PROVO — Just like the rest of us, BYU coaches and players have to deal with the reality of self-isolation and social distancing at a time they should be wrapping up spring football practices.
They’re also doing some light recruiting, though the NCAA-mandated dead period through mid-April makes recruiting on and off campus limited to phone calls, text messages and social media.
"I’m not much of a social media guy, but I have to be now," head coach Kalani Sitake said last week during a video conference with local media. "We’re connecting with recruits there."
Looks like Sitake, along with his assistant coaches and other former players, is showing a new side of his personal social media, though.
It started with a challenge: a dance-off from former BYU and NFL standout (and one-time Cougar running backs coach) Reno Mahe. The Brighton High alum challenged his compatriots to a "throwback dance-off" by posting video of himself, his wife Sunny and their children busting a move (and maybe something else) to New Kids on the Block's "The Right Stuff."
Round 2: #throwbackdancebattle
— Reno Mahe (@RenoMahe) March 27, 2020
Where u at Scott and Willis?
We’ve got “The Right Stuff”!
Took us all day to find it, but we got it now!🥴😂@ScottWarner18@Simi_Fehoko@tate28@Jasen_AhYou@jswaggdaddy@kalanifsitake@BYUfootball@fsitake@TyDetmer14@JackDamuni@terrellowenspic.twitter.com/Dtr54yrkC4
Not bad, right?
As a child of the '90s, I definitely approve.
Sitake couldn’t be upstaged by his former offensive assistant. So here he is showing off on Twitter, by getting down.
Here’s the Sitake response to the Mahe #throwbackdancebattle thnx #philwright for the choreography stay safe everyone pic.twitter.com/QvDc5980AF
— Kalani F Sitake (@kalanifsitake) March 28, 2020
OK, Kalani, didn’t know you were applying to be the new coach of the Cougarettes, after longtime Cougar legend Jodie Maxfield retired earlier this year.
Sitake gets a few points deducted for filming in portrait mode instead of landscape. But like he said — he’s still learning.
But wait ... a new challenger is approaching.
It’s another Sitake — this time, BYU wide receivers coach Fesi Sitake, who offered up this age-appropriate rebuttal from his clan of, ummm, much more impressionable youths.
Alright @RenoMahe, we don’t have grown kids, so we did it Kid Style! Here is “Sitake Family #2” challenge! I nominate @CoachAfeaki & @ursua05 for a family dance! #QuarantineBattlepic.twitter.com/teKk0TU7MJ
— Fesi Sitake (@fsitake) March 28, 2020
OK, OK, that was pretty good. How can it be topped?
Maybe by a certain Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback/NFL veteran/Texas ranch hand/college football offensive coordinator?
That’s right; you knew Cougar great Ty Detmer couldn’t stay out of this conversation for long. Here’s the Texas-sized legend with a TikTok cameo of his own, courtesy of his daughter Mayci.
This is about all you’ll get out of me! No country songs on Tik Tok 😂 pic.twitter.com/ebwoZySfft
— Ty Detmer (@TyDetmer14) March 27, 2020
Skill. Timing. Grace.
And a little bit of a cowboy drawl, for good measure.
We know where our vote is going.
But what do you say? Who won this round of the former BYU football players’ dance battle? Vote in the poll below, or go here if the full selection doesn’t load.