BYU Takes a Different Route in College Football’s Transfer Frenzy - and It’s Paying Off
While the rest of college football scrambles through the chaos of the transfer portal - with nearly 5,000 players entering in search of better opportunities - BYU is charting its own course. Rather than diving headfirst into the portal’s version of free agency, the Cougars are focused on something increasingly rare in today’s game: keeping their core intact.
Yes, BYU has seen a few players depart - that’s inevitable in this era. But what stands out isn’t who left. It’s who stayed.
Coming off a 12-win season - their first in nearly a quarter-century - and a Pop-Tarts Bowl victory over No. 22 Georgia Tech, BYU is riding momentum.
The Cougars finished No. 12 in the final College Football Playoff rankings and boasted the nation’s 19th-ranked scoring defense. But instead of using that success as a springboard to overhaul the roster, head coach Kalani Sitake and his staff locked in on retention.
And they nailed it.
Every eligible starter from that bowl win is coming back. That includes wide receiver Parker Kingston, cornerback Tre Alexander, quarterback Bear Bachmeier, linebacker Isaiah Glasker, and defensive backs Evan Johnson and Faletau Satuala.
Notably absent from that game was star running back LJ Martin, the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, who was sidelined after undergoing surgery. But Martin is returning too, passing on the NFL Draft to run it back for one more year in Provo.
That kind of retention doesn’t happen by accident - and it doesn’t happen everywhere.
Sure, name, image and likeness (NIL) support has helped. BYU’s donor network - featuring names like Nutricost CEO Min Kim, Crumbl’s Jason McGowan, construction mogul King Husein, and Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith - has stepped up with an eight-figure NIL commitment.
That’s a major piece of the puzzle. But it’s not the whole story.
Because in 2026, big NIL money is everywhere. What BYU has built goes deeper.
It starts with Sitake. The players believe in him - and they want to play for him.
That belief was tested this offseason when defensive coordinator Jay Hill and cornerbacks coach Jernaro Gilford left to join Kyle Whittingham’s staff at Michigan. Coaching turnover like that can shake a locker room.
But the players didn’t flinch.
“Ultimately, I think our players love Kalani,” said new defensive coordinator Kelly Poppinga. “That was the mainstay. They knew Kalani was going to be here, and a lot of those guys - you can say all of them - came to play for Kalani.”
This isn’t just about coaching stability. It’s about culture.
BYU’s “love and learn” mantra might sound like a slogan, but it’s become the foundation of a locker room that’s built on trust, accountability, and a belief in something bigger than just wins and losses. That culture was strong enough to convince players to stay, even with other programs offering lucrative NIL packages and big-time exposure.
And it wasn’t just coaches doing the recruiting this time around.
When Hill left, Tre Alexander didn’t wait. He texted Poppinga immediately: “Coach, just so you know I ain’t going anywhere - and I’m going to call everybody right now.
I’m going to help you out and keep them here.” A few hours later, he followed up: “Coach, nobody’s leaving.”
That’s the kind of leadership you can’t teach. And it speaks volumes about the buy-in across this roster.
Of course, BYU isn’t immune to roster turnover. Tight end Carsen Ryan, wide receiver Chase Roberts, and offensive linemen Weylin Lapuaho and Isaiah Jatta have graduated.
Linebacker Jack Kelly is likely NFL-bound after a strong career that spanned both BYU and Weber State. And a few others - including backup quarterback McCae Hillstead and special teams standout Marcus McKenzie - have hit the portal.
But the Cougars have been strategic in filling those gaps.
They’ve added high-upside pass catchers like Kyler Kasper (Oregon) and Walker Lyons (USC), both former four-star recruits. The offensive line is getting reinforcements, too, with transfers Zak Yamauchi (Stanford), Paki Finau (Washington), and Jr Sia (Utah State) joining a solid group of returners in Bruce Mitchell, Andrew Gentry, and Kyle Sfarcioc.
On defense, they landed Cade Uluave - a former Mountain Ridge star who was the Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and a first-team All-ACC pick at Cal in 2025. He’ll pair with linebacker Jake Clifton, who’s coming in from Kansas State after returning from a church mission in October.
So yes, BYU is adding talent. But they’re doing it with precision - not panic.
And that’s what makes this team dangerous heading into 2026. They’re not just talented.
They’re experienced. They’re cohesive.
And they’re hungry after falling flat in the Big 12 title game against Texas Tech.
“I think some of them felt like, whoever the coordinator is, we’re going to figure this out if we all stay together,” Poppinga said. “I give credit to those guys - great players - and to get back a team that was 12-2 and top-20 defensively? I’ve just got to make sure we stay out of the way and don’t screw things up.”
In an era where roster turnover is the norm and loyalty is often a luxury, BYU is showing what it looks like to build - and keep - something special.