Food and football: a brief look into BYU's pregame Thanksgiving

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PROVO — While many Utahns woke up Thursday morning to a neighborhood turkey bowl before filling the day with the three F’s of family, feasting and football on Thanksgiving, BYU football players and coaches were preparing for Saturday’s regular-season finale against in-state rival Utah State.

Don’t worry; it was just a Thursday morning practice, and coaches gave the players the rest of the day to spend with their families.

“It’s easy when your family are big BYU fans,” wide receiver Garrett Juergens said. “They understand the need to put time and effort into the game. But it’s nice to sit back, relax and be with people that love and support you.

“It’s honestly one of the best weeks for preparing for a game. I really enjoy it.”

The Cougars (7-4) have plenty for which to be thankful. After the 86th rendition of the Battle for the Old Wagon Wheel with the Aggies (3-8), they will turn their attention to the Poinsettia Bowl and a yet-unnamed Mountain West opponent Dec. 21 in San Diego. In Kalani Sitake’s first year as a collegiate head coach, his alma mater can finish with the same number of wins as a year ago — thanks in large part to the senior class of 21 players who will play their final game at LaVell Edwards Stadium at 8:15 p.m. Saturday.

“I leaned heavily on those seniors to be my voice in the program, and they’ve been ideal,” Sitake said. “They’ve been perfect at everything we’ve asked them to do. I think they can be really proud of what they’ve done here as leaders, and it will show a lot with what we do next year.”

Among those 21 seniors is fifth-year quarterback Taysom Hill, who went through Senior Night ceremonies a year ago before receiving a medical redshirt for one final season at BYU.

Hill, who graduated last April with a degree in finance, will exit the program as a three-time team captain with at least 32 starts, a 22-10 record as a starting quarterback (with two more potential wins remaining on the schedule), and he’s currently ranked fifth all-time in BYU program history with 74 career touchdowns.

“It’s a little surreal,” Hill said of Senior Night. “I haven’t thought about it as a last game, but the last time being in LaVell Edwards Stadium is a little bittersweet. I’ve been here for five years, and my time is up. It’s fine; I’m ready for the next thing and excited to be in LaVell Edwards Stadium one more time.”

There are other things for which Sitake can be grateful, of course. The former BYU fullback expressed gratitude for his first-year coordinators and staff, wife Timberly and three young children.

Oh, and the food.

“I’m going to eat a lot. That’s pretty much a given,” Sitake said after practice Monday. “I’m going to prep my stomach for Thursday by eating a lot Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, too.

“When those guys get into those eating contests, they don’t just take it on one day. This is a Thanksgiving week for me. I plan on gaining a lot of weight, and I’ll be a lot thicker next week. For everyone that is trying to diet, that is what January is for. Just have fun, and try to burn it off on Black Friday.”

Not everyone was as grateful for family. Offensive coordinator Ty Detmer is inviting nearly two dozen family members to his Provo home, which he joked will make the holiday “hectic at times.”

“It’s always fun to have family around,” said Detmer, before joking, “I told Kalani if there’s anything extra he needs done here, I’m his guy.”