Presser: Dave Aranda Preview Matchup with No. 22 BYU

Summary

The coach recaps the team's recent practice and addresses their readiness for an upcoming game against BYU. He emphasizes the team's resilience after a tough loss and highlights the strong leadership from players like Presley, Josh Cameron, and Matt Jones. The coach praises Sawyer's performance as quarterback and notes improvements in special teams and individual player contributions. He acknowledges the emotional challenges of losses but is confident in the team's commitment and effort. The coach also discusses the importance of home games, the challenges of facing BYU, and the benefits of morning practices for the team's energy levels.

Takeaways

• 😀 The coach is pleased to be back with the team and notes that the morning walkthrough and practice were efficient and crisp.
• 💪 The team is ready for the challenge posed by a talented BYU team, recognizing their record and recent rise in performance.
• 🏡 There's excitement about playing at home, with the coach highlighting the appeal of waking up and playing football on a Saturday morning.
• 🩸 The coach uses a metaphor of resilience, emphasizing the importance of rising up and fighting after being 'cut wide open'.
• 🗣️ Leadership was strong during practice, with specific players like Presley, Josh Cameron, and Matt Jones being particularly vocal and supportive.
• 🤔 After a loss, the coach acknowledges the emotional aspect and the need to act as a counselor as much as a coach to help the team process their feelings.
• 🏈 The team's response to setbacks involves starting fast, maintaining energy, and being ready to compete and respond to challenges.
• 🔄 The coach expresses confidence in Sawyer as the quarterback, noting his improvement with each start and his leadership during tough moments.
• 👏 Special teams are highlighted as a strength, with the unit being ranked number one in the league and continuing to improve.
• 🛡️ The return of Carl is seen as crucial for the secondary unit, with his performance and commitment being highly valued.
• 🚫 The team has not found success on the road yet, but the coach emphasizes the need to win wherever they play, focusing on overcoming their own obstacles.

Q & A

How did the coach describe the team's practice session?

The coach described the practice session as efficient and crisp, indicating that the team was ready to get back to work and saw the upcoming challenge as a good thing.

What was the team's attitude towards playing at home?

The team was excited about playing at home, as indicated by the coach's comment that waking up and playing football on a Saturday morning is always a cool thing.

How did the coach address the team's previous loss?

The coach used the metaphor of being 'cut wide open' to describe the team's situation after a loss, emphasizing the importance of rising up and fighting again.

What did the coach observe about the team's leadership during practice?

The coach noted that the leadership was strong, with specific players like Presley, Josh Cameron, and Matt Jones being particularly vocal in their coaching and critiquing during practice.

How does the coach view the role of a coach after an emotionally charged game?

The coach sees himself as not only a coach but also a counselor after a game, helping the team deal with raw emotions and providing support.

What was the coach's response to the question about the team's resilience?

The coach believes the team is resilient and will continue to fight for what they believe in, despite setbacks.

How does the coach evaluate Sawyer's performance as the starting quarterback?

The coach is excited about Sawyer's performance, noting that he played well, managed the game effectively, and showed leadership, which gives the coach confidence in him.

What was the coach's assessment of the special teams' performance?

The coach felt that the special teams unit dominated, which is significant considering they were the number one unit in the league last year and have improved since.

How important is Carl's return to the secondary unit?

Carl's return is considered huge and a must-have for the team. His performance and commitment, despite not being at 100%, speak volumes about his character and are crucial moving forward.

What is the coach's strategy for dealing with the team's inconsistent performance?

The coach emphasizes the need to start fast, have energy, and compete, especially when facing adversity. The team needs to bring their hands back up and respond in kind when challenged.

How does the coach feel about the team's home advantage?

While the coach wants to win wherever they play, there is a noted advantage to playing at home, which is attributed to the team's ability to get out of their own way and execute better.