Staying fired up: Moments and goals keep BYU football players and coaches going through fall camp
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- BYU players run onto the field during practice in Provo on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024.
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- BYU defenders run a drill during practice in Provo on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024.
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- BYU players gather after practice in Provo on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024.
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- BYU freshman Lucky Finau runs a drill during practice in Provo on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024.
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- BYU players listen to defensive coordinator Jay Hill during practice in Provo on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024.
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- BYU football players recuperate in ice baths after practice in Provo on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024.
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- BYU players walk off the field after practice in Provo on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024.
Put yourself in the shoes of the BYU football players and coaches right now.
For the last week-and-a-half you’ve been hard at work, sometimes out in the sun on afternoons where the temperature is over 100 degrees.
For the players, the initial adrenaline rush of being back has worn off, but the first game is still three weeks away. The pads are on, but that means the little bruises and bumps are beginning to pile up as well.
The coaches also have to fight through any apathy, both of their own and of their guys on the field. Every repetition is valuable but it can be hard to have it feel that way as you grind through each day.
So what keeps the Cougars giving their best, despite the challenges?
There are some common themes in the responses to that question from various BYU players and coaches, but each has their own individual motivators.
“What gets me going is knowing that we’ve got a game a couple of weeks,” Cougar senior defensive tackle John Nelson said. “We’ve got the season ahead of us. That is the biggest thing really. We know that people see our record from last year and think that we didn’t belong.
“We had a couple of games get away from us, but it’s no excuses. We’re in tougher league now where all the details matter. There are no small things anymore. That’s what gets me motivated is knowing that what our record was last year doesn’t reflect who we are but will be reflected in what we put in now.”
Cougar junior offensive lineman Weylin Lapuaho explained that the relationships with his teammate keep him focused.
“It’s about being out there with my guys,” he said. “I know I’ve got to play at a high level, play fast and play physical to protect our guys. Right now we’re going against our own team but you’ve still got to bring an edge to your game or you might be on your face or on your back. And I’m also just always thinking about my family and my wife. That gets me going.”
Football is what these athletes love, so according to junior kicker Will Ferrin getting to play the game is always something they look forward to if they keep that in mind. That’s even more so for kickers, since they have some load management.
“Kickers are like pitchers in baseball,” Ferrin said. “You can’t go out and go hard every day. I think it fires us up to know when we are kicking the next day. We wake up a little jittery and excited for that.”
The BYU coaches focused on some of the same things as they talked about how they keep pushing themselves during camp.
“I love being out on the field,” Cougar defensive end coach and special teams coordinator Kelly Poppinga said. “I love getting into meeting rooms and coaching the guys, helping them learn and progress.
“I think I get the most joy just seeing progression and seeing guys get better each and every day. I challenged our guys right here at the end of practice to make sure we are getting better every day. We’ve got to stack days upon days. I know it’s all cliche, but it’s so true. It’s a process.”
BYU defensive tackles coach Sione Po’uha agreed that he gets strength from seeing growth from the young men he’s working with.
“It gets me pumped up when the players get it right,” Po’uha said. “I’ve been on that side of the fence. I know what it feels like and tastes like. To see a player really grasp it and get it right, that’s a thing of beauty. To see a player just succeed at the technique and the position that you’re teaching, that’s the greatest reward for me.”
Cougar offensive line coach TJ Woods explained that there is always something to improve on at every position. That means that every time he sees an offensive lineman takes a step forward it reminds him why he does what he does.
“For me, the most joy I get is when I can teach them something that might help them impact their game, even just a little bit,” Woods said. “The minute details are what this is about, things that we can help these tremendous athletes and tremendous players get just a little bit better in certain areas. When you see it actually play out and then you see the smile on your player’s face when it when it actually worked there’s really no better feeling than that.”
