Albuquerque, N.M • It is possible, even probable, that Kalani Sitake was being coy when he issued his final quarterback update on Friday.
“Even I don’t know who is going to be taking the first snaps,” Sitake said with a laugh, noting it could be Cade Fennegan, Sol-Jay Maiava-Peters or Nick Billoups making their first-career start in the New Mexico Bowl. Starting quarterback Jaren Hall has been out in a boot all week.
But the tinge of sarcasm in Sitake’s voice wasn’t necessarily directed only at his quarterback situation. Instead, for Sitake, the humor came in because that same sentence could be said about almost any position on his roster ahead of Saturday. It is anybody’s best guess, truly, which guys will be out there come the first series of the game.
The Cougars won’t have starting linebackers Keenan Pili, Max Tooley or Payton Wilgar in this game. At the receiver position, Puka Nacua is questionable after lingering injuries and an NFL career on the horizon.
In the secondary, D’Angelo Mandell is not a guarantee to play. Offensive lineman Harris LaChance is also out and running back Lopini Katoa won’t return.
In terms of opening day starters, BYU will be down at least eight players not including Hall.
“We are short-handed,” Sitake said.
It means this bowl game is going to turn into an experiment to see which players do take those first snaps.
It will look different than anything BYU has seen all year. Just at linebacker, for example, the coaches moved defensive end Fisher Jackson to start in place of Wilgar. Jackson Kaufusi will also get a start, a junior who has played 98 defensive snaps all year.
So, as Sitake was being coy 24 hours before the game, there is also some truth to what he is saying. Who really knows what those first snaps will look like?
Sitake’s thoughts on opt-outs
Speaking of players not playing in this game, Sitake gave a more forceful answer to his philosophy on guys opting-out of bowl games.
“I just don’t like the term opt-out,” Sitake said. “I think ‘players making better decisions for themselves’ is a better way to put it.”
BYU has multiple players who could easily opt-out of this game to preserve their health. Hall and Nacua are at the top of that list. Offensive Blake Freeland is as well.
Sitake said he will support players making those decisions. He then discussed how it is his job to hold players out who are trying to push through injuries for this game. In his mind, it is not worth it.
He mentioned Hall by name, saying the quarterback wanted to play through this injury.
“It is our responsibility to keep him safe knowing he has potential to play at the next level,” he said. “To make sure he does it the right way. When you give it time, more than just a week like in the regular season, you get more of an honest assessment of all that.
“... If they are not 100%, especially toward the bowl game, when some of these guys have bowl invites and combines, they won’t play.”
Bowl game quirks
Vanderbilt transfer Gabe Jeudy-Lally has never been to a bowl game before. So when the online link was sent out to him to pick which bowl game gifts he wanted, he was shocked.
“Get to get some Christmas presents or something like that,” he laughed. “That’s nice.”
On the list of bowl gifts this week are air fryers, cookware, kitchen sets, headphones, coolers, and sunglasses.
Tyler Batty joked he already had an air fryer, though maybe he would upgrade his kitchen.
