BYU football is continuing to reshape its defensive staff heading into the 2026 season, with head coach Kalani Sitake announcing a trio of key moves: Justin Ena has been promoted to special teams coordinator, Chad Kauha’aha’a will now coach the outside linebackers, and veteran defensive backs coach Lewis Walker is joining the program as the new cornerbacks coach.
These moves are more than just reshuffling titles-they’re part of a broader strategic effort to tighten up the Cougars’ defense and elevate the special teams unit, a phase of the game Sitake has made clear he wants to emphasize more moving forward.
Let’s start with Ena. He’s been BYU’s linebackers coach for the past three seasons, but now he’ll be focusing his full attention on special teams-a unit that often flies under the radar but can swing momentum in a heartbeat.
Ena isn’t new to this territory. With 19 years of coaching experience, including 13 as a coordinator and five overseeing special teams, he brings a seasoned approach to a group that can be a game-changer when firing on all cylinders.
Sitake emphasized that this isn’t just a title-it’s a dedicated role with real weight behind it.
Kauha’aha’a, who joined the BYU staff in 2024 as a senior analyst, is stepping into a more hands-on role as the outside linebackers coach. He’s no stranger to the trenches, with more than 18 years of college coaching experience, much of it focused on the defensive front. His promotion comes with high expectations, especially in developing the edge rushers-an area where BYU is looking to generate more consistent pressure in the Big 12.
Then there’s the addition of Lewis Walker, who brings over a decade of experience coaching defensive backs and two years as a defensive coordinator. He’ll take over the cornerbacks room, while Demario Warren-recently hired as BYU’s defensive pass game coordinator-will now focus on coaching the safeties.
Walker’s résumé is deep. Most recently, he spent two seasons as the defensive coordinator at Monmouth, where the Hawks jumped from a 6-6 finish in 2024 to a 9-3 campaign in 2025.
That turnaround wasn’t a fluke-his defense helped fuel the program’s rise in the Coastal Athletic Association. Prior to that, he had a successful run at North Dakota State, coaching cornerbacks during the Bison’s 2022 and 2023 seasons.
Those teams combined for a 23-7 record and made deep FCS playoff runs, including a trip to the national title game in 2022 and a semifinal appearance in 2023.
Walker’s coaching journey also includes a five-year stretch at Monmouth from 2017 to 2021, where he helped guide the program to three FCS playoff appearances and two Big South Conference championships. His players consistently earned All-Big South honors, and he coached three FCS All-Americans during that span. He’s known for his attention to detail and ability to develop talent in the secondary-something BYU will lean on as they look to solidify the back end of their defense.
Sitake made it clear that Walker’s not just a good coach-he’s someone he’s known and trusted since Walker’s playing days at Utah. That familiarity, combined with Walker’s deep ties to the state of Utah and his track record of player development, makes this a natural fit.
“I’ve known Lewis for a long time,” Sitake said. “He knows the small details matter and truly cares about the development of the players he coaches.”
Walker, a Salt Lake City native, played defensive back at Hawaii before transferring to Utah to finish his college career. He also coached high school football in Utah before jumping into the college ranks with stops at Columbia, Monmouth, and North Dakota State.
For BYU, these moves signal a clear intent: sharpen the defensive identity, get more out of special teams, and bring in coaches who know how to teach, develop, and compete. With Kelly Poppinga already promoted to defensive coordinator and Sione Po’uha elevated to associate head coach, Sitake is assembling a staff with both experience and cohesion-coaches who know what it takes to win and how to build a unit from the ground up.
As the Cougars prepare for another tough Big 12 schedule, these hires and promotions could be pivotal. It’s not just about filling roles-it’s about putting the right people in place to elevate the entire program.