With eyes on BYU to open Big 12 media days, Cougars keep same energy that has bred success

FRISCO, Texas — For many, it was business as usual when BYU football made its fourth visit to Big 12 football media days in Kalani Sitake's 11th season with the program.

Sitake spoke on the main stage in front of a large group of reporters on a main stage broadcast by ESPNU before making the rounds with every writer, radio personality, podcaster and YouTube personality who wanted his time.

In many ways, the soon-to-be 51-year-old father of four was in his element as he held court with the media, both formally and informally, individually and collectively.

Plenty of reporters wanted to talk to star linebacker Isaiah Glasker and senior defensive tackle Keanu Tanuvasa about a defense looking to replace departed coordinator Jay Hill, while reigning Big 12 offensive player of the year LJ Martin and starting quarterback Bear Bachmeier were pulled in every direction by a crowd looking for time with the duo.

Everybody still loves Colorado coach Deion Sanders, the former eight-time Pro Bowler who dabbed up the room and embraced Sitake and Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire with extra emotion before appearing on stage for a made-for-TV coaches' panel led by ESPN.

Then there was Bruce Mitchell, the starting center who grinned from ear to ear as he made his first visit to the Dallas Cowboys' practice facility in North Texas.

The 6-foot-4, 305-pound blocker was happy to be here, one step closer to the start of his fifth-year senior season.

"I'm very fortunate that BYU found me, that I'm able to be here, and to play," Mitchell said. "It's fun to look back on the journey and how it all lined up. Coming from South Summit, not a lot of people thought I could play P4 football.

"Just coming out of a small town, I try to represent it well."

Still, there was plenty of business-as-usual for the Cougars — except for one thing.

Unlike in the previous three Big 12 campaigns, BYU entered Tuesday's annual gathering of league media and television partners as a favorite. Once a hunter in the 16-team conference that has undergone significant change in each year of the Cougars' tenure, Sitake's squad is now a hunted team.

But Glasker believes BYU, with 23 wins and just four losses that past two seasons, is ready for the weight of expectations. Big 12 title? College Football Playoff? Bring it on.

"I feel like we don't really listen to the outside hype," Glasker said. "People who really buy into that are as successful as they want to be. I feel like, for us, it's more about what we can do as a team and how we can be better this next year.

"If we can take that next step, then I feel like we'll be just fine."

The next step involves a familiar path back to the Big 12 football championship Dec. 4 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Cougars wouldn't play defending champion Texas Tech until they get there, but will find tricky games at TCU, Utah and Kansas along with an Oct. 17 home game against Notre Dame that could propel BYU into the CFP discussion with a win.

The Red Raiders remain a favorite in the conference that has surprised in each of the Cougars' first three seasons, placing seven players on the All-Big 12 preseason team including preseason defensive player of the year A.J. Holmes (BYU added six, led by Martin).

But expectations or not, BYU's culture remains the same.

"I think the goal for us is to always stay humble, stay hungry," Sitake said. "Our culture is built on love and learn; those are things you have to be working on.

"Complacency has never been part of the equation," he added. "The goal for us is to get better, and not just in football. How can we improve in every area of our life?"

The team also has a familiar cast of characters eager to take the next step, a rising sophomore in Bachmeier who completed 65% of his passes for 3,033 yards and 15 touchdowns a year ago and Martin, who ran for 1,305 yards to power a ground game that will also include Sione Moa and true freshman Devaughn Eka.

In other words: business as usual, the soft-spoken Martin says.

"I'd say we're still the same team and the same program," Martin said. "We're just going to go out there and win every game we can.

"We always had these expectations on ourselves," the senior from El Paso added. "It's nothing different for us."

Related topics