Brigham Young Cougars defensive end Tyler Batty (92) recovers a fumble near the end of the game at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. BYU won 38-31. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Editor’s note: This story is the 16th in a series previewing each football team in the Big 12 in 2024.
If the BYU football team’s plan to rise above low expectations in its second season in the Big 12 had to be summed up in two words, it would be these: Increase physicality.
For if there was a common denominator in BYU’s seven conference losses last year en route to a 5-7 overall season — 2-7 in the Big 12 — it was that the Cougars often got dominated on the line of scrimmage. They couldn’t run the football, and they couldn’t stop the run, or get much pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Pretty simple.
“There is a sense of urgency — we knew our identity was being physical, but then you run into teams that are physical, too,” said coach Kalani Sitake. “And then in the past you have been able to hang your hat on that, that being a competitive advantage. That’s the standard at BYU. So for us, it is about being more physical. These were the most physical spring practices we’ve ever had.”
As has been drilled into their heads for months, the Cougars are picked to finish 13th in the new 16-team league, ahead of only fellow 2023 Big 12 newcomers Cincinnati and Houston, and Pac-12 addition Arizona State.
Sitake said neither he nor his players are blaming the media for the apparent disrespect.
Instead, they are focusing all their energy on getting bigger, faster and stronger — particularly in the trenches.
The Cougars knew what they were getting into after 12 years as a college football independent, but actually experiencing it was a whole different animal.
“In Year Two, the players know exactly…
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