What BYU Coach Kalani Sitake Said About ECU
( Photo Credit: ESPN )
East Carolina and BYU will clash tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. ET inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, with ESPN2 carrying the national broadcast. The matchup marks the Cougars’ first trip to Greenville since 2017, and head coach Kalani Sitake made it clear in his weekly press conference that ECU has his program’s full respect.
Sitake has faced the Pirates twice before during his time in Provo, dropping games in both 2017 and 2022, and he knows the challenge that awaits the Pirate Nation.
Opening Thoughts on ECU
"We'll head out a little early this week to face a very talented East Carolina team. Blake Harrell has done a great job with that program since taking over. I know he was interim part of last year, but he's been there for a number of years as defensive coordinator and now as head coach. He has done a great job leading them. You look at their team, they are a complete team. Just watching them and looking at them on film, it just validates what we've thought all along. They have talent. We've gone against East Carolina before, I have as a head coach before, and have seen the amount of talent they have in the program. So it's not an easy feat. We're going to go out there and give it our best shot. I know they will give us theirs."
On ECU’s Talent Level
"Yeah, they're really talented. You know that area that they're in, within 2-3 hour drive, you can find all the talent you need in that area. There's tons of football talent there. A lot of football teams that recruit that area heavily. They definitely have a lot of talent. You see the talent that South Florida has. These schools have never been short of talent or skill. I see a lot of it. And then you complement it with the coaching they're getting, and the level of physical and toughness they exhibit, it's tough man. I'm looking forward to the matchup and I think it's going to be exciting to see this type of opponent. You see it on film and there's not a lot of errors and weaknesses. We're going to have to find a way to battle this thing out."
On ECU’s Defense and Coaching
"Then defensively, they don't make a lot of mistakes. They're physical up front. The back-end can cover. They're fundamentally really sound in what they do. Special teams, it's the same thing. They work really hard in what they do. It's a complete team. We've seen it on film. Then we confirmed it with last weekend's game. It's not easy to do what they just did to Coastal Carolina. So we have to be on top of everything. They definitely have our attention and our respect. We're definitely looking forward to that game and can't wait to get going."
On Quarterback Katin Houser
"Extremely talented. Accurate passer. He has a great touch on the ball he throws. It's easy for receivers to catch the deep balls. He knows when to take some off. He has great vision with what he sees. He goes through his looks. He makes checks. He's a complete player at quarterback. He's seasoned. You can see he's used to being on the field and he feels really comfortable in this offense. Give their coaches a lot of credit. They went with him last year midseason, and you saw the huge momentum he was able to gain going into their bowl game and everything. This is a really talented team. And this is a very talented quarterback. I saw it when he was in high school. He's doing exactly what you would think, and very consistently doing it."
On Preparing for ECU’s Offense
"It's going to be a little different. We had extra prep on it last week. So, I think we have a really good scout team that can get us ready for it. I think we have a shift in mindset for Jay and for the rest of the coaches on the defensive side. But when it all comes down to it, we have to be able to do some things defensively to combat that highly explosive offense. They have talented receivers that can catch the ball, a physical offensive line, running backs who can catch the ball and run, and a quarterback that's really efficient and knows where to go with the ball. And he's not small either. He can get up and go, too, and use his legs on you when it's needed. This is a difficult task and I think Jay and the defense is going to be really excited for the match up."
On Facing ECU Again After 2022
"No, when was the last time? 2022? Not really. We're a different team now than we were back then. Going into our third year in the Big XII now. We've made some moves and made some changes. I've learned quite a bit as a head coach since the last time we faced them. It's not really about the opponent. It's about where we are as a program. Certainly I feel like we're in a really good spot right now. We can only control what we can control. I don't know exactly how they're going to come attack us, or what their strategy is against us. But that's the fun part about the game. We'll see how we match up. All I can say is when you watch it on film, you can see how talented and well-coached they are. That's not an easy environment to go into. Their fans are going to be excited for that game. But we're just as excited too."
On Traveling to Greenville
"Going out two days before is going to be key, but the amenities and hotels you can stay in, the budget is a little bit bigger now than it was before with us being in the Big XII. We can travel like other teams that have had to travel there. It's difficult. It's not an easy one to do. But the plan has already been place a year ago. Just when you have more resources and more money, it does definitely help you. And we're in a different situation now than we were last time I went out there in 2017."
On Dealing With Humidity
"No, you can't really prepare for it. The kickoff is at 7:30, so I think…we just tell these guys, we're from altitude, so when we go down there, there's way more air to breathe. Don't give me a hard time about how hard it is to breathe. That's real oxygen. Right here, we're living a mile high. It's thin. Down there, it's nice and thick, and you can even see it sometimes. Enjoy it. Enjoy not having to use lotion on your skin. Things like that. We embrace the opportunity to play in humidity, and our fans that are going to be out there, making the trip to come see us."