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PROVO — Shortly after Kalani Sitake emerged as the leading candidate to become BYU's next football coach a radio station in Oregon called wanting the latest information on the subject.
The producer of a midday sports show in Corvallis asked me to come on for a segment to discuss Sitake, who at the time was the Oregon State's defensive coordinator. "What's going on with our guy?" the host said.
Wait a second, our guy? The host had it all wrong.
Sitake is our guy in Utah, not your guy in Oregon. His history runs deep in the Beehive State, playing his college ball at the place he now coaches in addition to professional stops at Southern Utah and a decade at Utah.
His connection to Oregon barely lasted 12 months, after leaving Utah to join Gary Andersen's staff at Oregon State. One season later, the prodigal son is coming home.
"For a lot of us, Christmas has come early," said former BYU star Reno Mahe.
The fact that the Corvallis sports media had a strong connection to an assistant football coach signifies Sitake's strength. He is a people person, able to form close relationships across a broad spectrum in a short amount of time. It's your problem if you know Sitake and are not his friend.
The former BYU running back is the right man at the right time, finally a former Cougar at the helm of his alma mater. He is the first direct link to LaVell Edwards, the legendary BYU coach who retired 16 years ago.
At last, after going through two coaches who had little connection to the school when they became the head coach, BYU has one of its own in charge. As he said during his introductory press conference, Sitake bleeds blue and always has, even during his time as linebackers coach and defensive coordinator at bitter rival Utah.
"He's just a great choice," said the 85-year-old Edwards, who attended the press conference.
BYU's most important support group, the former football players, are thrilled at the new hire. Dozens of former Cougars literally stood in line with Sitake on his first official day on the job, with countless others vicariously offering their support.
Like him or not, Bronco Mendenhall was a polarizing figure during his 11 seasons as the BYU head coach. Support for Mendenhall among some former players seemed to wane over time, evidenced by several willing to air their grievances in public forums.
Sitake will be unifier, able to bring a divided group together. And it couldn't have come at a more important time in BYU football history. Entering its sixth year as an independent BYU is at a crossroads, beefing up a schedule in an attempt to gain national attention and hopefully an invitation into a Power 5 conference.
To land that coveted spot alongside the big boys of college football, BYU needs to improve its recruiting. The program no longer can allow top LDS talent to sign elsewhere, particularly the sons of former BYU players who choose to play at Utah. And it would help if the Cougars could actually find a way to beat the Utes again.
"Streaks are meant to be broken," said Sitake, referring to Utah's five-game winning streak over the Cougars.
BYU also needs an infusion of emotion, something that Mendenhall rarely displayed during games and in interviews. BYU fans – any maybe even recruits – are starving for some passion along the sidelines.
Related:
New BYU head coach Sitake returns home to alma mater
BYU is a special place for new head football coach Kalani Sitake. It's so special, in fact, that the 40-year-old first-time head coach admits he wanted the job since he was 8-years-old, when he would yell at former coach LaVell Edwards — who would coach Sitake beginning in 1994 — to 'give the ball to Vai (Sikahema) more.'Unlike his predecessor, Sitake may have to work at toning down emotion during games.
"Kalani will bring a new energy," said Kelly Poppinga, a former BYU linebacker and an assistant coach under Mendenhall who will follow him to Virginia.
For BYU, the time is now to give Sitake all the support he needs. Topping the list, as it always does, is money.
All the schools that are poaching LDS recruits away from BYU pour big money into their football programs. BYU administrators need to capitalize on all the momentum and excitement generated through the Sitake hire by hitting up boosters for more cash and pump as many resources as possible.
Poppinga thinks the only way to get more money is through boosters, noting the university is going to stick to a budget
"Compared to other places in the country obviously we don't have the budget that other schools have," he said. "Things might change now. It seems like when a new head coach comes in people start to listen a little more to the new guy instead of the guy who's been around for a while. So maybe guys will now start to fork up some more money."
