BYU HC Kalani Sitake Discusses Crowd Turnout From Baylor Game, Kicking Woes

SALT LAKE CITY – BYU head coach Kalani Sitake added another massive win to his tenure at the helm of the Cougars’ football program when they defeated Baylor.

BYU needed double overtime to defeat then-No. 9 Baylor 26-20 at LaVell Edwards Stadium last week. But that win didn’t come without some drama and excitement. In a sold-out LaVell Edwards Stadium, the BYU faithful were so loud that they were a big influence on Baylor committing false start penalties.

After the win, BYU fans stormed the field. Sitake joined Hans Olsen and Scott Garrard on the KSL Sports Zone on Wednesday afternoon and was asked about the crowd.

You can listen to the full interview, below:

“It was so much fun,” Sitake said. “The energy, the excitement, it was a cool experience. I’ve been really fortunate as a coach to be in some really cool spots and that was one of them. Because it was recent, it is so memorable but I’ve been lucky enough to be around some great crowds and fans. I love seeing our fans be excited and happy. I am really happy that we were able to get the win for them and have them storm the field again. It seems like a common thing to do. I want to get some of the wins done early in regulation so it doesn’t have to be so dramatic. Also, I don’t mind the excitement and drama as well.”

BYU Kicking Woes

BYU kicker Jake Oldroyd has earned the nickname “Jake The Make” after a successful college career that includes being very accurate in kicking field goals. That was not the case against Baylor.

In regulation and overtime, Oldroyd missed two field goals that would’ve won the game for BYU. The Cougars needed a defensive stop in order to secure the upset win. Sitake addressed the adversity that Oldroyd experienced on Saturday.

“Jake’s hard on himself,” said Sitake. “He knew that he performs better than that. We had him win many games for us. We are all about getting better and sometimes you go through adversity to help you grow and become a better person than you were before. I can tell you when he showed up to practice the next day, he was kicking the crap out of the ball right through the uprights. He seems better from the experience and closer to our team. He already knew that our players love him and now he knows it for sure. Our quarterback was able to have a really cool embrace with him, they shared a moment, and the team shared a moment. It was beautiful. That is what college football is all about. That’s why it’s a great team sport.”

BYU will travel to Eugene to face No. 25 Oregon on Saturday, September 17 at 1:30 p.m. MT. The game is televised on FOX and can be heard on KSL Newsradio.