Bold headline: BYU Keeps Kalani Sitake as Coach, Quietly Shuts Down Penn State Speculation.
Penn State’s coaching carousel took another turn on Tuesday as BYU successfully persuaded Kalani Sitake to stay, despite mounting rumors linking him to a move to Happy Valley.
BYU and Sitake agreed to a long-term contract extension on Tuesday, with the school aiming to solidify its leadership amid intense speculation. BYU Director of Athletics Brian Santiago announced the deal, praising Sitake as a proven leader and emphasizing his role in building a championship program “the BYU way.” He added that Sitake is among the best in the business and expressed excitement about continuing the program’s momentum.
Before the formal agreement, respected reporters indicated Sitake had signaled his intention to remain at BYU. Pete Thamel of ESPN noted that Sitake had begun informing contacts that he planned to stay and that BYU was in the process of finalizing a lucrative extension.
Earlier coverage from CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer reported BYU’s strong efforts to retain Sitake and an optimistic outlook within the program about his future.
In the broader coaching-search narrative, Sitake had emerged as a leading target for Penn State. On3’s Brett McMurphy, Chris Low, and Pete Nakos had noted extensive recent discussions between Sitake and the Nittany Lions.
Despite Penn State’s in-season upheaval, including the firing of James Franklin on October 12, the program’s search has remained comparatively quiet. Competitors such as Florida, LSU, and Virginia Tech have already made coaching changes during the season.
Analyst Andy Staples suggested on The Dan Patrick Show that Penn State’s quiet search might reflect a potential internal candidate preparing for a conference title game, a scenario that would align with Sitake coaching BYU in the Big 12 Championship this weekend. BYU is set to face Texas Tech in the conference championship, a game that could influence postseason fortune.
BYU’s postseason outlook remains strong. The Cougars sit at No. 11 in the latest College Football Playoff Top 25, and a win in the championship could secure an automatic CFP bid. A loss might still keep them in the hunt depending on other results. As of now, they’re the lowest-ranked one-loss team in the CFP rankings, with several top teams still ahead in the mix.
Sitake is in his 10th season at BYU, owning an 83-44 career record. He has steered the program to four double-digit win seasons in the last six years, including an undefeated 11-1 campaign in 2025 so far.
Penn State’s regular season concluded on a strong note with three consecutive wins under interim head coach Terry Smith. The Nittany Lions finish 6-6, marking their fifth straight season with at least six victories.
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