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BYU Defensive Coordinator Jay Hill Sends Blunt Message to Players in New NIL Era

Hill is helping to change the culture with the Cougars building strength in Big 12

BYU football hosted its Media Day golf tournament at Cedar Hills Golf Club on Monday. The mix of current BYU players and coaches, former BYU players, and other members of the BYU community came together right before the Cougars pulled in the program's top recruit, five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons.

The BYU coach who will get the best read on the phenom signal-caller in two years is Jay Hill. The Cougars defensive coordinator took time out of his busy schedule to talk about the offseason with ESPN the Fan in Salt Lake City. He was asked an array of questions, including his set up going into fall camp. With the new era of college athletics, some players have come to the table wanting opportunities handed to them. However, Hill doesn't subscribe to that type of thought process when it comes to his defensive scheme.

"We had guys come to me saying, 'Coach, I need to know I’m the starter.' And I said, 'Be the starter. Earn it,'" Hill said. "I’m not guaranteeing anything. That’s not fair to the 105 other guys fighting for that spot. If you want to be built for the NFL, you can’t expect guarantees. If you can’t beat out the guys at BYU, how are you going to make it in the NFL?"

When head coach Kalani Sitake hired Hill away from Weber State, everybody knew the level of expectations and it hadn't changed in Provo. As the Cougars moved over to the Big 12, the strength between the two coaches grew and they now know they're building a better program from the inside out. It's the NFL model with a college touch of consistency. While some players want a guarantee, Hill wants talented playmakers who will work at being the 'next man up'.

"Last year, the sum was greater than the individual parts," Hill admitted. "That’s a great defense. We had smart guys doing their jobs and trusting each other. I thought we played very good defense. Recruiting is getting better each year. The Big 12 helps. Our depth is stronger. Yeah, we lost some key guys—Batty, Blake Mangelson, John Nelson, Jakob Robinson—but I don’t think enough people understand how good they were. Still, we’re just scratching the surface of what BYU can be talent-wise."