Kalani Sitake Media Availability - No. 24 Utah

PROVO, Utah – The following quotes are selected from BYU's Monday media availability prior to the week two game vs. No. 24 Utah at LaVell Edwards Stadium.

Watch the full press conference here.

Head Coach Kalani Sitake
We are looking forward to the game this Saturday. We feel really good about it coming off that win last weekend. We’ve moved on and we will find ways to learn from the mistakes we made and improve. We are looking forward to facing a ranked team here this weekend.

I’m looking forward to the game and I know the players are, too. We didn’t get the game last year, so we’re excited. Our guys know there is a lot of work to be done the next few days so we can perform at our best against Utah. 

On his respect for Utah:
There are really good people all over college football, especially in the rivalry game. I think it is really good for the soul to wish good things on people. I want to beat Utah, but after the game, I wish them success and I hope they do well.” 

On how Jaren played against Arizona
I think he did really well. The thing I liked the most about how he played was he protected the football. He made some really good throws and made some great decisions. For game one, we did some really good things and made some mistakes that we need to adjust for the next game.

Offensive Lineman James Empey
On what he saw from the offensive line against Arizona  
The guys came out and they were ready to play. I thought we reacted well to the new things and different things that we were expecting to see. The guys played their butts off and we have a lot to improve on, so hopefully, we’ll crack down on the film today, get on the same page and move forward with it.

On differences between playing Utah and other teams
I’d say the biggest thing that changes is just the hype leading up to the game. There’s lots of hype being the rivalry game. A lot of times you’re playing against somebody you’ve grown up around or a local team you’ve been around a lot. Once the ball snaps, it’s a football game and you’re going to work and just trying to get your work done the best you can. I’m super excited about this week and ready to go.

On Utah's defense
They have a really strong front seven. They have a lot of strong players and a lot of big defensive linemen. We definitely have our work cut out for us, but we love the challenge and we’re ready to hit the ground running, get going in film, get going in practice, and look forward to the game this week.

Quarterback Jaren Hall
On offensive improvements ahead of Utah
We’ve got to start faster, you know, get points on the board. That's what we're out there to do so. We have to be comfortable and have more energy right from the get-go, get after it, trust the game plan and really just making plays.

On BYU’s history playing Utah
The only thing in the past is the past, and we look forward. For us now, it's just looking forward to this next game. That's what we can control. We can't change the outcome of the past, but we can prepare our best for Saturday and that's what we're going to do.

Defensive Lineman Tyler Batty
On how he would describe the rivalry
It’s definitely one of the most anticipated games each season. It's intense, it's exciting, it's pretty much everything you could want in a football game.

On Keenan Ellis and football injuries
We're all really close on this team, and so it was scary. We’re just really, really happy that he's recovering, that he's doing well and that it wasn't more serious. It’s football; it's a violent game, and you really never know what's going to happen.