How will Kalani Sitake’s new staff changes impact the program?

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Making good on a promise to prepare BYU football for the Big 12 Conference, Kalani Sitake did some hiring, shuffling and elevating on his staff this week. The moves brought some new faces to engage with players, equipment, nutrition and academics. These promises were part of the chatter circulating around the program when BYU extended Sitake’s contract at the first of the season. Here is Jay Drew’s account of the names and titles announced on Monday.

Cougar Insiders predictions

Question of the week: What — if any — impact will the new additions to Kalani Sitake’s BYU football staff bring to the program on and off the field?

Jay Drew: The five new hires, and three promotions, that BYU announced Monday for its football program should eventually pay big dividends. But fans who think the results will be instantaneous could be sorely mistaken.

Eventually, the product will be better on the field. But to make that happen, BYU has to get better players. Recruiting has to improve. That’s no secret. Everyone in the program, from head coach Kalani Sitake to the student managers and trainers, knows that.

As Sitake said Monday, the ultimate goal is to make players’ experiences better, so much better that word will get out and BYU will become a player for big-time recruits within a couple of years.

With more boots on the ground searching for and identifying the right recruits, results should start to come as early as June, when on-campus football camps are held and a lot of the heavy lifting in recruiting is done. Sitake and company appear to be on the right path, and as the coach repeated Monday, there’s more to come.

Dick Harmon: The new hires are long overdue and BYU still has a ways to go in filling administrative spots to compete with Power Five schools but this is a great start. The thing about these staff auditions and respective roles is twofold. It expands the reach Sitake has to players and their personal needs, and second, it builds some loyalty to some experienced staffers who see themselves moving up the ladder, getting more money and investing in the program.

I know most of these staffers, some I’ve watched grow as players and businessmen and coaches. They know their profession and one key element in all of them is they love players. It will pay dividends. The infinity and knowledge they have of the program is valuable. I think there will be more, there has to be if BYU wants to compete in the Big 12 and have the resources in bodily form to get the job done.

Cougar tales

BYU’s women’s medley relay dominated the race at the Penn Relays this past week. It was a historic performance. Read more about this feat in this piece by Doug Robinson. 

In golf, BYU’s men finished second to defending national champion Pepperdine in the WCC championships in Henderson, Nevada, last week. Cole Ponich finished T4 as BYU’s team carded a 12-under par final round to secure second place. Carson Lundell was named All-WCC for the third straight year.

In the NFL draft, Tyler Allgeier was the only Cougar taken after Atlanta plucked him from the board in the fifth round. Other Cougars signed free agent contracts.

From the archives

From the Twitterverse

Extra points

• Kalani sees BYU as P5 operation now (KSLSports.com)
• BYU women repeat as national champs (KSLSports.com)
• Line between college and pros grows thin (Deseret News)
• Two walk-ons drafted in two drafts (Deseret News)

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