Last week, I wrote a glowing piece on Kalani Sitake and why he deserves an extension. Truth be told, I believe he has grown into a good coach. The BYU program will be better off to give him an extension, and to see how he handles another difficult schedule in 2020. However… the coaching staff is not above criticism. The Liberty game was a win, which is already better than similar recent results… but it was an ugly game, and there were several missteps which merit a second glance. BYU football does need to continue improving, and it’s hard to improve unless you take accountability for miscues.
Here are a few of the blunders:
1. The offense continued to lean on trick plays to move the ball. This is fine for a few games, maybe more than fine with situational awareness. A little variety keeps a good defense off balance. However, after more game tape gets out and trick plays are limited by opposing defenses, Roderick and his scheme will be listless without a fundamental offensive gameplan. BYU’s offense still needs more identity. It is difficult to rely on deception to convert important downs.
2. Crucial plays being decided on by the players. Kalani said in the post-game that his players wanted to run the fake field goal, so he consented and gave them his full faith. The ensuing handoff failed to gain yards, and Liberty was allowed optimal field position on their next drive. Based on similar calls in recent games, this appears to happen often, most notably being the late fourth-down call against Boise State. When the players have an idea which could legitimately impact the loss probability, it’s up to the head coach to make a sound judgment call. The football team has left many of these important judgment calls to college students. It’s up to Kalani to turn these into teaching moments and advise on the fundamentals.
3. The defensive gameplan had little specialization based on the opponent. Recent game film should have suggested to shut down Liberty’s best receiver. Their offense will struggle if you limit his opportunities, and ensure he isn’t the one beating you. Yet, the Cougar defense was repeatedly abused by Antonio Gandy-Golden, and there was little adjustment throughout the game. The defense also had some success with bringing pressure and getting to the quarterback early on. BYU’s defensive front and linebackers proved they could bully through Liberty’s line… and then rarely attempted a blitz after halftime. This game script was very different than we saw the last few weeks, when pressure was consistently applied until it was no longer effective. It appears that the team lacked the same preparation evident in the past two matchups. If this trend shows up again in the closing stretch, it may be time for the Cougars to self-reflect on their habits.
4. The overall tenacity was lacking, if not altogether missing. Players, and play-callers, lacked the same ferocious execution with their backs farther from the wall. Inability to execute when playing as the favorite, and especially while playing at home, is a consistent criticism from Kalani’s skeptics. This criticism has a little more credence after Saturday night. It’s a chief reason for why this BYU team suffered home losses to NIU and UMass in recent years. Without high stakes or pressure, the team under Sitake has often played uninspired football. If BYU football aspires to greatness, this needs to be addressed before the start of next season.
5. There was little accountability from coaches regarding the miscues. Asked post-game about the areas which went wrong, Kalani defended each questionable decision and game call to the media. Game management continues to be an issue. It doesn’t appear that Coach Sitake has learned from similar mistakes, as head-scratching game decisions continue to occur in year 4 as head coach. Furthermore, while others around the program have admitted to these occasional head-scratchers, Kalani Sitake does not seem to believe that he has made any poor calls. Future seasons will need to see stronger game management. There will be less room for error in 2020 when half the games are against power conference opponents, most of those on the road.
I’ve been among the strongest proponents of Kalani and getting him a new contract. I want to see him succeed, and I will continue to support him as head coach. I believe that he has done great things for the BYU football program. At the same time, I will continue to pine for improvement when appropriate, of him and the others on staff. Kalani Sitake’s staff has the potential and opportunity to make a strong imprint on the future of BYU football. If they continue to build and grow from the mistakes against Liberty, the impending Winter will see a bright offseason in Provo.
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