Official: BYU hires Kalani Sitake as head coach
BYU has found its new coach.
The Cougars have hired Oregon State defensive coordinator Kalani Sitake as their new head coach. Sitake has the job after Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said he was staying with the Midshipmen earlier this week.
BYU made the hire official after the team’s 35-28 Las Vegas Bowl loss to Utah.
“I’m honored, excited and humbled by the opportunity to lead the BYU football program,” Sitake said in a team statement. “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.”
The pool for BYU’s next coach to replace Bronco Mendenhall was thin because head coaches must be active members in good standing of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Mendenhall was hired by Virginia to replace Mike London.
Sitake, 40, played football at BYU (as a fullback) and spent one season as Oregon State’s defensive coordinator. He moved to the Beavers from Utah, where he was the Utes defensive coordinator for six seasons.
Sitake had moved to Oregon State with new Beavers coach Gary Andersen. Sitake had succeeded Andersen as the Utes’ defensive coordinator. Andersen moved to Utah State to be the head coach before he went to Wisconsin and then Oregon State.
Oregon State was 2-10 in 2015.
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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
