- Jay Hill, BYU's defensive coordinator, chose to stay despite head coaching offers.
- Hill transformed BYU's defense, which struggled before his arrival, into a formidable unit.
- BYU's defense hasn't allowed a touchdown this season, boosting Big 12 championship hopes.
PROVO — For good reason, given his terrific credentials, Jay Hill was offered the opportunity last winter to become a head coach of a Division I football program.
The BYU defensive coordinator contemplated taking the job, to the point that some on the staff thought he was leaving. Good thing for the Cougars, he stayed
"Coach Hill is a genius," safety Faletau Satuala proclaimed after BYU beat Stanford on Saturday. "Sometimes I don't even know how he knows what's coming, but he knows what's coming every time."
So why not become a head coach again? It's not like Hill hasn't already proven capable of leading a program.
Taking over a Weber State program that had three consecutive losing records, Hill's team went 2-10 in 2014 and then enjoyed eight straight winning seasons. He then jumped at the chance to get a big pay raise and work for coach Kalani Sitake.
"I get to work for the best head coach. I mean, he's amazing," Hill said during spring practice.
The sentiment, no doubt, is reciprocal.
Two games into Hill's third season, he has done wonders for a BYU defense that was in complete disarray before his arrival. During a losing streak that reached four midway through the 2022 season one game typified BYU's inability to offer much resistance.
Arkansas rolled up a staggering 644 yards of total offense in LaVell Edwards Stadium on that infamous October afternoon. Quarterback KJ Jefferson threw five touchdown passes as the Razorbacks scored on eight consecutive possessions.
The next game wasn't any better, as Liberty rushed for 300 yards on the way to recording 547 yards of total offense. The winless October concluded again at home with a loss to East Carolina, which gets the return game against the Cougars in two weeks.
The embarrassing performances prompted Sitake to assume play-calling duties over the last month of the season. Two weeks after the regular season ended, Hill left his job as Weber State's head coach to begin repairing BYU's defense.
By Hill's second season, BYU tied Texas for the most interceptions with 22. One season removed from going 5-7 in the program's inaugural season in the Big 12, the defense played a significant role in last year's 11-2 bounce back.
Even with a small sample size, this season's defense is on the way toward becoming the best during Hill's tenure. Recognizing the two wins have come against Portland State of the Big Sky and a Stanford program coming off four consecutive 3-9 seasons, the defense has yet to allow a touchdown.
"If they can just keep following Jay's lead, the defense is going to do some really, really special things," Sitake said.
Aside from lighting up the scoreboard against a grossly overmatched Portland State, BYU's offense likely will remain a work in progress over the next several weeks with freshman Bear Bachmeier starting at quarterback. As an indicator, the Cougars had four possessions that started at midfield or in Stanford territory but scored only a total of 6 points against a quality Cardinal defense.
Until — or if — the offense gets going, BYU can rely on the defense and strong special teams play highlighted by excellent punting and kicking. With these factors, the Cougars can again contend for the Big 12 championship.
"I really appreciate the leadership on the team and the guys on defense always being positive," Sitake said.
Hill called his shot during training camp last month, saying this year's ability to pressure the quarterback will be much better than in prior seasons. Incoming transfers Keanu Tanuvasa and Justin Kirkland, who is close to returning from an injury, have strengthened the interior line in front of an outstanding set of linebackers.
"The front seven is playing at a high level right now," Sitake said.
