BYU Football Recognized During Halftime Of Basketball Game
Jan 26, 2025, 1:10 AM | Updated: Jan 27, 2025, 11:14 am
PROVO, Utah – The BYU football program, fresh off an 11-2 season and No. 13 final AP Top 25 ranking, was recognized at halftime of Saturday’s men’s basketball win over Cincinnati.
BYU football head coach Kalani Sitake, QB Jake Retzlaff, DB Tanner Wall, Kicker Will Ferrin, WR Chase Roberts, and LB Isaiah Glasker were in attendance with the 2024 Alamo Bowl trophy.
Kalani’s dance moves are still in midseason form. pic.twitter.com/7yG8GTpVuw
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) January 26, 2025
When Sitake was introduced, he broke out some dance moves that looked like many of the victory celebrations he enjoyed during the 2024 campaign.
Retzlaff, who had a busy Saturday hosting a comedy hour in Utah County earlier in the evening, before that, he was courtside at the women’s basketball game against Utah, took the microphone and addressed the 17,483 fans inside the Marriott Center.
Jake Retzlaff thanked BYU fans
“First and foremost, we’ve got to thank you guys for making LaVell Edwards Stadium the best stadium in the country all year long,” said Jake Retzlaff.
Then Retzlaff worked in some rivalry smack that fired up the BYU faithful.
BYU football’s Alamo Bowl trophy is on display at tonight’s BYU basketball game against Cincinnati. pic.twitter.com/tZSIeofFg1
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) January 26, 2025
“You guys are the best in the country, not just because of the home stadium, but because everywhere we went on the road, you guys showed up. I know a lot of you guys travel on the road wherever we go. Most importantly, we traveled great going up North. And you know what we did up there.”
BYU defeated Utah 22-21 in another classic chapter of the heated in-state rivalry in November.
Retzlaff continued, “Just so you guys know, we feel all of the love … and we’re in the offseason grind. We’re in full swing to get bigger, faster, and stronger.
BYU football coach Kalani Sitake is excited for the 2025 season
Then it was head coach Kalani Sitake’s turn to grab the microphone.
BYU football head coach Kalani Sitake fires up the Marriott Center crowd.
Gives a shoutout to the recruits in attendance for Junior Day and official visits. pic.twitter.com/qGRdhGzNYy
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) January 26, 2025
“First of all, I just wanted to say how excited we are for the next upcoming season. … I just want to say, we have a great team returning, obviously a bunch of talent that I’m really excited about. We also signed some new talent that’s coming and that’s here already. Then we have some potential talent and potential future Cougars in the building with us, too.”
BYU football was hosting Junior Day with many prospects from the 2026 recruiting class in attendance.
They also hosted Texas cornerback Jordyn Criss on an official visit. He’s a three-star prospect in the class of 2025. During the second half of the basketball game, Criss stood on the front row of BYU’s student section, “The ROC.”
‘ROC’ the house
Sitake closed his remarks with a message directed to the fans and the student section.
“My favorite thing about BYU is the people; you guys, the fans. Obviously, The ROC is the best student section in the country.
“You guys can will things to happen. You will us to win games. You will us to play better. You can manifest all of those things. You can do it tonight. You look at our fight song; it tells you to rise and shout. So we need some firestarters to go in this place. Ok? And I need to remind you that church is tomorrow, so we can rock the house tonight. Let’s rock the house. Go Cougs!”
BYU football is a trendy pick to begin the 2025 season as a top-25 team. ESPN.com ranked BYU as high as No. 9 in its Way-Too-Early Top 25.
Our staff at KSL Sports picked BYU as the favorite to win the Big 12 title in our Way-Too-Early power poll for next season.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
