Editor’s note: Second in a two-part series on Brian Santiago’s first anniversary as BYU athletic director. Read the first story here.
It was a time when BYU football was in limbo.
And it was only six months ago, despite 12 wins.
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In the balance was whether head football coach Kalani Sitake would take an offer from Penn State, taking some staff and players with him, or if BYU’s administration could find the donors to help redo his contract, come close to the Penn State offer and deliver a big Sitake demand — take care of his assistants and staff.
Folks will argue forever why it wasn’t done before Thanksgiving Day instead of waiting till just before the Dec. 6 Big 12 championship game in Texas.
But, it got done.
And in the saddle, leading the charge to get the deal done for BYU’s administration, was rookie athletic director Brian Santiago.
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This past week, Santiago appeared remotely on the 365 Sports podcast out of Waco, Texas, with David and Craig Smoak.
In December 2025, the podcast questioned the handling of the Sitake contract.
Santiago went out of his way with the Smoak team to illustrate a million ways he loved, supported and believed in Sitake.
He sold Sitake like he was a cure for cancer.
He called him one of the best human beings in the game, an incredible, beloved and humble coach.
Santiago made it clear that Sitake was uniquely gifted to lead BYU’s football program.
BYU is 23-4 the past two seasons when picked to finish near the bottom of the Big 12 in the first year the Cougars joined the P4 conference in 2024.
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“I mean, the last two years, what Kalani has done in creating momentum for our BYU football program, the culture that he’s built, the success? Nobody expected us to do what we’ve done the last two years. It’s a huge tip of the cap to Kalani and his staff and to our student-athletes,” Santiago said on the podcast.
“They’ve done an incredible job amidst some, you know, challenges, they found a way to rise up and be great. The past two seasons, they’ve built incredible momentum for our program, which has a storied history. But what they’ve done the last two years, I’m just super impressed with Kalani and how he’s built and tied to our fan base in a super and unique way.”
The LaVell effect
Santiago compared Sitake’s connection with fans and the community to that of his mentor, the late LaVell Edwards, a legacy that will stand forever in Cougar Nation.
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“Our fan experience at BYU is second to none,” said Santiago, who said he has had visiting athletic directors comment on the atmosphere at BYU games, a high-level entertainment experience complete with fire dancers, fireworks, award-winning cheer squad choreography, and a mascot doing circus tricks.
BYU’s newest head football coach Kalani Sitake talks briefly with former head coach LaVell Edwards following a press conference in Provo Monday, Dec. 21, 2015. | Scott G Winterton
One said, “What’s going on in this stadium? There’s like, an electricity.”
Santiago credits the product, plus the work of senior associate athletic director for external operations David Almodova and staff.
“People don’t want to leave. I’m like, ‘Yeah, this is pretty special.’ We’re super grateful for the connectivity between Kalani and our program and Cougar Nation. It’s awesome.”
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‘Bolt of energy’
Santiago said the timing of Sitake’s contract renegotiation was “super unique” because football was in the middle of a run to the Big 12 championship.
“There was some angst. But I always feel like relationships are super important in all this,” Santiago said. “Kalani ultimately made a huge choice to be at BYU. And the fact that he chose BYU with all the attention, all the interest, certainly with opportunities being thrown at him at some pretty prestigious places, the fact he chose BYU for all the right reasons and that we were able to come to a place that makes him feel valued for a long time and he’s going to be our football coach for a long time.
“It was super important to have that happen. It gave another bolt of energy to Cougar Nation.”
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In the weeks after his Dec. 2 extension, the Cougars played Texas Tech in Arlington and lost. They then defeated Georgia Tech in the Pop-Tarts Bowl to finish the season 12-2.
That same month, Sitake signed a top-21 recruiting class and retained almost his entire team during transfer portal days. With the exception of defensive coordinator Jay Hill and cornerback coach Jernaro Gilford leaving for Michigan, his staff remained intact for the 2026 season.
“Obviously, someone of Kalani’s stature, there’s obviously always interest. Kalani is one of the best human beings in the game. He’s an incredible football coach. He is an incredible leader.
“He is so tied into the culture of BYU. He’s so tied into who we are. And he’s beloved here. We are so grateful that he chose BYU, and I’m super grateful for the time we’ve spent together since Tom Holmoe was here and we hired him 11 years ago.”
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‘A very pivotal moment’
If there was any question by 365 Sports and the Smoaks how Santiago feels about Sitake, he certainly went out of his way to set the record straight for the archives.
“That was a very pivotal moment where we made a great choice. And since then (2015), it’s just been climbing the mountain together.”
Santiago said Sitake was the “best fit we could possibly have,” not only as a coach but as an employee tied to the mission of the university.
“He’s very humble, and he’s also not an excuses guy. So we’ve asked him, for example, the importance of scheduling a team like Notre Dame and the impact that that could have in a variety of ways.”
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That both Notre Dame and BYU were banging on the door of the CFP this past year put both in a situation where they were disrespected with a lack of belief the last few seasons. It made sense to play one another to strengthen their case.
Sitake was on board without blinking, said the AD.
“That’s one of the things I love about Kalani is his response. It is, ‘Let’s, let’s go be great.’ Very similar to when we were trying to find our way into a Power Five at the time, now Power Four conference. When it didn’t happen the first time, our resolve was, ‘Let’s go be even better. Let’s go chase greatness, doing it in a very unique way at BYU, and let’s be so good that we’re ready the next time the opportunity comes.’
“We’re so grateful to be part of the Big 12. And it’s kind of what Kalani’s resolve has been, knocking on the door of the CFP.”
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Sitake is all about disregarding possible CFP bias and more about what needs to be overcome so there is no question left for the selection committee, said Santiago.
“We went into the portal and got some key pieces. And I just love that his vision for this is, ‘Hey, let’s go be even better so the next time around, we don’t leave it up to a choice. We leave it up to our play and let it speak for itself.’”
Santiago said Sitake is in it for the long game, and he’s going to keep playing the long game, not just be a spot on the map for a couple of years.
The BYU AD said it is an honor to be in the Big 12, and he believes in commissioner Brett Yormark.
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Santiago declared it is BYU’s vision to help lift the league to national prominence in all sports and that by building a strong foundation and competing at a high level, other Big 12 members will do the same.
BYU athletic director Brian Santiago speaks as he’s joined by BYU head football coach Kalani Sitake during a press conference regarding Sitake’s contract extension with the football program, held at the Student Athlete Building on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
