BYU Defensive Situation
BYU Defensive Coordinator Ilaisa Tuiaki has to go. This defense has a lot of potentials and the coaching staff isn’t putting that to use. Many of these players show their potential week in and week out and here they are being the ones to lose the games for the Cougars. The Coaches aren’t doing them any favor as they won’t build a game plan and call the calls that are going to get BYU off the field. After another loss, the defense couldn’t stop the team from anything. The loss to Oregon and then to Arkansas showed the Cougars really what this BYU defense is built on. The play calling is terrible and needs to be fixed.
BYU Defensive Coaching Staff
Ilaisa Tuiaki BYU Defensive Coordinator
Started in 2016 as DC when the coaching staff changed after Mendenhall left. This season he serves as DC and the defensive line coach. The game plan and calling the plays on Saturday lies with him. So far this season and other seasons he hasn’t produced a game that will win the Cougars game in the Big12.
Kevin Clune
Clune coaches the linebackers and he has an amazing set of guys. He has been at BYU since 2020 and has shown that the linebackers are some of the toughest ones on the team. Clune has coached for 28 years and 10 as a Defensive Coordinator. If BYU needs a new DC they won’t have to look far.
Ed Lamb
Lamb is the Assistant Head Coach but also coaches up the safeties and he has done a great job at helping guys like Malik Moore become better. He also joined the staff in 2016 when the new coaching staff was brought in.
Jernaro Gilford
Gilford coaches the Cornerbacks for the Cougars. He has coached here for seven years. This cornerback group has come a long way and it is only getting better.
Preston Hadley
Hadley played for BYU and is now coaching for the Cougars as the Defensive end and hybrid coach. He has been here since 2018. The Hadley name is strong at BYU as many have played ball in Provo.
BYU Defensive Starters
Defensive Lineman
Earl Tuioti-Mariner R-Sr
Tyler Batty So
Gabe Summers R-Jr
Caden Haws R-So
Linebackers
Ben Bywater R-So
Max Tooley R-Jr
Keenan Pili R-Jr
Safeties
Ammon Hannemann R-So
Malik Moore Sr
Cornerbacks
D’Angelo Mandell Sr
Kaleb Hayes R-Sr
What needs to change to Win games
They have players on the field who are ready to win games and who can play hard-mouth football. This coaching staff needs to use them properly to give them the best opportunity to win the game each game. Many players have said changes are coming to this week’s plan.
Head Coach Kalani Sitake says that something needs to change and that he would take over if needed. “Yeah, we have done that before as a program. This is my seventh season, so there are times we have had to do that,” Sitake said when asked if, due to his background as a defensive coordinator, he might consider taking over play-calling duties from DC Ilaisa Tuiaki. I think it’s time for him to take over playcalling to give the Cougars their best opportunity to win a ball game.