August 13, 2025 • 17 mins
The Deseret News' Jackson Payne joins Brice and Bianucci to discuss BYU's quarterback competition, the latest news out of fall camp, and more!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Jackson. Welcome on in Chrys b and Nuccie. We're backed
at it. You hear the music, you know that means
just one thing. Our good friend Jackson Paine from the
(00:25):
Desert At News joins us here on Bryce and Bia
Nucci to give us the latest from BYU fall Camp.
So let's jump out to the ESPN the Fan hotline
and say hello to our good friend Jackson Paine. Jackson,
good to hear from you.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
What's up, guys, Always going to be on.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Always great to have you, always great to have you.
One thing on top of our minds here b Yu
fall Camp. Yesterday Aaron Roderick said, we have movement, We
have motion on the quarterback battle. Tell us what you
heard and the reports that were coming from Aaron Roderick yesterday.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Yeah, long last we finally got some movement. We finally
got some new information on the quarterback battle and Aaron
Roderick basically confirmed what we'd been suspecting for a while.
But the quarterback battle at Uyu is it's been whittled
down too. Traycon Borgay probably not in the running at
this current moment, but Bear Bachmeyer, the freshman former Stanford commit,
(01:18):
it's taken the majority of first team reps and McKay
hillstaid the Utah State transfer getting the rest of those.
And so for the majority of the media portion yesterday,
it may have been the entire media portion. I thought
Hillstad might have gotten a few snaps, but I think
the entirety of the media viewing portion of practice yesterday
Bachmeyer was running with the first team. And so that's massive, right,
(01:41):
Like at this point, you've had that quarterback battle go
for two weeks, You've given equal reps to all three
of those guys, but now it's the time where you
got to give somebody the bulk share of the reps
so that they can build these relationships and get this
chemistry going with the first team offense and have them
ready to roll for Portland State. Just about geez, how
long ago? How far away is that now? Eighteen seventeen days,
(02:04):
like it's coming soon, and so by you had to
make a decision, and it's obviously doesn't denote who's going
to start that game, but at this point, you know,
I would say it's probably Bear Bachmeyer's job to lose.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Yeah, we're seventeen days, three hours, thirty six minutes and
thirty seconds away from kickoff for BYU. We've got the
countdown clock at ESPN the fan Jackson. Does it surprise
you a little bit to hear this? Because last week
I remember standing there at practice watching bear Bachmeyer struggle
first day in pads, trying to get the ball out.
(02:38):
He was holding onto the ball a little bit too much.
And then we also saw McKay Hillstead drive the offense
down the field with confidence and they ended up scoring
a touchdown. As often LJ. Martin scamper to the right
side and he finished it off. But there was a
lot of confidence from one McKay Hillstead. Does it surprise
you a little bit to hear that this quarterback battle
(02:59):
is so close? Obviously a lot happens when we're not watching.
What are your thoughts on McKay and it feels like
he had the front runner going into this, but bear
Bachmeyer has a legitimate chance at winning this quarterback battle.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Yeah, totally. I think what it comes down to is,
obviously McKay Hillstead is you know a little bit more
about it. But he's also a bit of an unknown.
He hasn't played in a while, He hasn't played since
he was a true freshman at Utah State. And I
think for me, it's like, you have a true freshman
and Bear Bachmeyer, and you have a college veteran in
(03:34):
Hillstead who's played meaningful game reps and has also been
in the program for more than a year now. And
so if it's this close, with those circumstances, why not
give the edge to the freshman with the bigger frame
and maybe the higher ceiling. And so I don't think
it's an indictment on Hillstead at all. I think he's
had a good camp. Obviously, the quarterbacks have it up
(03:55):
and down, and I think that's to be expected because
Boy's defense is just so good. They'll probably be one
of the best, if not the best, maybe one of
the best two or three defenses in the Big twelve. Uh,
and so going against that unit in a quarterback battle
complicates things. But I think I don't think Hillstead's had
a bad camp. I just think the upside and the
(04:16):
potential with Bachmeer's just so tantalizing. And you know, you
see every practice, you see a flash of something and
it's like, oh, Okay, this is why he was a
four star recruit. At one point, Blachmeyer made a throw
to Carson Ryan yesterday that got posted on social media
and it was just a perfect anticipatory over the shoulder
kind of fingertip throat like it was perfect ball placement,
(04:38):
and the media all gathered together had an audible just
like whoa like as he threw that ball, like it's
just I don't know if that like, it's just when
you when you saw it in the moment, you were like, Okay,
there's this is a legit arm talent. And so I'm
I'm really interested to see how Bachmeyer handled these first
two games of the season. Obviously Portland State's and SC school.
(05:00):
BYU doesn't lose to those and then you welcome Stanford
to Provo. It's a night game in Provo. Stanford might
be one of the worst P four teams in the country,
but they're starting a six year senior quarterback. Blackmeyer is
going against his former program, and so these two games
that should probably be shocked up to. These two games
should probably be wins for BYU. But if you struggle,
(05:23):
then you have a bye week before you travel to ECU,
and if you need to make a change, you have
that extra week built in to do so. And so
I think it makes the most sense. Like, all right,
Bachmeier probably is the highest ceiling. Let's unleash him against
two cupcakesh games and then see what you have and
maybe make a decision going forward. So at this point,
(05:45):
giving him the bulk of the first team reps makes
the most sense. And I mean it's time. It's time
for BYU to get some clarity at that quarterback position
and build that chemistry.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Like we talked about, Jackson, Payne is with us from
the desert at Newstock at BYU fall came up right
here on Bryce and ba Nucci one to three, nine
and ninety eight three ESPN the Fan, Jackson, I do
want to shift.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Over to your biggest worries. We're about what eleven twelve
days through fall camp at this point in time, what's
the biggest question mark, obviously besides the quarterback position, biggest
question mark in your biggest worry for BYU heading into
this season.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
I think it would be the lines on each side
of the ball, particularly the defensive line. I don't think
I think Boy's pass rush is going to be a
lot better than last year. That's not I mean they
only had twenty sacks last year. I wrote an article
where I predicted they'd have at least twenty six, which
if you don't count the COVID year, the last time
(06:40):
that Bau's had twenty six sacks of a team was
twenty eighteen, which was Zach Wilson's freshman year and my
freshman year, so it's been a while. I just think
the interior of the defensive line. Obviously, Kean Antonovas has
a stud and is going to do some big things,
but it's not sure what the depth is like at
that position. Justin Kirkland the transfer of Oklahoma State, he
(07:00):
hasn't even practiced yet. There's some health concerns there behind Tonavasa,
like what is what is that position going to look like?
What is the depth gonna look like? And so I
think that's a legitimate reason for concern the defensive ends.
You obviously have a lot of young guys to Silia
Conna Hunter klegg E from Asciata. It's it's like my
friend Jeff Hansen's who's one of the premiere insiders for
(07:23):
BWA football. He likens it to a bunch of lottery
tickets BYU's bought all these lottery tickets at the edge position,
and with these young players and hopefully one or two
of them hit this year. So I think the defensive
line is probably my biggest concern right now, and then
the offensive line. You lost three really good stars at
(07:44):
Kaylebts and Connor pay and Brydon Kyme, so you have
to replace three guys, and I think they're at the
point this year, at least to start the season where
they're still trying to mix it match and find the
right combination of their guys. I don't think it's a
lack of talent in that room. I think they are
very talent. I think it's just trying to get the
right guys together on the field, and so who knows
(08:05):
how long that'll take. But I'm just I'm a little
bit worried about that. And then I guess, you know what.
I think the biggest thing actually over the offensive line
is running back death death because l J. Martin's had
injuries during his time, Poke Homgahs isn't going to be
on this team. Nick and Awaheny has gotten injured before,
Fiona BoA's had injury stuff. They might get Hinkley or
Potti back, but they might not. Like it's just the
(08:27):
depth that running back is very suspected. So I think
defensive line and running back are my two biggest things,
and I would love to be proven wrong. I mean, obviously,
last year we were most we were most concerned about
quarterback and Jake Retzl was serviceable. We were concerned about kicker,
and Will Farron turned into Will Farren. I just think,
you know, this is where Kalani Satake really shines. Where
he can get his guys when they have their backskins
(08:48):
to the wall and go and do great things. And
so yeah, well we'll see what happens there.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
I'm glad you brought up the running back situation because
that's where I was going. Next, I want to ask
you about the Hinkley Rapazzi situation and him just waiting
to get a waiver. We know it's some you know,
part medical, it's also part COVID year, and Aaron Roddick
has kind of talked about it, but not really giving
us a lot of insight into it. What are the
odds in your opinion of them actually getting the waiver
(09:15):
for Ropati to be able to go this season.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Roderick has said he's hopeful. I don't know what to
make of that. I'd say probably just a coin flip
at this point, because it's not only COVID and medical,
but it's also junior college eligibility, and that's been a
thing with Diego Paieva, some of these other players across
the country. I think Darius Laster and kayleb Etn we're
both expecting to come back to BYU this year because
(09:40):
they thought their JUCO year wouldn't count against them, But
then that kind of fell through and there were some
complications there, and so BYU and trying to get these
JUCO players back for more eligibility hasn't really worked out.
But I think Hinkley's case is a bit more unique
and it would be a huge help to have Hinkley Ropati.
I think I don't know if fans understand the value
(10:01):
that he's brought to the team in his time in
the program. He's a guy. When Aaron Roderick talks about him,
like when you when you listen to Aaron Rodgerick talked
about the three quarterbacks, if you kind of read through
the tea leaves, it was pretty obvious that Roderick was
gushing over Bear. You could tell that Bachmeyer was his guy,
and I think it's similar when when you hear him
talk about Ropatti, like he kind of lights up, like
(10:22):
he's a big innkly Ropatti guy. He's so good in
the passing game. He's a good blocker, he's a tough runner.
Like this is a guy that really just especially if
you have if you're breaking in a new quarterback that's
Hinkley Ropotti is a safety valve that you want. Like
I'm a Commanders fan, so I'll use an example like
Austin Eckler last year. Obviously he was great with the Chargers,
but he's not the player he once was with the Commanders,
(10:44):
but he's he's been so valuable as a safety blanket
for for Jaden Daniels, and Ropotty's kind of a similar
type player, that similar type role. And if Bachmeyer or Hillsted,
whoever starts Week one, has a Hinkley Ropatti to to
throw to, that's so massive, And so I think it's
about a coin flip probably better than that. But yeah,
like I said, having Hinkley back is so major for
(11:06):
that room. But at the same time, if you look
around the big club, there aren't a ton of premiere
running backs. If LJ. Martin can stay healthy and with
the run game that bo you kind of cooked up
last year with TJ. Woods, I really think LJ. Martin
could be like a first team All Big twelve running back.
Like he's legit. Like they're gonna have to lean on
him so much this year. Maybe do some creative two
running back sets you on and moa when he's flashed.
(11:28):
He's been really good. Like I'm encouraged by the potential
of the running backs, it's just the depth and the
injury reality that frightens me, and so Hinkley would would
go a long way to kind of ease those concerns.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
I think he definitely would. He's also looking really good.
He's a large human being and would add another body
back there that would just be a bruiser coming out
of the backfield. Let's shift over to the kicking game
he brought up Will Farren. I spoke with Will Farren
a week or two ago about how he feels this
offseason and things that he's gone through. He said that
he feels confident in kicking in good conditions from sixty
(12:01):
four and sixty five and hitting it. Do you think
Will Farron gets the opportunity to show us that he
can hit from sixty five early on.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
I hope he gets the chance to kick from seventy
like that Jaguars kicker the other day. That would be awesome.
I don't know. I think I think it depends on
the game. Like if like b Y is very aggressive
on fourth down if it's a sixty yard range, but
you could still like go for it within reason. I think, boy,
he's got to go for it. But I think if
(12:31):
they're if they're up a lot, and especially against like
a Stanford or a Portland State, and it's like, yeah,
let's let Bill run out there and do it. Like,
I don't think you can't rule it out right. I
think BYU, like after the fake punt that after the
fake field goal they ran last year at UCF where
the double snap you know, where Sam Vanderhart was snapping
through his legs and giving it to Farren. I can't
(12:54):
rule anything out with the special teams group and just
a shout out to Kelly Pepinga, like the special teams
unit at BYU has been elite since twenty twenty three.
Obviously they had the four return touchdowns last year, but
guys like Isaiah Glaster and Tanner Wall make plays on
special teams like they're just just an unbelievable improvement at
that unit. And the fact that BYU had such a
strong kind of triumvirate at with with far and at kicker,
(13:17):
Sam Vanderhara punter and then Garrison Grimes, son of Jess
at long snapper, Like that's a great that's a great thing,
And I'm really encouraged and excited to see what the
special teams do this year. But yeah, I mean, I
want to see Farren baumit from sixty sixty four, Like
let's give him the chance. Like I love going for
it on fourth down. It's fun, but you know, it
could be just as exciting to kick a field goal
(13:39):
from that far and get that record.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
That brings up a different question that we've discussed here
on this program. Jordan thinks that the field goals in
the NFL at least should be the width of the
field goals should be brought down because it's way too easy.
Seventy yard field goal too easy for these guys in
the NFL. We want to get your opinion on that.
Do you think that at least the win of the
field goal post should be brought in a little bit.
(14:02):
Maybe not at the college level, but the NFL level.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
I disagree because my kicker, Matt Gay, former UBU soccer player,
that's right, keeps missing kicks during training camp, and so
I don't want to make it any harder for him
because I need. Look, we're trying to make a Super
Bowl run this year. We got to pay Terry. We
gotta get Gay making his kicks. Like, let's not mess
with up the goal posts just yet, Let's win a
super Bowl in DC before we do that.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Shout out to back Gay. Yeah, you're right, former Utah
Valley soccer player, All right, Jackson. Final thing for you,
you more excited for BYU football or the BYU basketball season.
They've got some excitement for their season starting up early November.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
That's a tough question because obviously, on paper, it should
be basketball, because this is like the most anticipated BA
basketball season in history. The aj Devans a piece, the
playing in Madison Square Garden in Villain against Villanova Vegas,
like all these things like, but at the same time,
I know, like you can kind of tell what BYU's basketball,
(15:03):
Like a Javans is going to be in a Cooper
Flag League of of of Success, say, b Yu is
b Yu is going to have a good basketball team.
I just I don't think that's that hard to doubt.
Football interests me. It's just I really want to see
what happens at quarterback. Like this schedule is so interesting.
It's it's not a hard schedule, but there's one four
(15:25):
game stretch that could kind of make or break everything.
I I I guess I'm more excited for football just
because there's so much more unknown and I just want
the I want the certainty of how it ends out.
And obviously I'm not trying to I think basketball has
more hype around it, but at the same time, like
(15:46):
Aj Debansa is supposed to be an All America guy,
and Ritchie Saunders, we know who he is, and they
have all these young dudes and another transfers. I just
think football there's just so much more of an unknown
going in to it that if Bachmeyer hits this year
and he's the guy, you have another you have another
two years with him as your starter, where he's he's
(16:09):
legit and he's getting the job done and he can
maybe build the program around him right going into the
Rider Lions era. And so yeah, I think this year
is huge for BYU. This is I feel like BYU
has a big twelve title window and I think it's
opened for now as long as Jay Hill is here
(16:29):
because what he's doing on defense is revolutionary and helping
BYU a lot. And then if if Jay Hill ends
up leaving at some point, I think that closes until
the Rider Lions and recruiting class of twenty twenty six
era kind of gets underway. And so this year, this
year's major for that, and so I think BYU has
a big twelve championship level roster. I just think the
(16:51):
quarterback position is the biggest thing. And so I think
I'm I'm more excited for football just because of all
those factors and the intrigue, and but I'm definitely stoked
for basketball. That's gonna be a good time, all.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Right, Jackson Payne, Did they have you cover in any
high school football this upcoming football season?
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Probably not, but I'll still be around. I mean, I
love high school football, man, it's the greatest. I'll be
at some games, all right.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
Maybe we'll see you in a couple of games this
upcoming season. Jackson, thank you so much for your time
and appreciate you jumping.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
On Yeah, anytime guys see you.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
That is Jackson Payne of the Deseret News.
Jackson. Welcome on in Chrys b and Nuccie. We're backed
at it. You hear the music, you know that means
just one thing. Our good friend Jackson Paine from the
(00:25):
Desert At News joins us here on Bryce and Bia
Nucci to give us the latest from BYU fall Camp.
So let's jump out to the ESPN the Fan hotline
and say hello to our good friend Jackson Paine. Jackson,
good to hear from you.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
What's up, guys, Always going to be on.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Always great to have you, always great to have you.
One thing on top of our minds here b Yu
fall Camp. Yesterday Aaron Roderick said, we have movement, We
have motion on the quarterback battle. Tell us what you
heard and the reports that were coming from Aaron Roderick yesterday.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Yeah, long last we finally got some movement. We finally
got some new information on the quarterback battle and Aaron
Roderick basically confirmed what we'd been suspecting for a while.
But the quarterback battle at Uyu is it's been whittled
down too. Traycon Borgay probably not in the running at
this current moment, but Bear Bachmeyer, the freshman former Stanford commit,
(01:18):
it's taken the majority of first team reps and McKay
hillstaid the Utah State transfer getting the rest of those.
And so for the majority of the media portion yesterday,
it may have been the entire media portion. I thought
Hillstad might have gotten a few snaps, but I think
the entirety of the media viewing portion of practice yesterday
Bachmeyer was running with the first team. And so that's massive, right,
(01:41):
Like at this point, you've had that quarterback battle go
for two weeks, You've given equal reps to all three
of those guys, but now it's the time where you
got to give somebody the bulk share of the reps
so that they can build these relationships and get this
chemistry going with the first team offense and have them
ready to roll for Portland State. Just about geez, how
long ago? How far away is that now? Eighteen seventeen days,
(02:04):
like it's coming soon, and so by you had to
make a decision, and it's obviously doesn't denote who's going
to start that game, but at this point, you know,
I would say it's probably Bear Bachmeyer's job to lose.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Yeah, we're seventeen days, three hours, thirty six minutes and
thirty seconds away from kickoff for BYU. We've got the
countdown clock at ESPN the fan Jackson. Does it surprise
you a little bit to hear this? Because last week
I remember standing there at practice watching bear Bachmeyer struggle
first day in pads, trying to get the ball out.
(02:38):
He was holding onto the ball a little bit too much.
And then we also saw McKay Hillstead drive the offense
down the field with confidence and they ended up scoring
a touchdown. As often LJ. Martin scamper to the right
side and he finished it off. But there was a
lot of confidence from one McKay Hillstead. Does it surprise
you a little bit to hear that this quarterback battle
(02:59):
is so close? Obviously a lot happens when we're not watching.
What are your thoughts on McKay and it feels like
he had the front runner going into this, but bear
Bachmeyer has a legitimate chance at winning this quarterback battle.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Yeah, totally. I think what it comes down to is,
obviously McKay Hillstead is you know a little bit more
about it. But he's also a bit of an unknown.
He hasn't played in a while, He hasn't played since
he was a true freshman at Utah State. And I
think for me, it's like, you have a true freshman
and Bear Bachmeyer, and you have a college veteran in
(03:34):
Hillstead who's played meaningful game reps and has also been
in the program for more than a year now. And
so if it's this close, with those circumstances, why not
give the edge to the freshman with the bigger frame
and maybe the higher ceiling. And so I don't think
it's an indictment on Hillstead at all. I think he's
had a good camp. Obviously, the quarterbacks have it up
(03:55):
and down, and I think that's to be expected because
Boy's defense is just so good. They'll probably be one
of the best, if not the best, maybe one of
the best two or three defenses in the Big twelve. Uh,
and so going against that unit in a quarterback battle
complicates things. But I think I don't think Hillstead's had
a bad camp. I just think the upside and the
(04:16):
potential with Bachmeer's just so tantalizing. And you know, you
see every practice, you see a flash of something and
it's like, oh, Okay, this is why he was a
four star recruit. At one point, Blachmeyer made a throw
to Carson Ryan yesterday that got posted on social media
and it was just a perfect anticipatory over the shoulder
kind of fingertip throat like it was perfect ball placement,
(04:38):
and the media all gathered together had an audible just
like whoa like as he threw that ball, like it's
just I don't know if that like, it's just when
you when you saw it in the moment, you were like, Okay,
there's this is a legit arm talent. And so I'm
I'm really interested to see how Bachmeyer handled these first
two games of the season. Obviously Portland State's and SC school.
(05:00):
BYU doesn't lose to those and then you welcome Stanford
to Provo. It's a night game in Provo. Stanford might
be one of the worst P four teams in the country,
but they're starting a six year senior quarterback. Blackmeyer is
going against his former program, and so these two games
that should probably be shocked up to. These two games
should probably be wins for BYU. But if you struggle,
(05:23):
then you have a bye week before you travel to ECU,
and if you need to make a change, you have
that extra week built in to do so. And so
I think it makes the most sense. Like, all right,
Bachmeier probably is the highest ceiling. Let's unleash him against
two cupcakesh games and then see what you have and
maybe make a decision going forward. So at this point,
(05:45):
giving him the bulk of the first team reps makes
the most sense. And I mean it's time. It's time
for BYU to get some clarity at that quarterback position
and build that chemistry.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Like we talked about, Jackson, Payne is with us from
the desert at Newstock at BYU fall came up right
here on Bryce and ba Nucci one to three, nine
and ninety eight three ESPN the Fan, Jackson, I do
want to shift.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Over to your biggest worries. We're about what eleven twelve
days through fall camp at this point in time, what's
the biggest question mark, obviously besides the quarterback position, biggest
question mark in your biggest worry for BYU heading into
this season.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
I think it would be the lines on each side
of the ball, particularly the defensive line. I don't think
I think Boy's pass rush is going to be a
lot better than last year. That's not I mean they
only had twenty sacks last year. I wrote an article
where I predicted they'd have at least twenty six, which
if you don't count the COVID year, the last time
(06:40):
that Bau's had twenty six sacks of a team was
twenty eighteen, which was Zach Wilson's freshman year and my
freshman year, so it's been a while. I just think
the interior of the defensive line. Obviously, Kean Antonovas has
a stud and is going to do some big things,
but it's not sure what the depth is like at
that position. Justin Kirkland the transfer of Oklahoma State, he
(07:00):
hasn't even practiced yet. There's some health concerns there behind Tonavasa,
like what is what is that position going to look like?
What is the depth gonna look like? And so I
think that's a legitimate reason for concern the defensive ends.
You obviously have a lot of young guys to Silia
Conna Hunter klegg E from Asciata. It's it's like my
friend Jeff Hansen's who's one of the premiere insiders for
(07:23):
BWA football. He likens it to a bunch of lottery
tickets BYU's bought all these lottery tickets at the edge position,
and with these young players and hopefully one or two
of them hit this year. So I think the defensive
line is probably my biggest concern right now, and then
the offensive line. You lost three really good stars at
(07:44):
Kaylebts and Connor pay and Brydon Kyme, so you have
to replace three guys, and I think they're at the
point this year, at least to start the season where
they're still trying to mix it match and find the
right combination of their guys. I don't think it's a
lack of talent in that room. I think they are
very talent. I think it's just trying to get the
right guys together on the field, and so who knows
(08:05):
how long that'll take. But I'm just I'm a little
bit worried about that. And then I guess, you know what.
I think the biggest thing actually over the offensive line
is running back death death because l J. Martin's had
injuries during his time, Poke Homgahs isn't going to be
on this team. Nick and Awaheny has gotten injured before,
Fiona BoA's had injury stuff. They might get Hinkley or
Potti back, but they might not. Like it's just the
(08:27):
depth that running back is very suspected. So I think
defensive line and running back are my two biggest things,
and I would love to be proven wrong. I mean, obviously,
last year we were most we were most concerned about
quarterback and Jake Retzl was serviceable. We were concerned about kicker,
and Will Farron turned into Will Farren. I just think,
you know, this is where Kalani Satake really shines. Where
he can get his guys when they have their backskins
(08:48):
to the wall and go and do great things. And
so yeah, well we'll see what happens there.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
I'm glad you brought up the running back situation because
that's where I was going. Next, I want to ask
you about the Hinkley Rapazzi situation and him just waiting
to get a waiver. We know it's some you know,
part medical, it's also part COVID year, and Aaron Roddick
has kind of talked about it, but not really giving
us a lot of insight into it. What are the
odds in your opinion of them actually getting the waiver
(09:15):
for Ropati to be able to go this season.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Roderick has said he's hopeful. I don't know what to
make of that. I'd say probably just a coin flip
at this point, because it's not only COVID and medical,
but it's also junior college eligibility, and that's been a
thing with Diego Paieva, some of these other players across
the country. I think Darius Laster and kayleb Etn we're
both expecting to come back to BYU this year because
(09:40):
they thought their JUCO year wouldn't count against them, But
then that kind of fell through and there were some
complications there, and so BYU and trying to get these
JUCO players back for more eligibility hasn't really worked out.
But I think Hinkley's case is a bit more unique
and it would be a huge help to have Hinkley Ropati.
I think I don't know if fans understand the value
(10:01):
that he's brought to the team in his time in
the program. He's a guy. When Aaron Roderick talks about him,
like when you when you listen to Aaron Rodgerick talked
about the three quarterbacks, if you kind of read through
the tea leaves, it was pretty obvious that Roderick was
gushing over Bear. You could tell that Bachmeyer was his guy,
and I think it's similar when when you hear him
talk about Ropatti, like he kind of lights up, like
(10:22):
he's a big innkly Ropatti guy. He's so good in
the passing game. He's a good blocker, he's a tough runner.
Like this is a guy that really just especially if
you have if you're breaking in a new quarterback that's
Hinkley Ropotti is a safety valve that you want. Like
I'm a Commanders fan, so I'll use an example like
Austin Eckler last year. Obviously he was great with the Chargers,
but he's not the player he once was with the Commanders,
(10:44):
but he's he's been so valuable as a safety blanket
for for Jaden Daniels, and Ropotty's kind of a similar
type player, that similar type role. And if Bachmeyer or Hillsted,
whoever starts Week one, has a Hinkley Ropatti to to
throw to, that's so massive, And so I think it's
about a coin flip probably better than that. But yeah,
like I said, having Hinkley back is so major for
(11:06):
that room. But at the same time, if you look
around the big club, there aren't a ton of premiere
running backs. If LJ. Martin can stay healthy and with
the run game that bo you kind of cooked up
last year with TJ. Woods, I really think LJ. Martin
could be like a first team All Big twelve running back.
Like he's legit. Like they're gonna have to lean on
him so much this year. Maybe do some creative two
running back sets you on and moa when he's flashed.
(11:28):
He's been really good. Like I'm encouraged by the potential
of the running backs, it's just the depth and the
injury reality that frightens me, and so Hinkley would would
go a long way to kind of ease those concerns.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
I think he definitely would. He's also looking really good.
He's a large human being and would add another body
back there that would just be a bruiser coming out
of the backfield. Let's shift over to the kicking game
he brought up Will Farren. I spoke with Will Farren
a week or two ago about how he feels this
offseason and things that he's gone through. He said that
he feels confident in kicking in good conditions from sixty
(12:01):
four and sixty five and hitting it. Do you think
Will Farron gets the opportunity to show us that he
can hit from sixty five early on.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
I hope he gets the chance to kick from seventy
like that Jaguars kicker the other day. That would be awesome.
I don't know. I think I think it depends on
the game. Like if like b Y is very aggressive
on fourth down if it's a sixty yard range, but
you could still like go for it within reason. I think, boy,
he's got to go for it. But I think if
(12:31):
they're if they're up a lot, and especially against like
a Stanford or a Portland State, and it's like, yeah,
let's let Bill run out there and do it. Like,
I don't think you can't rule it out right. I
think BYU, like after the fake punt that after the
fake field goal they ran last year at UCF where
the double snap you know, where Sam Vanderhart was snapping
through his legs and giving it to Farren. I can't
(12:54):
rule anything out with the special teams group and just
a shout out to Kelly Pepinga, like the special teams
unit at BYU has been elite since twenty twenty three.
Obviously they had the four return touchdowns last year, but
guys like Isaiah Glaster and Tanner Wall make plays on
special teams like they're just just an unbelievable improvement at
that unit. And the fact that BYU had such a
strong kind of triumvirate at with with far and at kicker,
(13:17):
Sam Vanderhara punter and then Garrison Grimes, son of Jess
at long snapper, Like that's a great that's a great thing,
And I'm really encouraged and excited to see what the
special teams do this year. But yeah, I mean, I
want to see Farren baumit from sixty sixty four, Like
let's give him the chance. Like I love going for
it on fourth down. It's fun, but you know, it
could be just as exciting to kick a field goal
(13:39):
from that far and get that record.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
That brings up a different question that we've discussed here
on this program. Jordan thinks that the field goals in
the NFL at least should be the width of the
field goals should be brought down because it's way too easy.
Seventy yard field goal too easy for these guys in
the NFL. We want to get your opinion on that.
Do you think that at least the win of the
field goal post should be brought in a little bit.
(14:02):
Maybe not at the college level, but the NFL level.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
I disagree because my kicker, Matt Gay, former UBU soccer player,
that's right, keeps missing kicks during training camp, and so
I don't want to make it any harder for him
because I need. Look, we're trying to make a Super
Bowl run this year. We got to pay Terry. We
gotta get Gay making his kicks. Like, let's not mess
with up the goal posts just yet, Let's win a
super Bowl in DC before we do that.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Shout out to back Gay. Yeah, you're right, former Utah
Valley soccer player, All right, Jackson. Final thing for you,
you more excited for BYU football or the BYU basketball season.
They've got some excitement for their season starting up early November.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
That's a tough question because obviously, on paper, it should
be basketball, because this is like the most anticipated BA
basketball season in history. The aj Devans a piece, the
playing in Madison Square Garden in Villain against Villanova Vegas,
like all these things like, but at the same time,
I know, like you can kind of tell what BYU's basketball,
(15:03):
Like a Javans is going to be in a Cooper
Flag League of of of Success, say, b Yu is
b Yu is going to have a good basketball team.
I just I don't think that's that hard to doubt.
Football interests me. It's just I really want to see
what happens at quarterback. Like this schedule is so interesting.
It's it's not a hard schedule, but there's one four
(15:25):
game stretch that could kind of make or break everything.
I I I guess I'm more excited for football just
because there's so much more unknown and I just want
the I want the certainty of how it ends out.
And obviously I'm not trying to I think basketball has
more hype around it, but at the same time, like
(15:46):
Aj Debansa is supposed to be an All America guy,
and Ritchie Saunders, we know who he is, and they
have all these young dudes and another transfers. I just
think football there's just so much more of an unknown
going in to it that if Bachmeyer hits this year
and he's the guy, you have another you have another
two years with him as your starter, where he's he's
(16:09):
legit and he's getting the job done and he can
maybe build the program around him right going into the
Rider Lions era. And so yeah, I think this year
is huge for BYU. This is I feel like BYU
has a big twelve title window and I think it's
opened for now as long as Jay Hill is here
(16:29):
because what he's doing on defense is revolutionary and helping
BYU a lot. And then if if Jay Hill ends
up leaving at some point, I think that closes until
the Rider Lions and recruiting class of twenty twenty six
era kind of gets underway. And so this year, this
year's major for that, and so I think BYU has
a big twelve championship level roster. I just think the
(16:51):
quarterback position is the biggest thing. And so I think
I'm I'm more excited for football just because of all
those factors and the intrigue, and but I'm definitely stoked
for basketball. That's gonna be a good time, all.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Right, Jackson Payne, Did they have you cover in any
high school football this upcoming football season?
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Probably not, but I'll still be around. I mean, I
love high school football, man, it's the greatest. I'll be
at some games, all right.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
Maybe we'll see you in a couple of games this
upcoming season. Jackson, thank you so much for your time
and appreciate you jumping.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
On Yeah, anytime guys see you.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
That is Jackson Payne of the Deseret News.
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