Kalani Sitake Staying Put: BYU Locks Down Its Head Coach Amid Penn State Interest
BYU football just got its biggest win of the week-and it came off the field.
On Tuesday evening, the Cougars officially announced a contract extension with head coach Kalani Sitake, putting to rest a tense few days of speculation that he might be heading east to take the head job at Penn State. Instead, Sitake is staying in Provo, anchoring a program that’s riding high and preparing for its biggest game of the season.
The announcement came just before 5 p.m., and less than 30 minutes later, BYU director of football operations Jack Damuni posted a behind-the-scenes moment that said everything you need to know about how Sitake’s decision landed in the locker room.
In a video shared on X (formerly Twitter), Sitake addressed his team with a calm but firm message.
“Listen, I know we talked about it yesterday and all that, but you don’t need any more distractions, OK?” Sitake told his players. “You guys know we’re working out all the details with agents and everything, but I’m not going anywhere.”
That was all it took. Before he could even finish, the room erupted.
The players drowned him out with cheers, then mobbed him in celebration, led by senior defensive end Logan Lutui. It wasn’t just a coach staying-it was a leader reaffirming his commitment to the team, and the emotion in that room was as real as it gets.
Damuni summed it up in all caps: “HE AIN’T GOING NO WHERE!!! GO COUGS!!!”
It’s a major moment for a BYU program that’s been building something special. Currently ranked No. 11 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, the Cougars are set to face No.
4 Texas Tech in the Big 12 Championship Game on Saturday. That’s a huge stage, and locking in Sitake before that matchup gives the team a sense of stability and clarity heading into what could be a defining game for the program.
Sitake, who has been at the helm since 2016, has overseen BYU’s transition into the Big 12 and helped elevate the Cougars into the national conversation. His leadership, culture-building, and connection with players have been central to that rise-and Tuesday’s reaction showed just how much he means to the locker room.
The timing of the extension couldn’t be better. With the stakes rising and the spotlight growing brighter, BYU just ensured that the face of its program isn’t going anywhere. And judging by the response from his players, that decision carries a lot more weight than just Xs and Os.
The Cougars have their coach. Now they turn their full attention to Texas Tech, with a Big 12 title and a potential playoff berth on the line.