Charles Darwin, Alfred Wallace and Kalani Sitake are three names you might not expect to see in the same sentence, but when it comes to their respective theories of evolution, they are on the same page.
The idea of natural selection, propagated by Darwin and Wallace and hotly debated since 1859, tackles controversial concepts of human development and survival. Sitake’s theory has more to do with winning football games, but the blueprint is similar.
Imagine if Darwin and Wallace coached in the Big 12. Their plan for success would be to recruit players with skills capable of not only matching the level of competition, but to exceed it — year after year. The better the players, the better the results — and as a result, the easier it would become to recruit even better players and garner deeper booster support, which are critical for a program to thrive and for a coach to survive.
The idiom “easier said than done” is understood to be 376 years older than Darwin’s and Wallace’s published theories — and easier to prove. In this college football season alone, head coaches at Penn State, LSU, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Stanford, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, UCLA, Michigan State, Cal and Virginia Tech, who didn’t measure up to expectations, were fired.
In their own efforts to regroup, reboot and rebound, the Nittany Lions came hard after BYU’s Sitake — and they nearly got him. Producing a 22-4 record over two seasons and fostering a culture of “love and learning” that resonates with many young athletes, Sitake has the Cougars in position to not only survive in today’s environment, but to thrive.
While the world’s deep thinkers rejoice or wallow over Wallace’s and Darwin’s ideas, Sitake’s “Theory of Evolution” for BYU is as clear as day — or night, where his teams have become nearly unbeatable.
Independence
When BYU’s athletic leaders, Tom Holmoe and Brian Santiago, hired Sitake on Dec. 19, 2015, Cougar football was already waist-deep in independence and playing without any indication that things were going to change.
Void of any protection that comes from league membership, scheduling was difficult, good bowl games were scarce and all of that weighed heavily on recruiting. The Cougars did attract some stars during independence like Fred Warner, Kyle Van Noy, Taysom Hill and Jamaal Williams, just not enough of them to stay on the national stage.
Sitake’s rollercoaster ride peaked at 9-4 in his debut season, but it slipped to 4-9 the following year and after a pair of 7-6 seasons, the Cougars entered 2020 in a mad scramble to remain relevant.
Then a pandemic hit.
With COVID-19 sidelining football programs left and right, BYU decided to carefully play through it. With ESPN starving for games, the network made the Cougars a weekly resident and Sitake’s boys, led by Zach Wilson and Tyler Allgeier, made the most of it.
BYU went 11-1 and peaked at No. 8 in the polls. With three days of notice, they also agreed to play at Coastal Carolina to boost their postseason résumé. The Cougars lost the game, but they won in other areas — including national perception — and the Big 12 took notice.
Needing replacements for Texas and Oklahoma, the conference called on Sept. 10, 2021, and invited BYU to join them at the Power Five level. Independence was ending and a new future was on its way. The Cougars were so pumped, they went out the next day and pounded rival Utah for the first time in over a decade.
Big 12: Year 1
Having done all it could do as an independent, BYU entered Big 12 play feeling confident in what they had on the roster, but the nine-game slate would soon reveal what they lacked.
After an impressive 5-2 start, injuries began to show up and the wear and tear of big boy football exposed BYU’s limited depth. The season ended with five consecutive defeats. It became quite clear to Sitake and first-year defensive coordinator Jay Hill that the Cougars had to evolve to survive in this new environment. They needed to get bigger, stronger, faster and deeper.
Big 12: Year 2
The determined Cougars charged into the 2024 season and stunned the pundits by playing into a four-way tie for first place with a 10-2 record. BYU missed out on the Big 12 championship game due to a tie-breaking scenario. The Cougars finished the season with a dominating 36-14 victory against No. 23 Colorado in the Alamo Bowl.
BYU’s No. 13 ranking in the final AP Top 25 contrasted with the preseason Big 12 poll, which picked them No. 13 in the conference. Success on the field carried over to recruiting, where Sitake’s No. 38-ranked class (per 247Sports) was his best to date.
Big 12: Year 3
Back for more in 2025 but having lost starting quarterback Jake Retzlaff to the transfer portal, the Cougars committed to go with a true freshman quarterback for the first time in program history. However, with players around Bear Bachmeier now bigger, stronger, faster and with more of them, BYU was ready to take another step forward.
The under-hyped and unranked Cougars climbed the polls as steadily as they moved up the Big 12 standings. After BYU’s 41-27 victory at Iowa State on Oct. 25, the first College Football Playoff rankings positioned them at No. 7.
BYU reached their first Big 12 title game last Saturday at 11-1 before suffering their second defeat of the season — both against No. 4 Texas Tech. Prior to the game, Sitake signed a long-term contract extension and completed the highest-rated recruiting class in program history (No. 19, per 247Sports).
The loss in Arlington cost the Cougars an automatic invite into the playoff. The final CFP poll ranked them just outside the field at No. 12. BYU will complete the season against No. 22 Georgia Tech on Dec. 27 in the Pop Tarts Bowl (1:30 p.m., ABC).
Big 12: Future
Not only did BYU get a good taste of playing in a championship game, but they also saw from Texas Tech what it takes to win the game. The Cougars are on their way, but they haven’t arrived.
In three short seasons, Sitake’s “Theory of Evolution” went from concept to construction — and it’s working. BYU is bigger, stronger, faster and deeper. They leaped from newcomer status at 5-7 in year one to brandishing contender credentials at 22-4 over years two and three — surpassing other Big 12 programs that had lengthy head starts.
What matters now is what happens next. Everybody is trying to win. With programs changing coaches and players changing programs, along with NIL and television demands, the college football landscape has never been so volatile.
Darwin and Wallace would call it “survival of the fittest.” Sitake takes a different approach. While off the field, support is sustaining, the evolution of BYU’s program is anchored in his ideology of “love and learn” while playing as hard as you can.
“There is a deep culture here and it’s embedded with the principles of the gospel and following our Savior, Jesus Christ. What better example than him?” Sitake told BYUtv. “It’s weird playing a game that is violent and physical and trying to be the best disciple of Christ while doing it. I ask the guys to play with great sportsmanship and being humble if we win.”
Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com.