Kalani Sitake looks different on the sidelines lately. There’s a certain kind of calm that only comes when you actually trust the guys holding the clipboards next to you. For a few years there, BYU fans weren't so sure. The transition from the independent era to the meat grinder of the Big 12 was always going to be a massive shock to the system, but the real story isn't just about the move—it’s about how the BYU football coaching staff had to basically reinvent itself on the fly to survive.
They did.
It wasn’t always pretty. When Jay Hill was brought in from Weber State to fix a defense that had become, frankly, a bit of a sieve under the previous regime, people wondered if a "FCS guy" could handle Power Four athletes. He did more than handle them. He changed the entire DNA of the building. We’re talking about a shift from a "bend-but-don't-break" philosophy that broke way too often to a vertical, aggressive style that actually puts fear into opposing quarterbacks.
The Jay Hill Effect and the Defensive Renaissance
You can’t talk about the current BYU football coaching staff without starting with Hill. He’s the Associate Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator, but honestly, he’s more like a co-pilot for Sitake. Before Hill arrived, BYU’s defense felt reactive. Now? They’re the ones dictating the terms.
Hill brought a specific edge. It’s a pro-style scheme that relies heavily on cornerbacks who can actually survive on an island. Look at what Kelly Poppinga is doing with the edge rushers. Poppinga, who returned to Provo after stints at Virginia and Boise State, has that manic energy that translates to sacks. He’s not just teaching technique; he’s teaching a certain brand of nastiness that BYU was missing for about half a decade.
Then there’s Sione Po’uha. If you want to know why the defensive line looks stouter, it’s him. He’s a legend in the trenches. Having a guy who played nearly a decade in the NFL coaching up your interior linemen is a cheat code. He doesn't just talk about leverage; he lived it against 330-pound guards in the league. The players feel that. It’s a level of credibility you can’t fake.
Aaron Roderick and the Offensive Identity Crisis
Now, the offense is a different conversation. Aaron Roderick is a polarizing figure in Provo, depending on which Saturday you ask a fan at LaVell Edwards Stadium. But here is the reality: Roderick’s system is incredibly complex. It’s built on NFL concepts that require a quarterback to make three or four high-level reads in under three seconds.
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When it works, it’s beautiful. When it doesn't, it looks stagnant.
The BYU football coaching staff on the offensive side of the ball has stayed remarkably consistent, which is rare in modern college football. Fesi Sitake—Kalani’s cousin, but don't let that fool you, he earned his spot—is widely considered one of the best wide receiver developers in the West. He took guys like Puka Nacua and helped refine them into NFL stars. That’s not an accident.
- Fesi Sitake: Passing Game Coordinator / Wide Receivers
- Aaron Roderick: Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks
- Steve Clark: Tight Ends
- Harvey Unga: Running Backs
- TJ Woods: Offensive Line
TJ Woods was a massive addition. He’s a vet. He’s coached at Utah, Wisconsin, and Oregon State. He brought a "blue-collar" mentality back to an offensive line that had arguably become a bit soft during the late independent years. The Big 12 is won in the trenches, and Woods knows that better than anyone on the staff.
Why the Continuity Matters (And Where it Hurts)
College football is a revolving door. Coaches jump for an extra fifty thousand dollars or a better title every December. Kalani Sitake has managed to keep his core guys together longer than almost anyone else in the country. This creates a "language" within the program. Players don't have to learn a new playbook every spring.
But there’s a downside.
Sometimes, continuity breeds complacency. In 2023, we saw some of that. The offense went cold, and there were legitimate questions about whether the staff was too "comfortable." To their credit, they didn't just stand pat. They went out and got aggressive in the transfer portal, and the coaching staff adjusted their scheme to fit the talent rather than forcing the talent to fit the scheme. That is the mark of a mature staff.
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The Role of Support Staff and Analytics
We have to talk about the "off-field" guys because they’re doing the heavy lifting behind the scenes. Justin Anderson, the Director of Player Personnel, is basically the General Manager. In the NIL era, his job is arguably as important as any on-field coach. He’s the one identifying the talent in the portal that fits the "BYU mold"—which, as we all know, is a very specific set of criteria involving the Honor Code and academic standards.
The scouting department has expanded. BYU used to operate like a small-town grocery store; now they’re trying to look more like a regional powerhouse. They’ve invested heavily in analytics, trying to find those tiny edges in fourth-down tendencies or red-zone efficiency.
The Culture of the BYU Football Coaching Staff
It’s easy to get bogged down in the X’s and O’s, but BYU is a culture-first program. Kalani Sitake is the "Chief Vibes Officer," and I mean that in the best way possible. He leads with love, which sounds cheesy until you see a 300-pound lineman cry when talking about him.
But love doesn't win games against Oklahoma or Utah.
This staff has had to learn how to balance that "love" with the "ruthlessness" required at the highest level of the sport. You’re seeing more accountability. You’re seeing players get benched for missed assignments, which didn't happen as much five years ago. The BYU football coaching staff has matured along with the program’s move to the Big 12. They realized that being a "good guy" isn't enough; you have to be a tactician who can out-adjust the best minds in the country.
Realities of Recruiting Under This Staff
Recruiting at BYU is a unique challenge. You have a limited pool of athletes because of the religious standards. This means the coaches have to be better evaluators than anyone else. They can't just chase five-stars; they have to find the three-star kid with a high ceiling who wants to be in Provo.
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Harvey Unga has been a monster on the recruiting trail. As BYU’s all-time leading rusher, he has instant clout. When he walks into a living room, parents know their son is being coached by someone who has been in the fire.
The staff has also leaned heavily into their international and Polynesian roots. It’s a pipeline that they’ve secured better than almost any school in the nation. That’s their "secret sauce." If you look at the roster, the fingerprints of this specific coaching staff are everywhere—it’s a mix of returned missionaries, high-ceiling Polynesian athletes, and key transfers who felt overlooked elsewhere.
What’s Next for the BYU Football Coaching Staff?
The pressure isn't going away. In the Big 12, you're only two losses away from a "hot seat" conversation, even if your name is Kalani Sitake. The next step for this staff is proving they can maintain a top-25 defense year-over-year while finding a quarterback who can consistently operate Roderick’s system.
They’ve built the foundation. The "Hill-fense" (as some fans call the defense) is real. The offensive line has its identity back under Woods. Now, it’s about depth. The staff needs to prove they can develop the 2nd and 3rd stringers so that a single injury in October doesn't derail an entire season.
If you’re watching this team closely, pay attention to the headsets. Watch how Sitake interacts with Hill versus how he interacts with Roderick. There’s a hierarchy now that feels stable. For the first time in a long time, the BYU football coaching staff feels like it has the right people in the right chairs to actually compete for a conference title, not just participate.
To see the real impact, keep an eye on these specific metrics moving forward:
- Third-down conversion rates: This has been the "Achilles heel" for Roderick’s offense in big games.
- Turnover margin: Jay Hill’s defense thrives on chaos; they need to stay in the top 3 of the Big 12 here.
- Red zone touchdown percentage: Settling for field goals in the Big 12 is a death sentence.
The learning curve is over. The "we’re just happy to be here" phase of the Big 12 move is dead. This staff knows that. They’re coaching like guys who know their jobs depend on results, not just culture. And honestly? That’s exactly what BYU needed.