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October 15, 2025 • 12 mins
Ben Criddle talks BYU sports every weekday from 2 to 6 pm.

Today's Co-Hosts: Ben Criddle (@criddlebenjamin)

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Episode Transcript

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Speaker 1 (00:00):
To know the Cougars student athletes get a player profile
segments here on one O three nine at ninety eight
three ESPN, the.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
Fan Welcome back to Cougar Sports here one of three
nine and ninety eight three ESB and the Fans Bromo,
the three Man Weaver Brett always bringing the hammer by
my side, Nick Cramp on the data aggregation. Gonna get
into a little player profile segment. Like I said in
the last segment, just finished up with my interview regarding
Parker Kingston and the BYU Roberies. Fans call it the

(00:30):
Holy War. If you missed that interview, it's gonna be
on the podcast. You can download it on iTunes, Speaker, iHeartRadio.
Spotify has always give us a rating, give us a review.
Relyve from our Bandwelth Studios Banderwealth All He has it
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Speaker 3 (00:46):
It's tax season Q four.

Speaker 2 (00:48):
If you're a credited investor and you're looking to save
money on your taxes, let Blaine Anderson Industry help you today.
Go online to Banderwealth, Banderwealth dot com. Okay, being caught
up with the BYU offensive line. I'm in Austin Leusa,
who's been playing over there at that guard position. He's
been doing a phenomenal job. Is bou offensive line? Did
they play their best game of the season against Arizona?

(01:09):
Hottest t J Woods got these guys whipped into shape?
Where Austin's thoughts. We'll get to that here momentarily, but
the segment gonna be brought to you by Utah Protective Films.
You're looking for a rap ten or a crome delete
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(01:29):
off any service. That's right, any service guy, So call
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Protective Films dot com. Okay, let's get into it. Ben
Critle's interview yesterday with BYU offensive lineman Austin Leusa.

Speaker 1 (01:49):
All right, we got number fifty five Austin LEUSA BYU
offensive line in Austin. Great win down to Tucson, a
tough one with a scom delay. What was that experience
like for you head down to Arizona getting that dup?

Speaker 4 (02:02):
Yeah, it was definitely a good one. It was a
great team win. You know, I think we did the
little things right. You know, we had some adversity, and
our coaches knew that we were gonna have some addiversity
in every other game, just like every other game. But
you know, we handled it well. We were able to
bounce back and eventually it came up with a bet.

Speaker 3 (02:18):
So how did the.

Speaker 1 (02:20):
Storm maybe impact you the offensive line? What did you
guys do when you guys entered into the locker room?
How did you stay right? And was there a little
bit of a lag when you came back onto the
field at all?

Speaker 3 (02:29):
Yeah? No, I don't I don't think there was any
bit of a lag.

Speaker 4 (02:32):
I know it may seem like it because you know,
they you know, they scored a little bit more than
they should have. But throughout the whole time, our our
strength coaches and our coaches were telling us just to relax,
just to keep our mind sharp, you know, don't do
anything crazy.

Speaker 3 (02:42):
You only need to get all hyped up. We just
need to stay and.

Speaker 4 (02:44):
Do our want to live in football even when we're
not even.

Speaker 3 (02:46):
In the game.

Speaker 4 (02:47):
And you know that at that time, it was just
relaxing and and just doing with our coach and our strengths,
our strength staff wanted.

Speaker 1 (02:52):
Us to do. When I was evacuating the film, the
offensive line was dominant, right, and you're a big part
of that. You know, you guys are the no namers.
No one's talking about the offensive line. Every talking about
Bear and LJ. And that's how it was supposed to be.
But how did you guys grade out in the offensive
line room this week?

Speaker 3 (03:09):
I think we all graded up pretty well.

Speaker 4 (03:10):
Coach Woods, you know, he's he's tough on us with
the grades, but he's he's very respectable with him, but
he's also very honest as well. And so I think,
you know, collectively, as a group, we did very well.
I mean, we rushed for like two hundred.

Speaker 3 (03:21):
And sixty yards.

Speaker 4 (03:22):
I think LJ had his career high in rushing yards
and then Bear almost had a hund yards as well.

Speaker 3 (03:26):
So I think that just goes.

Speaker 4 (03:27):
To show how, you know, collectively, we worked together well.

Speaker 1 (03:32):
It looked like also there could have been a record
set for knockdowns? Was there a record set this week?

Speaker 3 (03:37):
I don't it was it close? It was close. I
don't know.

Speaker 4 (03:40):
You know, Bruce and Kyle have set the standard pretty
high for us this year, but I don't think.

Speaker 3 (03:45):
I don't think we got the record yet.

Speaker 1 (03:47):
So who ended up getting the knockdown Pancake giver of
the week?

Speaker 3 (03:51):
Oh man? This player of the game, Kyle Sapart chok Man.

Speaker 1 (03:53):
Kyle.

Speaker 4 (03:54):
He had the game winning fumble recovery and then he
had a game winning block in double overtime.

Speaker 1 (03:58):
What stands out to you about this group? What do
you like about the individual play of these guys? Let's
highlight your teammates along that offensive.

Speaker 3 (04:05):
I think we're all just we're versatile.

Speaker 4 (04:07):
We all we can play any position that Coach Woods
wants us to play. But we play as a unit,
you know, no matter who's in You know, we see
we rotate at guard, we can rotate at tackle too,
So I think that just goes to show that, you know,
the coaches have a lot of trust in us, but we.

Speaker 3 (04:20):
Have to have a lot of trust and belief in
ourselves as well.

Speaker 1 (04:23):
What's the culture, Like in that room, what is TJ
maybe foundationally set forth as this is our culture, this
is the expectation.

Speaker 3 (04:30):
How would you describe it?

Speaker 4 (04:31):
Yeah, So I think Coach Woods he puts a big
emphasis on a saying called He says it all the time.
He says the environment changes, we don't. And so I think,
you know, we we take that approach every day. You know,
we're gonna do our one eleven, We're gonna go into
practice saying when we do every other day. You know,
just because it's a new team, that doesn't mean we're
gonna change anything. We're gonna just put our head down
and work hard. So that's that's what the big emphasis

(04:53):
he puts on us.

Speaker 3 (04:54):
Each week.

Speaker 1 (04:54):
Do you guys go out at a player the game
for the most knockdowns or is it the highest graded?
Like how do you guys decide who's the player of
the game along the offensive line?

Speaker 4 (05:03):
I think the Gas have something that they do. To
be honest, it's not real specific. They kind of just
let us know who's an algorithm. Yeah, it's like whatever
they choose that week.

Speaker 1 (05:11):
So, okay, what do you like about maybe the individual players?
Like what stands out to you about the style of
Andrew and Isaiah and Waylon and Bruce and Kyle.

Speaker 3 (05:23):
Et cetera.

Speaker 4 (05:23):
I think we're all just super athletic, Like we're able to,
you know, stretch the field when our coach wants is too.
We're able to get in there and drive blocks. We're
able to sustain them, and we're great in the past
game when it comes to twist, we're able to pick
them up as well.

Speaker 3 (05:36):
And so I think just us being so versatile.

Speaker 4 (05:38):
But you know, we're five is one essentially, and you know,
that's that's how we that's how we play.

Speaker 1 (05:43):
This is maybe your toughest opponent, toughest defensive front you
faced all season long. You have a lot of experience
right in college football and including last year in the
Big Twelve. What stands out to get that U taught
defense in front of what challenges do they post?

Speaker 4 (05:59):
There always going to have a stout D line, They're
always gonna have a stout D line and some backers
that can play football. And I think they're very similar
to our defense in many ways. I think the best
defense that we play every each week is our own defense,
and I think this defense is right behind them. But
they have great players, great coaches, and they're gonna give
us their best.

Speaker 1 (06:20):
What about BYU's defense is preparing you for this Utah defense?

Speaker 5 (06:25):
Like?

Speaker 3 (06:25):
What is so.

Speaker 1 (06:26):
Special about the VYU defensive front that is maybe been
a refining fire for you this season and even last season.

Speaker 3 (06:33):
Yeah, I think the specialness of our defense.

Speaker 4 (06:35):
Is how able they were to quick up, how quickly they're.

Speaker 3 (06:39):
Able to pick up Jay Hill's schemes, you know, schematically.

Speaker 4 (06:42):
Jay Hill throws a lot at them, and then they're
able to be sponges and do everything they need to
do to eventually put out good game film on Saturdays.

Speaker 1 (06:49):
So why do you like blocking for LJ and Bear?

Speaker 3 (06:53):
Specifically?

Speaker 1 (06:53):
When you go back and watch tape, obviously what's happening
behind you, you don't always get to see it, right, you know,
I've turned around and watching, Like when you go back
and watch them, Like, what do you like about how
they run?

Speaker 3 (07:02):
And he plays run hard man?

Speaker 4 (07:04):
Their ballplayers, their dogs, They love to get into the fight.

Speaker 3 (07:07):
They're not they don't shy away from contact.

Speaker 4 (07:09):
I think Bears like he's getting hit and he's getting
up talking crap. He's just you know, and that makes
an old lineman want to play for him. You know,
LJ is kind of the more quiet one. He kind
of just you know, just runs people over and then
just smiles or whatever. You know, people just bounce off
in but just you know, watching those guys run, watching
them play hard for not only us, but the fans
are families, you know, it makes you want to play
for them.

Speaker 1 (07:28):
How often when you're just ski what was that when
when you talk about protection and audibles and things that
nature at the line of scrimmage? How often is that,
you know, bear, how often is it the offensive line
making those calls? How often it is maybe LJ making

(07:50):
those calls?

Speaker 3 (07:51):
Man, I don't, honestly don't even know. I don't.

Speaker 4 (07:54):
I think I think that all just depends on what
we're trying to do for that specific week.

Speaker 3 (08:00):
Essentially, I don't. I'm just doing what I'm talking to,
be honest.

Speaker 1 (08:05):
What is stood out to you about the offensive performance
thus far this year through through six games. What have
you really liked about how the offenses is performing?

Speaker 4 (08:14):
I think, uh, I really love how we're leaning on
the O line a lot more this year. We're running
the rock a lot more, which opens up the pass
game down the field.

Speaker 3 (08:23):
And so I mean it goes to show.

Speaker 4 (08:25):
I think Elja has almost six hundred and fifty yards
or something like that.

Speaker 3 (08:29):
I mean, just got that award, I think last week.

Speaker 4 (08:31):
And so I think we're just they're just able to
trust us a little more and they're they're just they're
just depending on us a little bit more too.

Speaker 1 (08:38):
How can we get more eyes on the trench warfare?

Speaker 3 (08:40):
You know what I mean?

Speaker 1 (08:41):
Do we need to have kind of like an outreach
where the offensive line goes down?

Speaker 4 (08:44):
Mike up my wife or something because she's she comes
home to me every LEEKU.

Speaker 3 (08:47):
Why aren't you guys getting a highlighted?

Speaker 4 (08:48):
And I'm black man, It's just how it always is,
you know, the big the big uglies. You know, they
don't they don't get a lot of shows. So and
that's fine with us. You know, we work in the shadows.
We're okay with that.

Speaker 3 (08:57):
We'll give all the praise and glory to everyone else.
We're good with that.

Speaker 1 (09:01):
What's like your favorite play call? You don't have to
get the name of it, but what's typically like your
assignment and what are you doing like where you just
get like stoked about It's like, hey, is it like
a combos like a power is a lead? What is it?

Speaker 3 (09:12):
I just left pulling like so pulling.

Speaker 4 (09:15):
Yeah, when I when I'm able to pull and you know,
hit the edge.

Speaker 3 (09:18):
On a d M who's not expecting yet. I think
it's fun. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (09:22):
One last thing, Logan ended up taking out a pulling
guard of the opposition last week. I don't know if
you saw that, Logan, Oh Logan, Yeah, yeah, yeah. Is
he a tough guy to get off that setting when
he's trying to set that edge, that's a brick.

Speaker 3 (09:36):
Wall right there.

Speaker 4 (09:37):
And then you know, mean me and him call each
other senior citizens on the team. Man, we're both twenty six,
we're old, and so you know, when you when you
have some experience like he does mine, it's like running
into a wall.

Speaker 3 (09:48):
So shout out to Logan.

Speaker 1 (09:49):
I think he may still be leading the team in
tackles right now even after that game. Yeah, Austin said,
Ladies and gentlemen, message Tokugarnation, watch it to come out
to Lavelle this weekend.

Speaker 3 (09:59):
Kugarnate.

Speaker 4 (10:00):
This is probably gonna be one of the biggest games
of the year, probably the most anticipated game of the
year for us and probably for them as well.

Speaker 3 (10:06):
But we're gonna need every single one of you.

Speaker 4 (10:08):
We're gonna, you know, we're gonna show love and appreciate
you for you guys, and we're gonna get the.

Speaker 3 (10:11):
Dub love it.

Speaker 1 (10:12):
What are you studying really quick? What are you getting
into after football? Actually, I know you probably want to
play in the NFL. That's awesome, But yeah, outside of football,
what are you looking to do?

Speaker 3 (10:20):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (10:21):
So I'm actually getting my degree right now in sociology,
So I'll finish up that this December, and then me
and my wife have dabbed a little bit in in
real estate and then hopefully, you know, up until the
real estates start taking off for us, I'll probably be
a firefighter, probably working like life insurance or something with sales,
medical sales, just doing stuff like that.

Speaker 3 (10:40):
Just talking to people. Love it, sweet show. Thanks so much, Brett.

Speaker 2 (10:44):
Do you feel like BYU had their best game of
the season against Arizona?

Speaker 3 (10:49):
Yay or nay?

Speaker 5 (10:49):
Why or why not? One hundred percent? I feel like
they had their best game of the season. There were
so many things that worked against them. I think we
can all agree that Arizona to this point in the season,
was the best game, best team that they've played.

Speaker 3 (11:02):
This season.

Speaker 5 (11:03):
It was also the most rushing yards that they've had
in the game since Portland State. And while we love
that performance, I don't know that we're necessarily that. In
terms of the best performances this season, Arizona the fourth.
They've given up the fourth most yards in terms of
rushing the football, fourth least, sorry, fourth least yards in

(11:24):
terms of rushing the football. So this is a very
good Arizona football team. There was a lot of things
working against this team. They dug themselves out of holes.
The offensive line was a massive part of every single
thing they had to do to win this ball game.

Speaker 2 (11:38):
They're not going to get the credit, but they deserve it.
They definitely deserve it. They passed the test last week.
The entire offense did, specifically the boys up front. LJ
had his best game of his career, career performance carrying
the ball in to the ball as well, no doubt.
But this Saturday, biggest tests are going to face off season,
especially with the rivalry game.

Speaker 3 (11:56):
Will they pass it.

Speaker 2 (11:57):
We'll find out Saturday, six pm, Mountain Daylight Time on Fox.
But that player profile segment was brought to you by
Utah Protective Films. If you're looking for a rap ten
or chrome delete for your vehicle. Get up our guy,
Jared Bledsoe, the former BYUI receiver, not only helps the
BU football players and basketball players deck out the Riots,
he can help you deck out yours as well.

Speaker 3 (12:17):
We mentionedmin Kurtle or ESPN.

Speaker 2 (12:19):
He'll get fifty percent off any service, so give them
a call today eight zero one, eight hundred and nine
to seven. Schedule your appointment today a Utah Protective Films
dot com.

Speaker 3 (12:27):
We'll go to break.

Speaker 2 (12:28):
Let's get it to the fourth hour interview portion of
Cougar Sports right here on one O three nine and
now both ball and p
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