougar Insider group members, actually asked the question, "We're gonna get to your Insider group Q&A here in a moment." He said, "Jake, is Cody Epps still on the roster?" He had the laughing, crying emoji. I thought he's been really left at the play called from A-Rod, history of his past reception show. He's a guy who just gets open and gets plays, possession receiver who gets extra yards. You're not wrong about that, Ed. Cody has been very quiet this season, but I've got a sneaking suspicion that Cody has got something cooked up here for this Wyoming game. Now, don't quote me on that because I can't guarantee it. He's a wide receiver, and he's at the mercy of the quarterback who's thrown in the ball. I thought Cody had a phenomenal catch that will kind of touch pass over the top of the linebacker from Jake Redsloff against SMU. I was hoping to see more of that. Can we expect to see more of that against SMU against Wyoming? Well, TBD. But Cody, I think maintains a very, very positive outlook about how he approaches life, how he approaches football, and just overall, how he goes about his style and the way he plays on the grid irons, without further ado, here's my conversation with BYU wide receiver, Cody Epps. Two and 0 through two games. How's the team filling right now? We peaked, everybody's excited. We came back after the last game and watched the film as a team, as an offense. There are some things we definitely want to come into this next week doing a lot better, executing at a higher level, and just harp and gnawing and being super intentional on the little things that our coaches kind of showed us on film that we need to get better at. So, everybody's excited, everybody's ready for the moment. I know I am. I'm so excited to make some plays. Just do whatever I can for to go through now. I've talked about enough coaches in my career that they will tell you that they love when you guys struggle in a win, obviously, because it makes it easier for them to kind of harp on you guys. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's like having the messaging this week from the coaching stuff. Yeah, definitely. I mean, as a team and, you know, we want to play better for Cougar Nation, we want more points on the board. We want to do as best as we can for our fans, for our families, for everybody that pours into us. And then we want better for ourselves, just as our coaches want better for us, as a team we want better for us. But at the end of the day, man, you can't be mad at a W. W's don't -- every team in college football can win each and every week. And as you see the past couple of weeks, there's been some upsets and crazy games happening. And so, any time that we can go out there, and even in the hard times of adversity, come out with a W and come out victorious, we should be happy about it and get better at the things we know we can do better. How proud were you guys fought back in that game, though? Super proud. Super proud. Coach Kalani talked about how nobody ever pointed the fingers. We never turned on each other. We never doubted ourselves, doubted our calls or anything like that. We were all dialed in and ready for the next call and ready to make that big play. And I'm super excited for Enoch to come in and get that big play for us, get that touch now, tenor while stepping up and making some big plays on special teams. Those are the little plays and little things that happen, and then when we get to watch it on film, they mean a lot to us as a team, definitely from a brother standpoint too. That touch on the past that you caught in that game from Jake, that's a little arc right over that wire back. Is that kind of show off his ability as a quarterback, just his ability, he can gun it when he needs to. He has that little touch on it as well. Yeah, definitely. I mean, he's a gunslinger, in my opinion. He's a guy that wants to compete. Anytime he gets outside of the tackle box, always on high alert. Those are the times where a receiver like myself gets to make chunk plays because I get to find windows and find space, so to have and do that understand space as well, and as always looking downfield when he breaks the tackle box, it's a lot of fun, and it makes room for a lot of big plays. Okay, do you know what's about this Wyoming series and the history between the Cougars and the Pokes? I actually do. Okay. So last year, two years ago, it was my first time playing against Wyoming, and BYU has a wild history of Wyoming, so going into like, Laramie is going to be a lot of fun. It's going to be rowdy as I hear. They don't like us too much, but at the end of the day, we just want to block out the noise and execute at a high level. What do you see from them on film? News that go hard. They go hard on all phases of the game, offense, defense, special teams, so we're going to have to bring our lunchboxes, come ready to play, be stout, be physical, and like I said, be intentional on the little details to make sure that we can execute. I'm going to ask you about the wide receiving core because you've got a lot of guys and you guys are rotating quite a bit here. How's it been dynamics in the room of you guys all participating, getting such an equal rep so far this season? Yeah, I mean, like I've talked about before, season even started, everybody's just pulling for each other. We're all doing it for each other. Anytime we have to sub, we're making sure everybody's on the same page with the calls. We all know who to look for for signals and stuff like that. I think everybody is just so excited to be able to play. You know, we waited so long for season to come around. I know I'm super excited. I'm geeked up for my teammates when they make big plays, make big blocks, and then when I get in there, I want to do the same thing. I want to make my team proud. I want when film comes on on Monday morning or Monday in the afternoon that I made some big plays that my teammates could be proud of too. You won't be the guys sliding down your seat being like, "Don't mention me." Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't think anybody wants to be that guy. If you want to be that guy, you're in the wrong sport. Yeah, absolutely. I know that about that. The biggest thing I wanted to ask you is in terms of what you've seen from like Darius so far this year, because obviously he had to set that first game, but he comes back in that second game. What are you expecting from him as a teammate? He's a leader, man. He's an incredible leader. We call him Liddy. Liddy makes a lot of crazy catches. He makes a lot of contested catches. He does it at a high level, so I'm excited to see him in this game. He creates some matchup problems and makes him big plays. You and Chase have been on parallel tracks your entire time here at BYU. You've got your injuries together, and I've gone through this program together. What's your relationship with him like? It's the same. It's the same. We go for round a lot. He's looking at me right now over there. I go for round with him a lot. We play around, say dumb, stupid, silly jokes, sing country songs together. Just have fun. Enjoy the game. He's definitely someone that I can count on and off the field. Like you said, because I've been around the block with him. We have a lot of invested reps, whether that's riding in the car together or being on the field together. He's a brother. He's a great teammate. I'm so happy to be able to do it with him. Cody Epps, country music fan, I didn't expect that to come out of your mouth. I wouldn't say a fan, but I'm a fan of some artists and some songs. But I'm not just an overall country guy. Who are you trying? Morgan Wallen, for sure. Okay, Morgan Wallen. Okay. Morgan Wallen, to me, is he's a little bit more upbeat. He doesn't have that Southern draw, like Tim McGraw and some of those dudes. Those dudes are amazing. Those dudes are great. Those dudes started out country and made it to what it is, but I like the younger, more hip stuff. What about post Malone's new album? Love it, too. I like that, too. I like how he switched into that zone and making it pop, too. Last thing for me. What are you hoping to prove, obviously, this game, but more importantly going forward? I think just attack. Each and every snap that I get, I just want to be in attack mode, whether I have the block, make a play, make a catch. One of my teammates, make a play, makes a play, comes to the sideline. I want to attack that moment, cheer them up, bring them up. If my teammate makes a mistake, I want to build them up, make sure that they know that they're bigger than that mistake. If I make a mistake, I want to attack the mistake and not let it hinder me, not let it pull me back. Just keep going, always on the go, and moving forward in progress. There you have Cody Abs saying he wants to attack, and I think that's the right mentality to have because as Ed kind of pointed out a little earlier on, he has been pretty quiet this season. Cody is a guy that I think is poised to break out. Now, there's a lot of other wide receivers in that room. We talked about guys at Darius last, or we talked about Chase Roberts, but doesn't even include guys like Keelan Marion, Parker Kingston, Cody Hagen, JoJo Phillips. The wide receiving core of BUYU is extremely deep, it's extremely talented, and so long as Jake Retsloff can get the ball to them, it feels like every single one of them are capable of making plays. So, I am hopeful that Cody breaks out sooner rather than later, and it would be no time like the present to go up there to layer me and let him cook the Wyoming Cowboys, but you can tell that I think he's got the right mindset on everything, and it's just a, he's a really, really fun young man to talk to. I have great chats with him, we talked a little bit after we pushed off on the recording. He still is enthralled with the golf game as ever, even though we're in the middle of the football season. He's wasting time, because he is a hyper-focused guy on the task at hand, and that's his football at this point, but you can tell he's got other interests. Golf, he's doing well in school, I just, I cannot speak enough as to the character of a kid like Cody Epps, he's just an incredible human being, and he's going to do some big things in life. I don't know how much of it entails just a professional football, if that's the route he takes, he's going to do big things just in general. So, really appreciate Cody Epps, a big thank you to him as always for joining us here on the podcast, and look forward to many more of those chats in future days and weeks here on the podcast. All right, coming up next, is your guys time to shine, you guys throughout our questions are locked on Cougars insider group, I asked for questions, they responded in mass, we'll roll through as many of them as we have in the time remaining, as you roll on on a Friday edition of locked on Cougars momentarily. Today's show's about to you by our friends, over at Factor Meals, a few of the factors, no prep, no mass meals. 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You earn and discover doubles. See terms at discover.com/creditcard. Thank you once again for being locked on Cougars, your first view or listen of the day. Alright, my daily reminder, join us on the Locked On Cougars inside a group. You want to insight intel on everything you can expect from BYU, especially in the lead up to game day, what I'm hearing about the vibes around the program, insider tidbits about what to expect from BYU as they take on the Wyoming Cowboys. Well, we'll get that as to join us on the Locked On Cougars inside our group. Link is in the show notes whether you're watching and or listening to this or just reach out to us. We'll take care of you guys. 14-day free trial and of course just $5 a month afterwards and updates coming to you in the form of a text message. It's not much more direct than that. Alright, on to the questions now in the metal bag for this week. Marlon Shaw, and I think there's like five or six of you ask questions similar to this. I think there's one, Paul Nielsen asked about this, just a few of you guys who asked a similar question. Jake, what's the impact of the Pac-12's moves on BYU? Well, now if you missed the news, the Pac-12 is reconstituting itself. Now, Oregon State and Washington State were the lone remaining members of what was the Pac-12 that a lot of people can call them the Pac-2 and they went and siphoned off four members of another West Coast conference, the Mountain West conference, excuse me, in bringing Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and in my opinion, surprisingly Colorado State. Into the fold, there'll be the, what I'm going to call right now, the six Pac for the time being. They have plans to at least two more schools. I don't think they stopped there. We'll see what happens with this reconstituted conference. How does it affect BYU? I don't think it affects BYU all that much, quite honestly. Now, you may have some crossover matchups with these teams because I'm sure that this conference is going to try and assert itself as a power whatever conference, but let's be real. It's a, it's a, it's a G5 conference and I don't mean that derogatory way, but that's what it is and it's going to be relegated to. The situation is I can see BYU playing any one of those six schools at different points. I don't think that that's out of the realm of possibility that BYU plays them, but the problem is we have to find out from the big 12. How are those games going to count? Because we all know that the big 12 has a mandate. The BYU play a power for a power level, autonomous, whatever conference team every single year. Will those count for those games? If so, yeah, bring on Boise State, renew that rivalry that went through the independent era for BYU. Strong, strong rivalry there, but it all depends on what the big 12 rules on that. We'll see what happens. That's a big question. Honestly, I don't think the impact on BYU is all of that major because there's no real direct impact. I'm sure the BYU will run into these schools on the recruiting front, but the thing about it is BYU got the recruiting advantage out. We're in the big 12. They're not. I think that that's my long and short. I just don't think it affects BYU all that much directly. Good question here from Mark. Jake, here's a question for your Q&A segment. From everything I've heard, it sounds like Kevin Young is an amazing sales pitch as a coach. He's recruiting, I think, five or six of the top 10 guys in the 2025 recruiting class. He says, "When he's out on the recruiting trail, do you think that I mean this seriously? Would it help our football recruiting, especially a guy like Kalani, to sit in with some of those recruiting trips with Kevin Young to see how he does it? Or do something like hear what he says and how he's selling the opportunity at BYU? Kevin Young seems to be landing top-level talent, the football program needs that same thing, especially with players who are members of the church. How would you go about that?" I wouldn't think it was a bad idea for Kalani to maybe bounce ideas off Kevin Young. There may be restrictions on having a sitting power level football coach traveling with a power level basketball coach on recruiting trips. I know the NCAA is weird about stuff like that, but I think both of them can bounce ideas off each other. Now the other thing about this is, is the sales job from Kevin Young, I think it's easier than Kalani Satake's. I don't mean to be facetious or just weird about this, but think about it. The sales job from a guy like Kevin Young is to a top-level talent, who may be a one-in-dunner, which we're looking at like a Jegor Demen or Cannon Catching this year, is that, okay, I know we have an honor code. I know we have a pretty stringent academic requirement at BYU. You come in here, you have to put up with it for two semesters, roughly eight months, and then you're off on your way if you're as good as we believe you are to the NFL. Football's a little different. Football, the NFL rules typically have to be three years removed from high school before you can go into the NFL draft, so you've got to tell a kid, "Yeah, you can come to BYU," and there are a lot of kids who are going to sign up for that because they have been doing it for decades. There's other guys who won't do that, they're not willing to put up with it for that long. That's the difference between basketball and football. I don't mean to be flippin' about, I don't mean to be a crew. I don't mean to make it sound like it's a bad thing, but there's a different reality when it comes to recruiting for BYU football than it is BYU basketball. It's just the dynamics are different out there. So I think that both of these guys, speaking of Kalani and Kevin Young, they absolutely can bounce ideas off each other, but I don't think it's just the comparison. It's an apples to oranges comparison overall, and I think that's kind of the rub I feel like on that. All right. Next question here. Let's get through as many as we can of these because we want to get to all of them. Weston asks this, "Be where typically wins a game that they shouldn't and loses a game that they should win. Which game will BYU win that they shouldn't and which will they lose?" Oh geez. Well, are you talking before the season because Arizona State suddenly looks very, very daunting, and I thought BYU, I penciled out one as a win before the season because I all thought that Arizona State was going to be bottom of the big 12. Now, could Arizona State be struggling by the time BYU shows up there in late November? Maybe so, but so far they're three and no, and they beat a very, very good Texas State team last night. Ah, man. The team that BYU will beat that they probably shouldn't. Ah, man. Give me Kansas State next week. Here's the thing. Kansas State is not proving a lot and Avery Johnson is still not started a road game in his collegiate career, and he's been hot and cold most of the season. I think BYU could pull off an upset against Kansas State, so I guess that's the answer there. Ah, Brandon, that's this. Here's one. It's been a while since BYU is meaningfully involved. They're tight ends. Obviously, since they've made it outstanding plays but compared to previous years and given the talent pool, I'm surprised they are not targeted more. Even against Southern Illinois, which probably has the easiest defense to play all year, I had to have a question about that. I would have thought there'd be more opportunities there. What is keeping the offense from utilizing this talent pool better? Ah, scheme, play calling, quarterback looking for those guys, all of it. Ah, now I don't mean to throw a guy like Jake Rutsoff and or Aaron Roderick under the bus, but the way the BYU offense has kind of been structured over the last couple of years is it looks more at the wider receivers. Remember, Jaren Hall, I watched Jaren play for quite a while at BYU and tight ends were all but invisible to him. He looked on the outside of the wider receivers and I don't get it, but it just kind of makes me chuckle. I know that tight ends are talented, that'd be why he's got a strong history with them, but right now it's just kind of the offense has been structured to feature wider receivers more, but yeah, you're right. The production with the tight ends, especially Matha Ava Tase or Tase, as most people are calling him, give him more opportunities because he absolutely deserves it. I absolutely would love to see him get more opportunities. Keanu Hill, Reiner Swanson, who's got Jackson Bowers out on the field against SMU, give all of them that opportunity. I'd love to see more targets at the tight end because I think it's an absolute cheat code to have guys like BYU has in that position, you've got to utilize them, no doubt. Brandon did add this comment as well, I listened to the Wyoming guys being a Cody Tucker on your podcast. Just stop with the 35 year olds comments, but I love that it's still in their heads. Cody knows what he's doing, guys. Cody is an incredible human being, I love talking with him and he knows exactly what he's doing because it's just the thing to do to needle BYU fans. Let's see another good question here, we're rolling along here. Man, geez, there's some good ones here. Okay, what is your honest assessment of the offensive play calling so far? Wow, that's a great question from Morgan. Up and down. I know that sounds like a cop out, but here's the thing. Against SMU, the first half BYU had built that game plan around having L.J. Martin and Hinckler O'Pottie running down the throat of the SMU offense, when L.J. Martin injures himself and he injured himself, but he got injured in that game. Well, things went downhill in a very, very quick way. Hinckler O'Pottie got injured and kept forcing himself back on the field and it hurt BYU. Klein said, "If you're hurt, get off the field," and that was a shot right at a guy like Hinckler O'Pottie, and I think the biggest thing is you saw in that second half, they kind of crumpled up the old game plan, speaking of Aaron Roderick, and went back to one that featured the QB run using BYU attacking on the edges of the guys, like Miles Davis. I think that the second half of that SMU game actually was pretty incredible, I think from the play calling perspective. I know he didn't yield a ton of points, but if you go back and watch that game the way I watch it, Aaron Roderick completely wholesale changed his game plan, or I don't know, maybe a wholesale, but he pulled out a lot of plays they probably didn't have at the top of his play sheet in that second half and I thought it was a masterclass at adjusting on the fly. I know that Aaron is a hiss and a byword among BYU fans, and trust me, I get accused of being Aaron Roderick Homer, but I thought he was actually very, very good against SMU in terms of adjusting the game plan in that second half to give BYU the opportunity to win that game. I can't ask this, do you think the past game can set up the run game? I think it absolutely has to us, speaking of the Wyoming game. I love Enochnawah Hine, I love what Miles Davis offers, but you don't have your top two running backs, you need to loosen up a Wyoming defense that's going to stack the box and force them to back off just like Southern Illinois with some deep shots over the top. If Jake Redslaw, speaking of the BYU starting quarterback, if he can take some shots down the field, get some completions, that's going to back off those safeties, the linebackers, and allow more running lanes to open for Enochnawah Hine, Polkai Helng, Miles Davis, whoever's toting the rock, it absolutely needs to be set up with the past game against Wyoming, I think so. Tom asked this, it sounds like BYU has just shot at Ryder Lions in the class of 2026. Do you see Ryder, someone is the next big star quarterback for BYU, it's a good question, Tom. Ryder Lions will be an incredible addition for BYU, a bonafide, four star, borderline five star prospect, depending on where you look, he is a guy who's got all of the skills out there. If they can land him, great, do it, because Ryder, you watch his film and it's readily apparent why he is such a high level prospect at quarterback. The guy that I think BYU has a lot of hopes for, who's currently in the mission field is Enoch Watson, Enoch has got a really, really strong background as a guy who is kind of a budding star type prospect, BYU scooped him up, he played in a wing tee offense for a part of his high school career that really kind of hampered the recruiting efforts, they went and played for Ty Detmer and Max Hall at that ALA Queen Creek Academy school, the high school down there in Arizona and really blew up. There's a lot of hope that Enoch Watson might be the next star quarterback for BYU, but he's in the mission field right now, so he's two years before you see him back on campus for BYU. So yeah, if Ryder Lions wants to be the guy, sure, go for it, you get as much talent as you can get at that position and let the best guy win the job. I think that's the biggest thing for BYU in that regard. All right, let's see how much time we got left here. I'll be like a few couple more minutes, we can fit a few more in here. Chris Crawl, a locked on Big 12 predicts BYU struggles in Laramie, what do you think? I don't think BYU struggles. I think BYU's locked in, they know what they're going up against, and then he did respond later. He's like, "Oh, now I know how you feel because we had that locked on Big 12 squad show that we put on our podcast feed," and I told him in that episode that I feel like BYU knows what they're doing. I'm feeling very strongly about BYU going to Laramie. Now you've got to handle your business, but I really do think that BYU should be in a good spot, and feeling that they're confident going into this. I really do think that. Hunter, do you think BYU will rely on the passing game from the start? Will they try to get the run to set up the passing game? To go back to that question earlier from Kent, Hunter, I think the pass has to open up the run game in this circumstance for BYU. Will they try and test the front of Wyoming to run it? Sure, and if they have success even early on in the game, yeah, they'll go back to it time and time again, but I just -- my read is that Wyoming's going to put seven, eight guys in that box. It's tough to run against that, and BYU will have to loosen it up with some passes over the top. That's just the way I kind of see things, and maybe I'm wrong about that, but we'll see what happens here. Let's see, a couple other questions I'm just rolling through, I'm just kind of scrolling through what we got here. Oh, interesting one here from Josh Glenn, "I would expect to see more 335 from Jay Hill in this game. The one strength from his Wyoming team is running the ball. 335 is more of when BYU faces off against spread teams like SMU, but Wyoming will spread it out. I could see BYU using the 335, but I'm actually expecting more of a four-down front, a four-three alignment for BYU, just with that power run game." That's my personal opinion, Josh, but have I been wrong with four? Absolutely. Will I be wrong again? Absolutely. He said, "I would expect BYU to load the box and force Wyoming to beat the man-to-man through the air." Your thoughts on that. Yeah, I expect BYU to force it on to Evans Fevote his arm, because he's not proven that he can really beat teams with his arm this year. I just look at this, and I think it's a really, really interesting matchup. Looking forward to it. My prediction for this one, before we wrap it up here, is I've got BYU 35, Wyoming 9. How about that? 35-9. I think BYU handles their business, blows out the pokes, gets to 3-0, and then comes back home to Provo, feeling good about themselves as we get ready for big 12 play next week as they take on the Kansas State Wildcats. We will have a postcast edition up for you guys, probably late Saturday, early Sunday morning, I think I want to get done with radio responsibilities on the pre- and post-game shows. I do for the KSL Sports Zone, but I will have that for you guys. And then, Monday, like I said, it's time to look at big 12 play and get ready for BYU and Kansas State. We will have some fun with that. I also do want to get into a bigger discussion and have a lot of time to date and talk about it. About the 2025 non-conference schedule, the BYU revealed if you missed it, BYU will face off against Portland State and Stanford, as well as making a road trip over to East Carolina next year in their non-conference slate. I think it's a pretty decent non-conference slate, but we will have a bigger discussion on that early next week as well. So, alright. Enjoy the game, everybody. Looking forward to it. 7 o'clock kickoff up on the high plains. Welcome to 72-20, Laramie, Wyoming. Looking forward to it. It feels like I said, like, 2009 all over again, and let's hope that BYU punks the pokes, as I like to say, once again, as they head into Laramie for the first time in 15 years. Thank you once again for making Locton Cougars, your first listen of the day. Thank you to all of you who are every day as well. And if I didn't get to your question from our insiders group, my apologies right out of time. So, we'll fit them in if they kind of hold over, we'll fit those in in a future edition as well. So, alright. That's it. Big thank you to all of you for tuning in. Have a great Friday, and of course, we'll reconvene tomorrow in the aftermath of BYU and Wyoming right here on the Locton Cougars podcast. 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