This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Has anyone else out there noticed that BYU's captains don't wear their helmets when they walk to midfield for the pregame coin toss?

I first noticed in the season opener against Arizona that Taysom Hill, Jamaal Williams, Kai Nacua and Harvey Langi went hat-less to the ceremony, while the Wildcats' captains were wearing their helmets. That trend has continued in all six games — BYU's captains without helmets, opposing teams' captains wearing helmets — this season.

Monday, I finally remembered to ask Hill about it.

"No reason," he said. "It is what we've always done. As far as I've been here, as long as I've been here, that's what we've done."

I thought it might be something new instigated by coach Kalani Sitake, but apparently not. If you know how, or why, this tradition of not wearing helmets to the coin toss began, I'd like to hear more about it. Send me an email — drew@sltrib.com.

I wrote for Tuesday's newspaper a story about how it appears that BYU is making a conscious effort to portray a more sportsmanlike, clean-playing football team than in the past. BYU players and coaches said Monday that they aren't doing it on purpose, but it is probably a function of Sitake's personalty coming out in the actions of his players.

Whatever the reason, it is refreshing.

I wasn't able to include all the comments in one article, so here are a few more as they relate to the new behavior, and the push to represent the school better than they have in the past:

Sitake on how trash talk on the field can lead to poor behavior:

"Our guys don't engage in a lot of trash talk. I think a lot of it is friendly banter. We don't want to make anything personal. So, that's just what we believe. We believe in great sportsmanship, and respecting the game, and what it is all about. This is a team game, and so the focus is all on the team and what we do as a group. I have been really proud of how they handle themselves. I can't say anything about stuff in the past, except I am grateful for the things that have been established here, and the foundation that Bronco Mendenhall set here. We are going to keep building on that and that is what we believe as a program, and what I believe as a head coach."

Sitake on BYU presenting flowers to the families of fallen MSU players and whose idea it was, and why:

"There are a bunch of guys on our staff that are always thinking about things we can do as a team. We try to represent more than just football, as a program. We have a lot of guys involved and looking into things we can do to make the world a better place with the role that we have as a competitor on the football field. We had a bunch of guys in the administration and our coaching staff that brought it up. I think Chad Lewis was one and we had a lot of guys discussing what we could do to honor them, and they actually gave us a choice to come out for the national anthem, and also the moment of silence, and we gladly accepted. We thought it would be good for us to support them, and their loss, and give our condolences.

We were able to compete and have a great game, but there is more to life than just football. And sometimes, we lose sight of that. This was one moment where our players can understand that and be part of the whole process of honoring others and showing people that we care."

Taysom Hill on the presentation of flowers to Michigan State:

"I think the flowers and stuff, I think we all realize this is just a game, and there is more to life than just football. And so, us doing that was trying to show a deep sense of loss for the Michigan State program. And we certainly realize that and wouldn't wish that upon anybody. It is just a football game, but if we can use football as a means to show recognition to a program like that, we are going to do that."

Sitake on what BYU football legacy and what it means to him:

"For me, it is a little bit different, because it has been in my life for so long. I can't imagine what my life would be without BYU, being a BYU fan, a player, a former student, now a coach. I know that some of the things that we represent as a school and as a program. I had a chance to be around LaVell Edwards and see the things he did outside of football.

We have the opportunity to do some things, and have the opportunity to serve others, and that's a great position for us to be in, and we are going to take advantage of all that. Not everybody has to. But it is a different thing for a head coach to say there is more to life than football, because my job and my livelihood depends on that.

But I really believe if you are grounded in other things besides football, you will be successful, and if we can build success off the field and in the class room and in our social lives, I think it will carry over to the football field."

Offensive lineman Tuni Kanuch on whether they've made conscious changes to dispel misconceptions about BYU football:

"Not really. I think there are guys that we have that already do that. Sometimes I help people us, sometimes I don't. It is not that I hate them or not. It is just that I am not really worried about them. I am worried about the plays and that was just a game [vs. Memphis] where it was high intensity, a lot of stuff was going on, both teams were getting chippy and angry. Stuff happens on the field, that's just what happens."

Defensive lineman Sae Tautu on representing BYU football the right way:

"I love it here. BYU football is a special place to me, because it is where I discovered who I am, as a player and as a person. A lot of my childhood idols came here. Itula Mili is my uncle so I looked up to him and idolized him. So it is cool to see homecoming and see a lot of legends come back and see them around the locker room. It is cool to have a coaching staff — it will be a little bit different this year because they are already here. But it is a fun week. But we have to stay focused on the task. Through all the fun we got to make sure we still play great football."