BYU head coach Kalani Sitake sent a clear and direct message to his veteran players on September 8: it’s their job to support freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier. During his media session, the coach placed the burden of accountability squarely on the shoulders of his experienced players, all while navigating questions about the team’s physical identity and its path forward.
How Is Kalani Sitake Challenging His Veterans to Support Bachmeier?
During his first bye-week press conference, Sitake shared insights from BYU’s film review after their 27-3 victory over Stanford. The coach addressed the ongoing need to protect and develop Bachmeier as he begins his collegiate career.
“Those, I think, we just need to have all the other 10 guys doing their job. And if we can do that, it’ll help him out a lot,” Sitake noted when discussing how the team structures its practices.
The coach explained that the staff designs practices to keep Bachmeier safe while still preparing him realistically for games. He emphasized that this approach focuses on proper positioning and executing assignments.
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“Well, we didn’t really hit him in practice, but he ran a guy over to get in the end zone,” Sitake said. “So, you know, I mean, there’s it the practice has to be actually realistic to what he can do and what he’s capable of doing.”
Sitake also stressed the importance of using the right protection schemes to prevent defenders from getting to the quarterback unblocked. He made it clear that fixing these breakdowns requires a complete team effort.
“And so, we’ll practice the right things, make sure we get him in the right position, make sure that we have the right protection so he’s not getting hit in the back when no one’s even blocking edge rusher,” he explained.
The coach’s most pointed message, however, was aimed directly at his veteran players. He highlighted the talent surrounding Bachmeier and left no room for misunderstanding his expectations.
“And we, you know, I just talked about a veteran receiver group with a lot of talent, tight end room, uh, O-line and backfield. So, I think everybody else needs to step up a little bit more and make it an easier and quicker transition for Bear,” Sitake declared.
When asked about BYU’s physical identity, Sitake showed a mix of pride and caution. He acknowledged the program’s reputation for toughness but avoided making grand pronouncements.
“Well, I think you I mean we’ve never had a problem with not being physical, you know, so I think having a tough brand of football matters,” he said.
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However, Sitake was careful not to get ahead of himself when it came to defining the team’s identity for the 2025 season.
“And I don’t know. I’m not gonna make statements about our identity. We just got to keep working,” he stated, emphasizing that performance on the field is more important than talk.
Ultimately, Sitake’s message was simple: the entire team needs to rally around Bachmeier to ensure his success. While the coach isn’t ready to label what kind of team BYU will be, he has made it clear that he expects them to prove it on the field. Now, the veteran players know exactly what is required of them to protect their young quarterback and work together as a cohesive unit.
