Kalani Sitake talks Troy Warner injury, Francis Bernard team status, and more in weekly press conference

When it rains, it pours? BYU Football Coach Kalani Sitake spoke to media Monday, and in what has come to be kind of the norm, the tone was pretty bleak. As per usual, Sitake put all the blame for Saturday’s 33-17 loss to East Carolina on himself. “I take it to heart,” he said on the team’s 1-7 record.

According to Jay Drew, aggressiveness in all three phases of the game was a theme of the visit with media as well. Sitake says BYU Football has been “too conservative.”

"If we are going to go down, I am going to be swinging, and that's our mindset right now, going into this week,” he said.

Of course, Sitake was asked about Francis Bernard (around the 7:25 mark in the video below), following Bernard’s weekend arrest. Sitake said that Bernard requested a release from the team “weeks ago” and was granted it — to any school. Sitake also shared that safety Marvin Hifo, who was reportedly a passenger during Bernard’s DUI incident, withdrew from school and “left the team” after suffering an injury.

As per usual, no details were released on injuries, but when Sitake was asked about Troy Warner he bore some very bad news: Warner is “unlikely” to return to the field this season, he said (around the 5 min. mark in the video below). Warner went down with a foot injury in the first half against East Carolina and returned later in the game wearing street clothes, on crutches, and in a boot.

When asked about cornerback depth in the weekly edition of “Coordinator’s Corner” with Greg Wrubell, Defensive Coordinator Ilaisa Tuiaki said that Chris Wilcox will be the next man up, and that depth at the position is definitely lacking and a concern.

Mitch Harper reported during Saturday’s game that 35 BYU Football players are now injured.

Here’s to hoping for a press conference with a merrier tune next week, following San Jose State at home.

Full press session below: