BYU’s football program took another step toward being ready to join the Big 12 Conference on Monday, creating more positions on its football support staff and promoting three current staff members to new roles.
And there could be more, head coach Kalani Sitake said on BYUtv’s “BYU Sports Nation” television show Monday morning.
“It is what everybody else is doing,” Sitake said. “The main thing is to give our players the best experience we possibly can give them. … I am looking forward to making more hires.”
Heading into his seventh season at the helm, Sitake did not elaborate on what roles those hoped-for new hires will have. When the coach signed a new and “unprecedented” contract last fall, he and BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe said assistant coaches would receive raises and more people would be added to the support staff.
“I appreciate Tom Holmoe, President (Kevin) Worthen and the administration for their continued support in strengthening our program as we prepare for the upcoming 2022 season and future membership in the Big 12 Conference.” — BYU football coach Kalani Sitake
Monday’s announcement fulfills that promise, Sitake said.
“I appreciate Tom Holmoe, President (Kevin) Worthen and the administration for their continued support in strengthening our program as we prepare for the upcoming 2022 season and future membership in the Big 12 Conference,” Sitake said in a school news release. “The focus of our program will always be the development and support of the great young men on our team through our culture of love and learning.
“Our support staff plays a crucial role in helping our players and our coaches continue to grow, achieve and be successful, on and off the field. I am excited about the talents and passions each of these individuals will contribute to BYU football in these roles, and I’m confident they will have an impact in the lives of the young men in our program,” Sitake continued.
Jon Swift, who has been Sitake’s director of football operations the past four seasons, is the newly appointed chief of staff.
Billy Nixon, who has been director of player experience and equipment operations, will succeed Swift as director of football operations.
Jack Damuni, who has been the on-campus recruiting and community/player relations coordinator, is the new director of football relations.
Sitake also announced the additions of Justin Anderson as director of player personnel, Mike Hall as director of player development, Brandon Bradley as director of campus experience and Josh Hewitt as the director of equipment operations for football.
Meanwhile, Dan Wilcox, who has been providing nutrition services for the team, has been hired as the director of football sports performance nutrition.
Anderson played receiver for BYU from 2000 to 2002, while Bradley was a defensive back for the Cougars from 2007 to 2010. Hall starred for BYU’s men’s basketball team as a shooting guard from 2003 to 2005.
Anderson was Virginia’s director of player personnel the past six seasons and had been hired for the same position at East Carolina before accepting the position with BYU.
Bradley has most recently been an academic adviser in the BYU Student-Athlete Life and Learning Center and the BYU extramural sports program manager.
Hall joins the football staff with 17 years of combined experience as a professional athlete and an administrator in both athletics and at the university, including working in the BYU Student Life Department as an honor code administrator, BYU Student-Athlete Life and Learning Center as an academic adviser, and with the BYU men’s basketball program as the director of operations.
Hewitt has eight years of experience in equipment operations at UNLV, Fresno State and Central Arkansas. Wilcox has been providing nutritionist services to the BYU football program and other BYU teams as part of Elite Nutrition & Fitness Coaching, which he started in 2012.