BYU secured its third consecutive 3-0 start with a 34-13 victory over East Carolina on Saturday. Still, head coach Kalani Sitake’s postgame words pointed to different concerns about team discipline despite praising quarterback Bear Bachmeier’s development.
As the Cougars prepare for the Big 12 opener against Colorado next week, what is the longtime leader’s reaction to their win over the Pirates?
Coach Addresses Discipline Problems Despite Dominant Road Win
Although Sitake and the team were able to finish the game successfully at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, Sitake was still quite annoyed with the relentless penalties that were a big issue for the team throughout the game. The Cougars accumulated multiple infractions that stalled offensive drives against the Pirates.
“But obviously offense, we had some mistakes that took us out of out of drives, a lot of penalties, not disciplined enough as a team, but we’ll get that fixed,” Sitake noted during his press conference.
He emphasized that these issues were correctable, adding, “I mean, these are if we just move our feet instead of grabbing, I think we’ll be fine.”
The coach’s sharpest criticism targeted behavioral penalties, which he deemed beneath BYU standards.
“I didn’t like the taunting penalty and all that. We’re so much better than that. So, I need to do a better job of getting these guys more disciplined,” Sitake said, taking personal responsibility for the conduct issues.
These “uncharacteristic mistakes” particularly bothered Sitake because they differed from BYU’s typical approach. The coach acknowledged that while securing a 21-point victory, significant improvement remained necessary heading into Big 12 play.
Sitake Offers Mixed Feelings About Bachmeier’s Development
Sitake offered a nuanced evaluation of quarterback Bear Bachmeier’s first collegiate road game, acknowledging both his struggles and his promising growth. The true freshman completed 18 of 25 passes for 246 yards and both passing and rushing touchdowns.
“You know, I thought, in the first half, you saw him miss some throws. I know he wish he can have those back, but I think given the environment, the hostility here, I think it was good a good step for him in the right direction,” Sitake explained when discussing Bachmeier’s early performance.
The coach grew more optimistic discussing the quarterback’s second-half improvement.
“And then we saw him play much better in the second half. So, I think he, hopefully, he’s turned the corner, and we can rely on him being a veteran now with three games under his belt. I mean, no longer ‘true’ freshman,” he said.
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Sitake particularly praised Bachmeier’s football intelligence and decision-making ability.
“I like the checks that he made, the audibles, and he did a great job. I mean, he’s super intelligent and put our offense in a really good spot, especially in the second half,” he noted, highlighting the quarterback’s mental processing skills.
However, Sitake acknowledged the team’s responsibility to support their young signal-caller better.
“We just got to get some consistency, sustain drives, and get third and manageable. I think we got ourselves in third in some long ones and those are really difficult for anybody, even a rookie quarterback. So, we got to help him out a little bit more,” he said.
The coach’s evaluation showed that he was pleased with Bachmeier’s advancement, but he acknowledged that his team had some areas for improvement as BYU gets ready for its first Big 12 game against Colorado on Saturday.
