Jaren Hall's embrace of downtrodden kicker tells deeper story of BYU's 'love and learning'

Brigham Young Cougars place kicker Jake Oldroyd (39) walks off the field after missing a field goal as BYU and Baylor play at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. BYU went on to win 26-20. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)


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PROVO — Blake Shapen's pass had barely sailed out of the back of the end zone, zipping underneath the crossbar in the south end zone before most of the sold-out crowd of 63,470 BYU fans climbed over the railing, jumped onto the field at LaVell Edwards Stadium and celebrated the Cougars' first win over a top-10 program in that building since 1990.

But before quarterback Jaren Hall could celebrate with his defensive teammates that clinched the win, or congratulate Lopini Katoa for his game-winning touchdown run in double overtime, he had found a face on the sideline.

That face was hurt as he beat himself up and was downtrodden. It was the face of Jake Oldroyd, the veteran kicker who had just missed two field goals — one that would've won the game in regulation, and another miss on a straight-shot in the first overtime — sitting in silence on the grass.

Before Hall disappeared into the masses to an adoring fan base, the former Maple Mountain standout grabbed Oldroyd by the shoulder pads, turned to face him, and embraced him with the love of a kind father while the kicker sobbed into his jersey.

Leadership, thy name is Jaren Hall.

But even more impressive was the show of leadership and support behind the scenes, that the cameras didn't catch, according to head coach Kalani Sitake.

"We talk about learning and loving, about trusting each other; I trust all of our guys and our leaders to take care of everyone," Sitake said Monday. "I didn't even know that happened, but it's the ones that the cameras didn't catch, too — all the hugs and our players showing their love for him in the locker room. It's hard to see your brother that is down and disappointed, and it's good for these guys to pick each other up."

Hall did a lot of things Saturday night in BYU's 26-20 double-overtime win over then-No. 9 Baylor, a win that vaulted the Cougars to No. 12 in the Associated Press Top 25. The redshirt junior quarterback completed 22-of-39 passes for 261 yards and a touchdown, and also caught his first receiving score, a 22-yard double pass from Chase Roberts, who had his own breakout night with a career-high 122 receiving yards and a touchdown.

He had every reason to be in the middle of that mosh pit on the field.

But instead, there was Hall on the sidelines, embracing his downtrodden kicker after a rough quarter — one that followed a pair of field goals (from 27 and 39 yards, respectively) in the first and third quarters to keep BYU in front of the Bears.

The junior from Southlake, Texas, has bombed 45 field goals in his five-year career, including the first collegiate attempt he ever had to lift Sitake to his first win over Arizona in 2016.

Oldroyd thanked fans and supporters after the game on social media; he also thanked his teammates — including, but not limited to, his quarterback.

"Thanks everyone for all of the love and support," Oldroyd tweeted. "My brothers had my back last night. Next game. Next kick."

Amid all the hot takes and postgame analysis of what a win over Baylor means for BYU's season, this was just a moment between a quarterback and his kicker, between two teammates, two brothers, two friends who have forged a lifelong brotherhood on the gridiron. It's no different than almost any other team in college football, or most sports for that matter.

But BYU rested a shining example of the brotherhood of football in one short clip.

Like Hall and those fans, the rest of Oldroyd's teammates also had the kicker's back.

"I love Jake. I told him there's no reason to hang his head," said Katoa, whose 3-yard rushing touchdown in double overtime proved to be the difference Saturday night. "He's kept us in so many games in the past; he's won games for us in the past. I don't have any doubt that Jake will come back and be himself.

"Everybody has those days. There are no bad thoughts on Jake Oldroyd; he's the man, and he's a leader on the team. We've all got his back."

Brigham Young Cougars place kicker Jake Oldroyd (39) kicks an extra point as BYU and Baylor play at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022.
Brigham Young Cougars place kicker Jake Oldroyd (39) kicks an extra point as BYU and Baylor play at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. (Photo: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)

Hall isn't the only leader on the team, per Sitake. He's one of four offensive captains, along with four defensive captains and an assistant captain on special teams in punter Ryan Rehkow.

But the roster of leaders go well beyond the players picked to wear the "C" on their chest at the start of the year.

"We've got really good leadership on this team," Sitake said. "But it also takes a good group of young men who are willing to follow, too. The culture is about truth and not worrying about being a captain to speak the truth. If you're a walk-on, and what you say is true, we listen. Everyone has a role of leadership on this team."

It's a role the players learn from Sitake, who has established a culture that he defines as "love and learning" in his program. That culture was embraced by the head coach himself when, before celebrating in the mosh pit of a student section on the field, Sitake first went to shake hands with Baylor counterpart Dave Aranda — and then found Baylor defensive tackle Siaki Ika, the NFL prospect and East High alum who originally committed to BYU before signing with LSU and following Aranda to Baylor.

It was a similar role that Sitake showed when, as the game was kicking off before that sellout crowd of royal blue-clad fans chanting "B-Y-U! B-Y-U!" he turned to his father Tom on the sideline. It was the same Tom Sitake who emigrated to the United States from Tonga, and as a newly divorced father in 1982 with four children under age 8 would be unable to afford tickets so they drove to the parking lot at then-Cougar Stadium to listen to games on the radio.

"Look where we are, pops," Sitake told his father, as recounted by his sister Sweetie on Instagram, "thank you."

Tom Sitake has since become a fixture around his son's football program, one he's trying to build in the image of his own coach, the late legend LaVell Edwards. Saturday night was Sitake's 50th win as head coach of BYU in 79 tries; Edwards accomplished the same feat in 77 games.

"I wish I could say it's all me," Sitake said, "but it's the players. I get to coach great young men from unbelievable families.

"Man, it's a lot of fun. Sometimes it's good for me to get out of their way."

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