BYU defensive coordinator and associate head coach Jay Hill was hospitalized Thursday night after complaining of chest pain and discomfort. He underwent two surgeries to clear a 100 percent blockage in one artery and a 60 percent blockage in the other, his father told the Deseret News Saturday morning.

Ferrell Hill said his son wants to coach from the press box Saturday night when BYU hosts Southern Illinois in the 2024 season opener. As of 10 a.m., it was not yet known whether that would be possible.

BYU has since announced that head coach Kalani Sitake will assume defensive coordinator responsibilities for Saturday night’s game, and Jay Hill said on social media that he would be praying for BYU’s players and would hate for “anything to take away the excitement of this game.”

Jay Hill also noted that he has been released from the hospital and is “feeling much better.”

BYU officials were contacted late Friday night but did not respond to text messages after news of Jay Hill’s situation surfaced on social media.

Ferrell Hill said the BYU football team was notified of Jay Hill’s condition Friday night at the team hotel.

Jay Hill turned 49 on March 16. He has been at BYU since December 2022, after previously serving as head coach at Weber State.

Ferrell Hill said his son started experiencing symptoms after practice Thursday and was taken to Timpanogos Regional Hospital in Orem by his wife, Sara.

Doctors immediately discovered the blockage in an artery after performing an angiogram and placed a stent – ​​a small metal tube – in that artery.

“We checked in on him on Friday,” Ferrell Hill said. “He’s doing really well as far as that first procedure. I think he’ll be back to 100 percent and back to normal in a couple of days.”

After surgery Saturday morning on the artery that was 60 percent blocked, Ferrell Hill said the coach still wanted to be at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday night for the 6 p.m. start of the game.

“What they’re trying to do now is stabilize him enough so he can be in the box tonight for the game,” Ferrell Hill said.

This story may be updated.