BYU Cougars Build to Win Big with Kalani Sitake

BYU Cougars coach Kalani Sitake turned down a head coaching offer from Penn State to remain at his alma mater.

What happened?

The Cougars are considered a Big 12 preseason front-runner after a 12-win season.

Sitake emphasizes a "transformational" over "transactional" program culture despite new NIL opportunities.

Why it matters for BYU Cougars

The team returns a quarterback, star Bear Bachmeier; star running back, LJ Martin; star linebacker, Isaiah Glasker.

With scandal at Texas Tech, BYU suddenly is a preseason frontrunner for the Big 12 Conference's top spot.

What comes next?

The Cougars' next game is vs Utah Tech Trailblazers on 2026-09-06.

BYU’s favorite son, Kalani Sitake, is back for his 11th season at the helm.

Sitake was pursued by Penn State, but multiple people familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports of Sitake’s residency as Penn State’s offered candidate before the Nittany Lions’ hiring of Matt Campbell away from Iowa State.

The Cougars enter 2026 on the heels of a 12-win campaign for the first time in a quarter-century.

Kelly Poppinga, one of at least six former Cougars players on the positional coaching staff, ascends to the defensive coordinator role after three seasons running BYU special teams.

Despite entreaties again otherwise, BYU returns offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick.

Sitake wants to focus on people, not money or fancy things, and is known for taking notes and listening to others, including a grandmother he met on a flight.

The key to life is just people, Sitake says, and he believes that sharing stories and learning from others is important.

Sitake is a standard passenger on a commercial flight and doesn’t mind taking the time to talk to people.

He says that when you share stories, you can learn from life, and he’s met people before on flights that they don’t want to talk.

But Sitake is willing to listen and learn from anyone, including high school coaches and fans.

The Cougars are preparing for a season inside LaVell Edwards Stadium replete with College Football Playoff expectations.

Sitake’s return to BYU is a significant factor in the team’s success, and he’s excited to lead the team into the new season.