Five Things We Learned From Kalani Sitake’s BYU/Utah Presser
Oct 13, 2025, 11:02 PM | Updated: Oct 15, 2025, 6:09 am
PROVO, Utah – The 2025 BYU football season rolls out with a highly anticipated matchup against rival Utah this Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
In preparation for the game, BYU kicked off game week on Monday with a virtual press conference from head coach Kalani Sitake.
Sitake spent 18 minutes during his weekly Zoom call with the media to set the stage for Saturday’s rivalry clash between the Cougars and Utes.
Here are five things we learned from Kalani Sitake’s presser for rivalry week.
#1 “We actually need each other”
Kalani Sitake was asked if the “intensity is ramping up” in the rivalry with both programs being in the same league again.
Sitake, who once was the defensive coordinator for the Utes under Kyle Whittingham, wants the intensity to be there, but for it to be centered around respect.
Kalani Sitake on the BYU-Utah rivalry:
"Whether we want to admit it or not, we actually need each other." pic.twitter.com/McYaqXj7ZP
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) October 13, 2025
“I think the competition has always been there, and the intensity can be there. There’s nothing wrong with the intensity being there,” Sitake said. “Personally, I would like to see it be with tons of respect. Whether we want to admit it or not, we actually need each other.
“This is a great rivalry when we have each other on the schedule. Regardless of the outcome this weekend, there’s a lot of different things that can happen that will probably need each other’s help.
“I’ve said it before that wishing bad things on others is not good for the soul. I’m not trying to tell fans how to do it, but it’s got to be a lot more fun when you can actually have and talk about the respect that you have for each other. That there are connections from both sides.”
#2 Kyle Whittingham’s impact on Sitake’s development as a coach
The first question Sitake received in his Zoom press conference focused on how Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham influenced his coaching philosophies.
“In so many ways,” Sitake said. “I worked 10 years with him, I learned a lot from him, and watched him grow in the industry and in his position. I watched him and saw the transition he made from a coordinator to a head coach, and then how he handled moving from the Mountain West to the PAC-12. I had a front-row seat to all of it. There are a lot of things that he has helped with as a coach in the profession, and I know that he’s had a huge impact on our staff, too, with a bunch of guys who are here coaching.”
Some of those coaches on Sitake’s staff who have worked for Whittingham include defensive coordinator Jay Hill, analysts Gary Andersen and Chad Kauha’aha’a, linebackers coach Justin Ena, and others.
#3 Trust in Aaron Roderick
Sitake was asked about BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick and how he’s brought along true freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier. The 10th-year head coach responded by expressing full trust in BYU’s offensive play caller.
“I trust A-Rod. I think one of the most difficult positions at BYU football is to be the OC. It comes with a lot of criticism, but I don’t know if it comes with enough praise. So, the things that A-Rod has been able to do when everybody was so concerned about a true freshman leading our team, I think everyone should give him a lot of credit for what he’s been able to get done with Bear, and Bear himself deserves that too.”
Like many coaches in this rivalry matchup, Roderick has experience on both sides of this series. Roderick was a former assistant on Utah’s staff from 2005 to 2016.
#4 Devon Dampier is “super talented”
Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham was asked in his weekly press conference about his thoughts on BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier.
Whittingham replied by saying, “You know, I’m just going to focus on us this week, our guys, our coaches, so I’m not going to give much thought on the opponent this week.”
An hour later, Sitake held his virtual press conference and received a question from a local TV reporter about his thoughts on Utah’s Devon Dampier.
Sitake gave high praise to the New Mexico transfer, who has passed for 1,131 yards, 11 touchdowns, and rushed for 378 yards and five touchdowns this year.
“Yeah, super talented, and he’s tough, man,” Sitake said of Dampier. “He has great vision, and that’s in the passing game and in the running game. He’s an efficient player. So when you look at his stats, he knows where to go with the ball, and he’s well-coached.”
#5 Latest on Jack Kelly
BYU linebacker Jack Kelly was out last week against Arizona after suffering an injury in the win over West Virginia. Will he play this week?
BYU LB Jack Kelly is officially listed as a “game time decision” on the final availability report. pic.twitter.com/QkxtRHXRb6
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) October 11, 2025
“I mean, he’s practicing, so, you know, we’ll wait till Wednesday,” Sitake said. “So, I mean, I think there’s a reason why we held him out last week.”
Kelly practiced all of last week in a green, no-contact jersey. He went through warmups against Arizona and was designated as a “game-time decision” on the availability report before ultimately being sidelined.
No. 15 BYU vs. No. 23 Utah
Date: Saturday, October 18, 2025
Kickoff: 6 p.m. (MDT)
TV: FOX
Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM) — Extended pregame begins live at Noon on gameday.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.
Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU athletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.
