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Can do is show up hungry. Moving into hour number two. What's going on? H Minutes Wednesday to you in Southern California. I am Jim Rome.
This show is brought to you by presented by Fanduel. My thanks to our fans or friends there, of course, Fanduel. All right, twelve hundred is totally free. Go ahead and use it if you want. We are full.
My thanks to Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, who just came on the program right now. I mentioned we'd go back to back, so that's exactly what we'll do. We are joined by a defensive lineman for Texas. He is a fifth-year senior. He's in his second season with the Longhorns.
He spent the previous three years at Ohio State. He has ten tackles this year, three for loss, and he's got. A half sack. Texas is four and zero. They're one and zero in SEC play.
They are top ranked in this week's AP poll. They do have a bye this week. We are joined right now by Hero Canoe. Great to have you on the show, Hero. How you doing, dude?
I'm doing great. How are you? Good, really good. Listen, I understand that it's all about team, but your personal journey is so unique and so interesting. If you don't mind, can we go back?
You were born and raised in Germany. You grew up in a small town right outside of Munich. How were you first introduced to American football? Yeah, actually. In the city, or like the like small little town next to Munich, was probably like a thousand people or so, and I had a friend.
His name is Philip. He already played football, and he was connected with his coach Brendan Collier, who ended up being my coach who brought me over here to America. But I was just out on the soccer field kicking the ball around, and I seen him throw the football. I'm like, "What is this? Let me try this out too." So I went to try it out, and he said I got like a natural talent.
You know, obviously I was throwing and catching the ball, but he was like, "Man, you you have." Athletic, you know, you got understanding for for the game when he explained it to me. He said he wants to introduce me to his coach, and I was like, okay, why not? And a couple weeks later, we had like a little like workout in Munich, and yeah, he had to talk with my mom. Was like, hey, I don't know. I know he doesn't play football, but I think he might has a legit chance.
And I kind of grew soccer at that point. I, I mean, I was like two forty at that point.
So yeah, I needed something new. Oh, dude, that that is so good. I love that story. I mean, when you say you outgrew soccer, you you mean actually, like literally, you were too big to play soccer. Yeah, really.
So, how old were you at that point? I was fourteen. Yeah, fourteen, probably two forty at that point.
Okay, so you take on football.
So, when you first started playing football, did you take to it really quickly? Did you like it at first? What was it like? I liked it, and I ended up watching it a little bit. I think my first game was the Eagles versus the Commanders.
Now back then, Redskins. It was my first game that I watched. I was like, "This is moving so fast!" But I kind of found a liking to it just because of the violence of the nature of the sport, and kind of like enjoyed it. And I was like, "Okay, why not give it a shot?" All right, so hero, you're from a town of like 1,000 people. How did the opportunity to come to the U.S.
come to be, and then what part of the country did you move to when you came here?
So the opportunity just came with like a couple weeks, months training with Brandon Collier. He went up to he went down to come see me. I went up to see him. Just training, posting videos on X on Instagram everywhere, and you know, kind of like the opportunity came presented, and I was like, you know what? Why not come to Orange County, California, play some high school football there?
Right?
Southern Cal, bro. I love that so much.
So I don't know if you know us or not, but we broadcast from Orange. County. I live in Orange County. This studio is not far from Santa Margarita High School, where you went. In fact, we live pretty close to that school.
In fact, I have friends who work there. I have friends who used to work there. I know that school really well. And for those who don't know, that school produced athletes like Clay Thompson and Carson Palmer.
So this thing had to be happening so quickly. What was the transition like when you ended up in California and you are an OC?
So actually, it was a little bit scary just because it was my first time in America. I was I just turned sixteen at that point, just turned sixteen, and was the middle of COVID.
So I come to America. I land in the airport in LAX, and you know I'm getting picked up. Me, I had a host family. Right?
Hey, we got a little problem. I'm like, what do you mean we got a problem? I just landed in America. It was a 12 hour direct flight from Munich, and I'm like, no way. We already got a problem in the middle.
Covid, my mom is not here. You know, my siblings aren't here. I'm like, dang, this is gonna be interesting. But yeah, they said my host family is not in town because of a family emergency.
So I had one teammate that just raised his hand and was like, "Hey, we can take him in for the time being until they come back." And you know, that's a whole different story. That that relationship went on forever. I'm still in contact with them. Actually, going to go visit him this weekend. Bro, that's incredible.
That's not one little problem. That's not a small little problem. The host family's gone. I'm getting off an airplane and I have no host family, and I'm 16 and I'm in America for the first time. That's incredible.
So you have a teammate raise his hand and say, "I'll take you in. It's all good." That's amazing. All right.
So your defense played a major role in Saturday's win over 14th-ranked Tennessee. Let me ask you about that game. Have you ever seen a more dominant individual performance than that five-sack game that Colin Simmons had in Knoxville? And then, what makes this dude so fierce? Coming off the edge.
Yeah, I've never seen something like that before. I mean, it was the third sack, and I was on the side and talked to him, man. Like, hey, the game is not over, okay? Do you want to be great or you want to be legendary? I talked to him, and five and a half, you know, is what he ended with.
And I mean, I don't know how many pressures he had. I think his win rate was like eighty percent or something, like just in terms like getting pressure on the quarterback and everything. But the whole objective was like stopping the run, and that's what we did first as a front, and he did contribute it greatly to. And then you got to earn the right to rush after the passer, which we did. Hiro Kanu is joining us.
So, in light of Colin being penalized for what the referee called "quote simulating using the restroom," end of quote, have you and the other fellas defensively helped him come up with another way to celebrate his sacks? Because you know there are more coming. Oh my goodness! It was just funny moment. First of all, like he got that sack, and I'm running up to him.
I'm trying to celebrate with him, and I look over. I'm like. Oh, this is gonna be a fact, but this is absolutely not who he is off the field. That was just in the heat of the moment, you know, making a big time, playing a big time game. But yeah, we we working on those new celebrations.
I don't know, bro. Like I know you, I know you're being careful and you're being diplomatic. My take was, you get five sacks in a game, you get five sacks in the game. All he did was simulate urination. To me, if you get five sacks in a game of that magnitude.
Go ahead and take a dump on the field if you want. I'm fine with that. I'm good with that.
Now, bro, let me ask you though. Like, do you understand why folks were so offended, or is there any part of you that want to say, "Can we all just just lighten up a little bit, little bit"? Yeah, I do understand. We understand it as a team. He understands that.
Just the the people that he represents here, you know, University of Texas, and we want to be putting our best foot forward, and that's just not who he is and who we are as a team. Connor, you are good, dude. Hero Canoe joining us, you are good, man. Let me ask you about Arch Manning.
So, his last name makes him part of football royalty, and there is a lot of attention focused on him as a result.
So, what's he like as a teammate, and how has he grown as a leader since you've been there? Yeah, I mean, as a teammate, he's one of the most humble people I've ever been around. You know, having you know the magnitude, the connectivity that he has to people, and obviously with his last name, starting with his grandpa and his two uncles, you know, being NFL legends or football legends, you know, it comes a lot of weight comes with that. But he's so humble. You would think he's you know how he behaves like a regular guy.
You know, he doesn't care about the flashy things. He's all about connectivity. But he has grown a lot. A lot. A lot more vocal from the first moment I met him, and he's just stepping up in his role.
Harold Cano joining us.
So you've already had two games where the games came down in the final seconds.
So you had a tough, tough win over Ohio State, tough, tough win over Tennessee.
So how much tougher is the team, and then how much greater is the team's resolve as a result of winning games like that? As it gets ready for the Red River Rivalry, and ultimately, you try to win a Natty. Yeah, I mean, games like this matter just to show us how hard working, how you know, how bad do we want this? You know, it's about finishing the game, not how you start it. And the same thing goes for the season.
It's not about how we started, how about how we finish it? And this is kind of like our mentality. We never give up. Doesn't matter if anybody's struggling. We always got each other's back.
Here, I got to ask you. Like we talked about your journey, so you start in a small town and you end up in the U.S. and you've played in two incredible college football hotbeds. Like these two towns couldn't be any more different than they are, except the similarity is, man, they love their ball. They love ball.
So, how would you compare Columbus with Austin?
So, Columbus, first of all, is a lot colder than Austin. Yeah, it is. I first got here, it was like. Uh, February or so, and I'm like, it's not supposed to be 80 plus degrees outside.
Okay, I'm just not used to that. Even though I lived in California, that was probably the biggest difference. And then, um, this Austin is a city. is is very colorful. I love it.
It's uh very diverse. You know, um, a lot stuff going on always.
So, when was last time you went home? Home. I would say last time I went home was for a week and a half in May. You know, just visiting the family, getting that time in. But you know, we got to get back to work as well.
Okay, then finally, is the family? How many opportunities have they had to come out here and watch you ball?
So my sister came out last year for the A and M game, and they actually were just talking to me on the phone, like, "Hey." My brother and my sister want to come visit for the Arkansas game and the A&M game later this year.
So, here really quickly, OC. When you were here in the OC, I love that you were here.
So, what were your spots? I mean, you were young; you were in high school. But did you go to Javier's? Where did you hang out? I actually did go to Javier's.
You know, got to go to Spectrum every now and then. Spectrum. I was going to ask if you got to the Spectrum. Did you get to the Spectrum? Of course, of course.
I still got a bunch of pictures with my friends, you know, just walking on the spectrum and you know having fun and enjoying the sun at the beach as well. You know, I lived in the Ladera Ranch area, so it's like what is it, ten minutes away from the beach.
So it was great time, you know, making it to Avondale. We play basketball down there. That's like a little park down in Ladera Ranch, Founders Park. Especially Fourth of July. Fourth of July is like my favorite holiday.
I kid you not. It is an atmosphere here in America. Especially in Orange County, it's it's amazing, dude. Exactly, man. That's our birthday.
So, okay, the fact that you were in Ladera, that's a good spot. Ladera is a good spot to be. How's your basketball game? Can you hoop too? I play better defense than you say that.
I got different skills when it comes to like you know playing soccer, getting into golf for sure. But I leave basketball more to like Trevor and them boys. Trevor Goose being them, bro. Don't let you go. But you keep saying interesting things.
Okay, so how you hitting them? How's your golf game? It's good. I definitely fixed my slice. I can't lie.
I definitely fixed my slice. No, you haven't. You think you have? You think everybody thinks they have until they do it again. But that's you know.
Sometimes you just got to play the slice, you know, just angle a little bit further to the left, and then make it work. Do you like golf's great social, isn't it? Like you can get out there, you are outside, you are with your boys, you hang out. It's social, it's competitive. Talk a little junk.
Golf's and it's cerebral, right? You are a cerebral guy. You must like that time on the golf course. Yeah, hundred percent. All right, hero.
Really good to meet you, dude. Really, you lived up to all the hype. Really good to meet you. I appreciate you making time, man. Thanks so much for doing that.
Appreciate you too. Hook him. Hook him, hero Kanu. What a great dude! What a great dude!
What a great story, man! Smart too, really smart.
So, three years at Ohio State, a couple of years at UT. Played his high school ball here in the OC, right up the road at Santa Margarita Catholic High School. Man, that's that's amazing! I love that he got the Spectrum in. I was going to say, yeah, to go to the Spectrum, right?
The spectrum is a Marlon Irvine, a giant outside Marlon Irvine. Of course, he went to Javier's. Of course, he went to Javier's. Hero's a big personality, big baller too. All right, your thoughts on that?
One eight hundred six three six eight six eight six. Big interview day, as I mentioned. We've already had Dan Lanning. Hero's right there. Kalani Sitaki is coming up at one forty Pacific Time, and then I've got a podcast which is coming up after the program.
That would be episode number four hundred and twenty eight. Former NFL great Ricky Waters is going to join me then. In and around all of that, I've got some thoughts on the wildcard games last night. Major League Baseball, Dallas Cowboys, and more. But I'm looking for engagement, so get on the phone, set me up on the chat, get in on the X, or just email me one eight hundred six three six eight six eight six.
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You're listening to the Jim Rome Show. How great was that interview, by the way, Hirokanu, UT Clones? One quick question: How is why is Old Trap Beef Jerky so amazing? Of course, it starts with a great family. I know this family.
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That way, there's enough for everybody. If you do not see it, and you will, but if you don't, just be sure to ask for Old Trapper by name, because no other jerky compares. Old Trapper, what is your beef? Let's talk some baseball. Not a great day to be a Red Sox fan or a Phillies fan or a Cubs fan after some brutal Game One losses.
Phillies in action right now, by the way, but especially tough, and they're losing. Philly is, but if you ask me, especially tough to be an Astros fan today because not only did the Astros lose Game One at home yesterday, it's also the fans' fault. That they lost Game One, at least according to the Astro players. Yo Stros, way to go, all Marvin Freeman on your own fans after losing your eighth straight home playoff game. I wonder why Astro fan is disgruntled.
But apparently, not nearly as disgruntled as Astro player is with Astro fan.
Meanwhile, we're talking about an Astros team that is literally the worst team to ever make the postseason. I mean, actually, we're talking about a 500 team that won a historically crappy division with a minus 32 run differential. But the way some of these players are talking, you would think they play for the twenty-seven Yankees or something. For instance, reliever Bennett Sousa, Bennett. This dude had an ERA of six this season.
Six point zero zero ERA, but still said this after the loss yesterday, and I quote: "The fans here are definitely spoiled with a lot of ALCS and World Series runs, and we have to earn the right to bring this team back to that position." That being said, when this team was in their first playoff series ten years ago, Minute Maid Park was probably packed. It makes a big difference. If we were in Chicago, it'd probably be loud as shh. End quote. You're never gonna win doing that, dude.
That's never gonna work. That's never going to play. You and your six ERA taking a run at quote spoiled fans, bro. Your fans did not lose that game yesterday. You guys did.
Just like your fans did not finish five hundred this year, you guys did that too. You need to focus on doing your job and let the fans be fans. Pretty basic stuff, Astros. And yet, there's more. There are more quotes, like this one, also from Bennett.
Bennett quote: "We've been working our ass off. We've been playing hard. We got in the playoffs. We just really need the support of our fans." End quote. Hey Bennett, boo!
You've been working your ass off. To finish as a five hundred team in one of the crappiest divisions ever, with a minus thirty two run differential, one of the worst ever. You back your way in, but you want credit. This is what you sound like from the outside. You sound like this.
We've really been working our ass off. We've really been playing hard. Really? Oh, only the Astros have been working their asses off and playing hard. Apparently, guys, so give it up for them.
I mean, they might suck. They might be completely—I mean, at best, if I'm being generous, completely mid. Because what says mid more than being 500 in a horrible division? The very definition of mid, and that—that's putting it generously. They're 500 in an ass division with a minus 32 run differential, which is one of the worst ever for playoff teams.
But but put your hands together because they're working their asses off and trying really hard. And it wasn't only Bennett; it was also Christian. Christian Walker also expressed frustration with the fans, which is especially interesting given his horrendous 6.45 OPS after the All Star break. But that did not stop him from also saying the following. And I quote: "It's extremely frustrating as a home player.
We're here playing at home. We need cheers. We need energy. We don't need booze. What purpose does that serve in that moment?
Whatever fans are feeling, we're feeling it tenfold. We're the ones out there. We're the ones in the fight. We worked our." Butts off this whole season to put ourselves in this spot, and for our guys to get booed, it's frustrating. End quote.
Guess what? It's also frustrating for the paying customers, aka the fans, to sit there and watch you suck for half the season, and then for you to lecture them and scold the paying customers. For not cheering, for straight ass like easy Tucker Craft. I don't picture booze. I, I picture my home stadium.
That's tough. You don't picture booze. Yeah, well, they don't picture you losing seven of eight, and then demanding that they cheer. Just like Astro fan does not picture losing eight straight home playoff games, nobody wants to hear what it was like ten years ago. They remember what it's like currently: eight straight home playoff losses.
And you're like, why aren't you cheering for us? The Astros are the worst team to ever make the playoffs, arguably. They've lost eight straight home playoff games, and yet the players are confused as to why Astro fan is not gassing them up. And Bennett still wasn't done. Bennett, Bennett, you have more.
You and your six ERA have more. Quote: I'm not going to lie to you. I was pretty pissed off in the dugout when I came in about the booze. This team has laid a lot on the line to be in this position to give the fans a playoff game, a playoff series. We want their support, dude.
I I have never seen a more demanding, more pissed off guy for a 500 team in my life. You want their support? Earn it. Fans get excited when you give them something to be excited about. If you give them a reason to cheer, I promise you they will cheer.
Losing eight in a row in the postseason in your own house is doing the opposite of giving them a reason to cheer. You know what? I'll give you an example. I will give you an example. A better example.
So you understand where I'm going with this? Look at the Padres. Look at how on fire San Diego is—the town for the Padres right now, because they gave them a reason to be. The Padres are on fire. You see how that works?
Astros players last night was a straight-up rager at Petco, and you know why? Because the Padres played as well as any. Anybody in all of baseball for the last two months, and then they rolled that right into the postseason, starting with the first pitch they saw. You know, I see you, San Diego. You know, I saw that wild first inning, and you know, I saw your native son Joe Musgrove make an epic return after two years away to finish that game.
I mean, could that have gone any better for you, San Diego? That first inning—that is what's in. Astro player, are you hearing this? Did you see that? That first inning was straight up lit.
First, Fernando Tatis goes deep on the very first pitch of the game. Almost gets robbed by PCA, and then check out how that place lost their minds when Manny Machado also went deep in the first. That is what's in. Look at that place. Look at these people.
Astro players, like, why is it like that for us? They earned it. They earned it. Astro player is acting like man. If only we had Padre fan, we'd be set.
One problem: Astro player, Astro fan has Astro team, and Padre team was sub 500 and went on this crazy tear the last two months of the year. And they rolled that right into the postseason. I'd say they pick up right where they left off. In fact, they did. Man, hey Astros!
If that's what you want in your house, then give them something to cheer about. Do something like hit the first pitch out of the park, or give them two bombs in the first inning. A crazy idea, I know. You could try to win. A single home game in the postseason that would help.
I promise, all you Marvin Freemans, Astro players, they will cheer when you give them something to cheer about. But nobody's ever going to cheer about a bunch of whining, crying Marvin Freemans on an eight-game home playoff losing streak. Or or or I could just shorten this whole take up to win a game. That's tough. Win a playoff game, just one.
Start there. Win a game. Man, of course it was electric in San Diego. They've been playing like that for two months, and then when the games really mattered—not that they didn't, because if you don't play like that, you don't get in. See, Astro player wants you to believe, yeah, but we tried really hard and we got in and we gave you something, yeah, but you lost again.
Padres jump in there and immediately capitalize. One more thing, Astro player, it's not even just the last eight playoff games at home that you've lost. What kind of excitement are you expecting when you're a 500 team in a crappy division that you barely won with a minus 32 run differential? How excited do you expect the locals to be about all of that? Padre fan couldn't wait to get to the postseason.
There was none of that vibe in Houston. Tell me I'm wrong.
Somebody in H Town, tell me I'm wrong. Of course, there was no energy in the yard, and then when you show up and you play down to their expectations, of course they're going to boo you. You're lucky they even paid for the right to see you lose again. Man, you're calling out the wrong people. They they actually showed up.
They showed up hoping something good would happen, but of course it didn't. Man, what is with all these players crying about fans booing the home team? Are they not allowed to now? There are lines that they can't be crossed, but booing the home team is not crossing a line. Is this one of the new unwritten rules?
You are not allowed to boo the home team. Yeah, but what if they lose eight playoff games in a row? What if they lose seven of eight of their last games in a row in the NFL? What if they come from ahead to lose to their arch rival in the playoffs? What if they can't close any games?
What if they keep coming from ahead to lose? Are they still not allowed to boo? I mean, come on. There are certain lines to be crossed, but you are allowed to boo the home team. You are in baseball, in football, in basketball.
There's nothing in the small print on the bottom of the ticket or the back of the ticket that says you can't boo the home team. Kalani Sataki joins me when we come back. Astro fan reaction. How you feeling about your team now, Philly fan? Better come back.
They're losing this game too. Stay tuned. In fact, it's over. No, it's not. They came back.
Actually, I'm back. Anyway, they came back during that whole rant about the Astros with back-to-back bombs. When we come back, Kalani Satake. You're listening to the Jim Rome Show. Welcome back, rolling right through this Wednesday in Southern California.
I am Jim Rome. As I promised, big big day. We are joined right now by the head football coach at BYU. He is in his 11th year at his alma mater. He's got an overall record there of 87-45 and eight bowl appearances.
Cougs went 12 and two last year in roots of winning their bowl game. BYU is currently three and zero and they're one and zero in Big 12 play. They are ranked number 10 in this week's AP poll, and they've got a big one coming up against TCU next. We are joined by Kalani Sitake. Kalani, always great to get caught up with you.
How are you doing? Coach, doing good. How are you doing, my friend? Good, good. Clonnie, great to see you.
Thanks for making time. Listen, so far, so good. The team's off to a strong start. I know you're looking to get better every single day.
However, what do you like about what you've seen from this particular group so far? Yeah, the the thing that stuck out the most to me is our the leadership on our team. We have a lot of players that are returning that have played significant reps and have started, and so the fact that they've taken off. I mean, I don't know why it's a surprise to me. It's just that it's worked so effectively, and so as a coach, it's nice when the players are already on top of things, take the initiative and lead the way.
And my job is just not to get in the way and mess it up. And, Clay, how key is that that player retention, the player retention. When everything is so transient right now, where they know the expectation, they know the standard, and they know the culture. Yeah, I mean it's a lot easier to be able to develop guys and development. Everyone thinks it takes years, but development is even within the season.
You know, we want to develop as a program and each individual, not just the players, but the coaches as well. There's there's room for improvement and development can take place in a program. is done right, everyone should get better, including myself. And so no one's immune to it. We we want to either develop and improve, or else we're going to decline.
And right now, it's looking on on the trend upwards. That's really interesting what you just said because people talk about we are a development program and the thinking is you can't be a development program if players keep moving. You said no, no, hold up, now you can develop within one year. What is the process? How do you develop year to year?
Well, I think if you have a great foundation that you're built on, that's what that's what your culture is. You, you have something that that basically gives you an identity, and then you add pieces to it, and and and the the the group is actually what matters the most. And that's hard to say when you're in a time where people are are so individualized.
So the key for us is to make sure that as they trend and they develop, that they they. Getting the best out of themselves, and most of that is focused towards the team in the whole, and especially a time where it's difficult when everyone's all about themselves. And so, if you can be unique and do things differently, be about the team first, then I think a lot of things can really happen, and true development can happen within the program. BYU head football coach Kalani Sitake joins us once again. You know, when you and I spoke last season, we talked about quarterback Bear Bachmeyer, and he was the first true freshman in school history to start a season opener.
You were really high on. Him then, where is Barrera grown and shown the most development from last year to this year, where he's completing seventy-one percent of his passes so far.
Well, I think last year he was just trying to understand the offense. Everything was kind of brand new to him. He's a true freshman starting, and so you know, just maybe a little bit naive. And sometimes in that case, if you don't know any better, you just perform. And but what we've seen is that the knowledge that he's able to gain and the experience he's able to gain only enhanced his abilities as a quarterback and and as a leader.
I mean, he's he's definitely a true leader. I mentioned that that we have great leadership that. Showing up, and and he's someone that I did not count on being this big of a leader right away. But it only makes sense because now he's got you know an understanding of the offense. It's he's gone through spring ball now.
He's used to being a college student compared to being a high school student, and it only makes sense that if we do things right and put him in a right environment, he should be able to thrive. Clint, did you coach, or can you coach that leadership up like that, or is that a product of the result? The work and the preparation, like how did he improve that quickly as a leader?
Well, I think it goes a lot of different ways, and it can't just be me myself. It's got to be the entire group and the entire program. I think that there's there's ways to enhance and and speed up the the leadership roles, and that's usually comes in three ways: you give them autonomy, you give them mastery, and you give them a purpose. And so, if you can do those three things, you should find some intrinsic motivation. You know, Daniel Pink wrote about it in his book, and so for for us, I mean, we're trying to find.
Ways to improve. There's a lot of great resources available for us, and smart people. And I don't have to be the one that does it all by myself. I have amazing people that I get to work with, and they get to be mentors along the way too. I mean, we have trainers, managers, support staff, coaches, assistant coaches, and and administration that can be great mentors and leaders for us too.
So if I can just get our guys around an environment where they can thrive, that usually means that they're they're receiving great mentoring, and that sometimes means people are holding them accountable, and and and Are teaching them along the way. If it's just one person, one professor teaching the entire time, it's just not going to really work out as much as you want it to be. BYU head football coach Kalani Sitaki joins us once again.
So Kalani, I spent some time with your former D coordinator Jay Hill about a year and a half ago. We went to Florida. We were on the same airplane. And good dude, good dude, good coach. He's since moved on to Michigan.
So I'm curious about the defensive side of the ball. Do you like what you see over there? And what's the transition been like with Kelly Papinga? Yeah, first of all, I mean, I love Jay Hills, a great friend of mine.
So, really happy about the opportunities that he has and things that he's doing there at Michigan. You know, but part of that is that when you're going through a business and when you're going through a team and a program like we have, you should always think about a plan of of people that can. Possibly be coordinators and possibly leaders, and so Kelly Pipkin is somebody that I had circled from the very beginning. That I thought he had all the the the genetics of becoming a great D coordinator. And number one is his work ethic.
So as we start working, and and he's had some great mentors along the way. You know, he's Jay Hill being one of them, but Bronco Mendenhall and others that he's been able to work with, and his experience being being a former player here at BYU helps out quite a bit too. And and you know, he's he's coaching big time football, so he's. Coached at in the ACC at Virginia, and so and he's coached at Boise State before he was here at BYU. Been before all that, he was here at BYU as a GA, so he understands the BYUA.
And I just need to give him a chance to to run the show and and allow him to to do what he feels is right. And then you know the great thing about him is he's humble enough to listen to the the mentors that he has around him and and myself and other coaches that are on the coaching staff. And he realizes you don't have Do it alone. We have a really good group that can get it done, and I'm proud that that you know K-pop's leading the way on the defense. I think that's so key, right?
Like he knows the BYU way because he's been there, but at the same time, he's gone to other places so he can bring that back. Clancy Sattarki joins us. Clancy, you said at your weekly press conference that you used your bye week to get an early start on game planning for TCU because they respect you out for Sonny Dykes.
So, what has the tape told you about Sonny's team as BYU looks for its first win in Fort Worth since '06? Yeah.
Well, you can never assume anything other than Sonny will get his guys ready, and they'll be ready to play. And they're looking for an opportunity. Obviously, we're coming in as a ranked team, and last time we went out there, it wasn't a great show up for us, you know. But I believe we're a different team now. I believe we're a different program, and and we're looking forward to the matchup.
This will be a great a great matchup for us because I know Sonny will have his guys ready to roll, and my job as head coach is to make sure that they're going to get to give us their best. We need to make sure. That our best shows up as well on Saturday night. Hey, Klein. Speaking of you being a ranked team, that that absolutely is the truth.
In fact, you are the highest ranked Big Twelve team. One of five teams from your conference that are ranked in the top twenty-five right now. I understand you'd rather let your teams play, do the talking, rather than you getting caught up in the politics of the sport. But do you think the Big Twelve will find it challenging to get more than a single team in the playoff again this year because of the perceived devaluation of Depth of the SEC and the Big Ten.
Well, the depth is true. I mean, you look at the parity that that exists in the conference. Nobody can can basically predict what's going to happen, who's going to win the championship. That's it's been a different champion for a number of years now. And so, you know, and if anyone's going to try to be a repeat champion, Texas Tech has a chance to do that with Joey McGuire leading the way.
But you look at the all the the talent that's in in our conference, and you look at the the great coaching that's in our conference. Look what look look what E. Is doing it's Stillwater and what he's doing to Oklahoma State, so you can only recognize in what's going on with Kansas State and and all these teams that I mean, don't punish us because we have great parity because there's great depth on the conference and don't punish this conference because anybody can win it and and and you know and and that's why when you look at it you can't just assume that the games are going to work out the way that you think they are. I mean it's unpredictable which makes it more fun, and but makes it more difficult as a head coach. I have to get our guys.
Ready, and we we want to be ready for all nine battles in in in the Big 12, and that's we have tons of respect. I've been around this conference now, going on the fourth year, and I've been amazed with the fan bases that we get to run into and compete against, and and the the great programs that are out there.
So I I'm honored to be involved in in this in this conference, and looking forward to seeing this matchup this weekend. But there's a lot of great matchups going on the conference along the way, and I don't think you can ever count anybody in the Big 12 out. Heck yeah. Klein, I appreciate that. I love that conference.
I love that conference. I think it's a lot of fun, Klein. Really quickly, you and I have done this for a long, long, long, long time. It was a really interesting off season. How's your headspace?
How you feeling about things overall, generally? Yeah, I mean, I you know I'm just getting getting older, and so like the metabolism isn't really helping out.
So if you're talking about me personally, I'm going to be vulnerable here and just say, you know, I I've accepted the fact that I went from a two X to a three X, and I'm comfortable with that.
So other than that, I mean, I am living the dream. I get to coach at a place that I grew up cheering for, and I get to play for an amazing a legend like Lavelle Edwards, and so this is a My job is to just keep having as much gratitude and appreciation for what I get to do, and I'm enjoying every bit of it. And I know I can speak for all the coaches that are out there. I mean, I mentioned a couple coaches. There's also Morgan Scally at Utah.
He's out as alma mater, so there's some great coaches, and and they're doing amazing things with their programs. And it's just an honor for me to be here doing what I can do. As as and the fact that I've been here, this is my 11th year. I, you know, I'm I hope I'm aging well, but it doesn't really matter. I'm just excited to put the team out there and have fun with them.
You are you are aging well, Kalani Sataki, head football coach of BYU. Very good friend of the program, Kalani. I appreciate you so much. Great to see you. Thank you very much.
Have a great weekend. Good luck. Do it again soon. Love you, brother. Love you.
Appreciate Kalani. Love you too, my brother. Kalani Sataki joining us.
Well done.
Well done.
All right, we are coming back. Hour number three. Love talking to Kalani. Love BYU. BYU has been a great jungle program for so many years.
Always good access. All right, when we come back. I haven't forgotten about you, Cowboy fan. Nor have I forgotten about what happened in Brazil. Nor will I forget about that anytime soon.
Nor do I want to forget about that. It was too much fun. ATPs.
Now that I almost did forget about. I need some ATPs. Ask the pros. Hit us up. Send us your ATPs.
I'll remind you of that on the other side. My dough never sees a freezer. Fay Hollis makes the biscuits at Hardee's. I'm up at 5 a.m. every day making biscuits from scratch.
Easy there, biscuit lady. Ought to create the Hardee's two for five dollar breakfast menu. Try the new Oscar Mayer Bologna Biscuit, sausage and egg biscuit, smoked sausage biscuit, biscuit and gravy, or a cinnamon roll. The two for five dollar breakfast for a limited time only at participating Hardee's. I got up early.
The least. You can do is show up hungry.
