This article was first published in the Cougar Insiders newsletter Tuesday. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox each week.
BYU football is finishing its traveling fanfest show in California. Head coach Kalani Sitake had his Kalani Classic at Timpanogos Golf Course on Tuesday in Provo as his staff completes recruiting visits, making offers and preparing for summer camps where many prized recruits will come to Provo in June.
In other words, the ball is rolling, even without formal practices and games in the offseason.
There are 10 college football programs in the country that finished ranked in the last back-to-back seasons, and BYU is the only one from the Big 12. These teams are Alabama, BYU, Georgia, Indiana, Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Oregon and Texas.
These, along with Texas Tech’s run last year, are the trendsetters in the game heading into the 2026 season.
Question of the week
In the last redo contract cycle, Kalani Sitake used an offer from Penn State to get more resources to pay his assistant coaches and staff. In what ways have you seen that pay off in recent months and how could it help the rest of this season?
Jay Drew: I wrote after BYU officials rewarded head football coach Kalani Sitake with a new contract in 2021 that the signing was a signal that the school was “ready to play ball with the big boys,” and that proved to be true last December when newly minted athletic director Brian Santiago managed to keep Sitake away from Penn State in that well-publicized chase.
Sitake told me back in December that Penn State’s offer was real, significant and enticing, but in the end his loyalty to BYU held sway. That, and the fact that BYU officials were giving him more resources to pay assistant coaches and support staffers.
Of course, Sitake and BYU weren’t able to keep Jay Hill and Jernaro Gilford away from Michigan and Kyle Whittingham, but I’ve been told that had more to do with those coaches wanting to expand their horizons than it had to do with money.
Hill wants to be a head coach again, and this was his best route on the path.
By all indications, those resources that Sitake was promised last December are paying dividends this spring, and promise to do so this fall. Players have raved about incoming coaches Lewis Walker and Demario Warren, and BYU keeping offensive line coach TJ Woods was significant as well.
Also, BYU hit it big in the transfer portal — another place where additional resources pay off — with the additions of Cal linebacker Cade Uluave, USC tight end Walker Lyons and Oregon’s Kyler Kasper and Roger Saleapaga, among others.
Dick Harmon: Once Mark Pope left and BYU hired Kevin Young and gave him a sweet offer, then renegotiated it and agreed to give him a huge staff, I can imagine the football guys across campus feeling they needed some kind of boost to accomplish what they wanted in the Big 12. Unlike Bronco Mendenhall, who got turned down on many requests, Kalani Sitake’s dance with Penn State ended up bringing to fruition many resources long overdue for football to compete.
The result before this last Sitake re-contract deal was 11- and 12-win seasons, two straight bowl wins, top-10 rankings and seasons that should have ended up in the CFP the past two years. These two past seasons happened with Sitake working on an increased budget but nothing like he got last December. I’m guessing his main request was that he wanted to take care of his staff, make them feel appreciated and motivated to stay and work for him.
In my estimation, after witnessing what he did with a little more resources in 2024 and 2025, there should be a noticeable bump in the way BYU performs this coming season, chasing Texas Tech and holding off ASU, Utah and Houston.
I see this in retaining offensive line coach TJ Woods, who is developing a P4 offensive front. I like that he hired two secondary coaches who have hit the recruiting trail hard. I like that Justin Ena, Fesi Sitake and Harvey Unga were retained and hungry to prove what they can do when thrown a bone.
On the defensive side, Sitake has always wanted Sione Po’uha on his staff — since the beginning — and he is taking care of him, showing he is needed and wanted by elevating him to assistant head coach. He was able to elevate Kelly Poppinga to defensive coordinator.
He was able to make it easier for Aaron Roderick to stay and commute from Salt Lake City and continue his work with Bear Bachmeier. But behind the scenes, he was able to get resources to keep Gary Andersen as a consultant. It is Andersen who tutored Sitake, Jay Hill and Utah head coach Morgan Scalley.
The dance with Penn State may become one of the more significant assists to BYU football in a very long time.
Cougar tales
The BYU women’s track and field team finished second with 108 points (behind Texas Tech at 119.5; ahead of Arizona in third with 79) in the Big 12 championships this past week in Arizona. Standout performances included freshman Jane Hedengren winning the 5,000 meters by nearly 25-27 seconds (15:26.94, facility record), plus strong contributions in the 1,500-meter (multiple scorers), steeplechase and other events. Jenna Hutchins, Taylor Lovell and others also podiumed or scored.
In the men’s competition, the Cougars finished sixth with 82.33 points. Texas Tech won with 127 points, followed by Arizona (101), Houston, Kansas State and Iowa State. Men’s team highlights included Carter Cutting winning the 1,500 meter and Creed Thompson winning the 10,000 (facility record).
BYU’s baseball team finished the regular season with a one-run, extra-inning win over conference champion Kansas in Provo and will play Texas Tech on Tuesday as the No. 9 seed.
From the archives
From X-verse
Extra points
- BYU awaits elite football talent from mission field (SI.com)
- This duo and how faith shapes their lives (Deseret News)
- O-line coach envisions big season (Deseret News)
Fanalysts
Comments from Deseret News readers:
Excited and surprised (in approximately equal amounts) that LJ chose to return for another year at BYU. I look forward to watching him and hope he accomplishes his goals.
My other takeaway from the article is the position often-injured QB Taysom Hill has on the list of total rushing yards.
— Floyd Johnson
Jazz’ draft board should be
- AJ
- Caleb Wilson
Boozer is falling fast (plus we don’t need a post player) and Peterson is an attitude problem. You don’t want to bring in a guy who was load managing during college.
Both Wilson and AJ will be studs!
— Ty Webb
Up next
- May 20 | 7 a.m. | men’s golf | NCAA Regional, Georgia
- May 27 | TBA | track and field | NCAA West Regional, Fayetteville
