Kalani Sitake (pronounced kah-lah-nee see-tah-kay) enters his eighth season overseeing the BYU football program in 2023.

In his 23rd overall season as a coach, Sitake leads the program he once played for under legendary Hall of Fame coach LaVell Edwards. A former Cougar running back (1994, 1997-2000), Sitake is the 14th head coach in BYU history and just the fourth since 1972, when Edwards took over the program. Sitake is the first former player under Edwards to be named head coach at BYU.

Sitake was named head coach on December 19, 2015 by BYU director of athletics Tom Holmoe. In November 2019, he received a contract extension through the 2023 season. After the 2021 regular season, BYU inked Sitake to a new contract running through the 2027 season.

With a career record of 56-34, including a 29-9 resume over the past three seasons, Sitake leads his program from the ranks of FBS independents to membership in the Big 12 Conference in 2023.

During his tenure, Sitake has helped the Cougars achieve notable wins over Baylor, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Tennessee, USC, Utah, Arizona, Arizona State, Washington State and Boise State, among others. He has also championed BYU’s Built4Life career development and NIL program. Built4Life is designed to support BYU student-athletes in developing critical life skills, facilitating professional development opportunities and connecting classroom learning directly to relevant employment opportunities.

During his coaching career, Sitake has helped his teams to 14 bowl games, including last year’s New Mexico Bowl victory over SMU. Sitake has been on the winning side 11 times in bowl appearances, including a 4-2 mark as a head coach. The Cougars also defeated Josh Allen-led Wyoming 24-21 in the 2016 Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego and dominated Western Michigan 49-18 in the 2019 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl before dropping a close 38-34 contest in the 2019 SoFi Hawai’i Bowl to a 10-win Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors’ team playing on the their home field. BYU dominated future Big 12 mate UCF, 49-23, to finish an 11-1 season in 2020 at the Boca Raton Bowl before suffering a 31-28 setback vs. UAB in the 2021 Independence Bowl to finish 10-3 and No. 19 in the nation.

Sitake was named to an Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award Finalist and George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year Award Semifinalist in back-to-back seasons in 2020 and 2021. Facing one of its toughest schedules ever, BYU went 6-1 against Power 5 conference opponents in 2021 to finish 10-3 overall and record back-to-back top-20 rankings for the first time since 2006 and 2007. BYU Athletics also formally received and accepted an invitation during the season to join the Power 5 ranks as a member of the Big 12 Conference, starting in 2023.  

On the field in 2021, BYU demonstrated the improving strength and maturity of the program under Sitake. Coming off an 11-1 season in 2020 that saw 13 players leave for the NFL, including five draft selections led by No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson, and offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes and offensive line coach Eric Mateos departing for Baylor, Sitake promoted Aaron Roderick to offensive coordinator and Fesi Sitake to passing game coordinator while hiring Darrell Funk to coach offensive line. The team didn't miss a beat and responded in 2021 with BYU's first consecutive double-digit victory seasons since 2008 and 2009 against one of the program's most challenging schedules.  Sitake's team finished just out of the New Year's Six bowl consideration and earned a No. 19 final ranking to boast the program's first back-to-back top-20 rankings since 2006 and 2007.  

Sitake took the helm at his alma mater after serving as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Oregon State in 2015 under head coach Gary Andersen. Sitake returned to BYU after 15 years in the college coaching profession, which included seven seasons serving as a defensive coordinator and four years as an assistant head coach. 

Prior to Oregon State, Sitake spent 10 seasons at the University of Utah under head coach Kyle Whittingham, also a former Cougar. Sitake started at Utah in 2005 as the linebackers coach and was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2009 before also being named assistant head coach in 2012. While at Utah, Sitake coached several Pac-12 and Mountain West Conference honorees, including Morris Trophy winners Star Lotulelei (2011) and Nate Orchard (2014). He also helped 14 players who became NFL Draft picks during his time in Salt Lake City, coaching 12 all-league players and three freshmen All-Americans. He helped the Utes win seven of eight bowl games during his tenure.

During his career, Sitake has helped mentor 29 NFL Draft picks, including nine Cougars since taking over the program in 2016. Last year’s draft saw running back Tyler Allgeier go to the Atlanta Falcons, where he was set a Falcon’s rushing record for a rookie with a 1,000-yard season. Allgeier followed the footsteps of other recent Cougar draft picks under Sitake. BYU had five players selected in the 2021 draft, highlighted by No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson. The talented quarterback Sitake recruited and saw develop in three seasons in his program into a top pick was selected by the New York Jets. Left tackle Brady Christensen went in the third round to the Carolina Panthers while receiver Dax Milne (Washington), defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga (Chicago) and defensive back Chris Wilcox (Tampa Bay) were each seventh-round selections.

Other recent BYU players drafted include linebackers Sione Takitaki (2019 third round by the Cleveland Browns), Fred Warner (2018 third round by the San Francisco 49ers), and running back Jamaal Williams (2017 fourth round by the Green Bay Packers). Takitaki has made an impact on the field to help Cleveland's resurgence, while Williams, who finished his BYU career as the school’s all-time leading rusher after averaging the nation’s fifth-best per-game totals at 137.5 yards per outing for Sitake’s Cougars in 2016, has been a regular on the field for the Packers and now the Lions, where he rushed for more than 1,000 yards and led the NFL in scoring in 2022. Warner, meanwhile, completed a standout career at BYU to become an immediate starter in the NFL. Earning All-Pro recognition, Warner is widely regarded among the best linebackers in the league and helped lead the 49ers to Super Bowl LIV in 2020 and NFC championship game in 2022 in 2023.

Sitake began his coaching career in 2001 as the defensive backs and special teams coach at Eastern Arizona before becoming a defensive graduate assistant at BYU in 2002 under Gary Crowton. Sitake then joined the staff at Southern Utah where he coached running backs, tight ends and offensive line during the 2003 and 2004 seasons.

As a player, Sitake came to BYU in 1994 prior to serving a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Oakland, California. After returning and redshirting in 1997, he was a three-year starter at fullback for the Cougars from 1998-2000 under Edwards. A team captain as a senior, Sitake’s last game as a player was also the last game coached by the legendary Edwards, a great mentor for Sitake.

Sitake was named BYU’s Football Scholar Athlete of the Year in 1998, Impact Player of the Year in 1999, and team captain and the most valuable running back in 2000. He signed a free agent contract with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2001, but was forced to retire due to an injury.

Born in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, and raised in Laie, Hawai’i and Provo, Utah, Sitake is the nation’s first FBS head football coach of Tongan descent. He graduated from BYU in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in English. Sitake and his wife Timberly have four children, Skye, Sadie, Kelaokalani (KK) and Sylvia.

BYU AD Tom Holmoe on naming Sitake as head coach

“We are excited to announce Kalani Sitake as our new head football coach and welcome back one of our own. He is an outstanding leader and coach, an exceptional recruiter and knows BYU through and through. We look forward to having Kalani build on the great tradition of BYU football.” 

Kalani Sitake on becoming BYU's head coach

“I’m honored, excited and humbled by the opportunity to lead the BYU football program. I’m grateful for everything BYU gave me as a player. It’s a dream come true for me to return home. I love the university and what it stands for and I’m looking forward to helping the young men in the program reach their goals athletically, academically and spiritually. I want to thank Tom Holmoe, President Worthen and the administration for their faith and trust. I’m excited to get to work and continue the incredible legacy of BYU football.”

BYU AD Tom Holmoe on signing Sitake to new contract through 2027

“In recent days and weeks there has been a lot of movement among college football head coaches. Today, I’m thrilled to know that Kalani will continue to be our leader, coach and mentor going forward. In the past 50 years, BYU has had only four head football coaches. Consistency, creativity and culture have been our hallmarks. Kalani will continue to strengthen our football team culture and develop young leaders based on his emphasis of 'love and learning.' I’m grateful for Kalani and the Sitake family for their commitment to BYU.”

Kalani Sitake on becoming BYU's head coach

“I am grateful for the confidence that Tom Holmoe, President Worthen and the administration continue to have in my role leading the BYU football program. As both a former player and a BYU fan, it is an honor to be the head coach at this great university. I am blessed to lead a football program full of tremendous young men, outstanding coaches and staff and the best fans in the world. We’re all excited about the opportunities ahead as we prepare to enter the Big 12.”