Fresh off a contract extension, Sitake is demanding elite infrastructure and NIL support to bridge the gap between Big 12 contention and a breakthrough playoff run.
The BYU Cougars are preparing for one of the biggest football seasons in program history. After nearly making the College Football Playoff each of the past two seasons, Kalani Sitake has put together the right roster and personnel to compete.
The Cougars have only lost to one team twice last season, which was Texas Tech, who advanced into the Playoff as Big 12 Champions. BYU is right there and is considered a frontrunner in the conference. However, more needs to be done for the team to compete at a higher level.
Sitake recently appeared in an interview with ESPN the Fan in Utah to express his feelings about needing more support from BYU's athletic staff. The Cougars' coach is fresh off a contract extension to reportedly make him one of the highest-paid in the Big 12.
This comes after he was pursued by Penn State to replace James Franklin near the end of last season. While the deal wasn't disclosed, some reports say Sitake was bumped to at least $9 million per year with promises of more staff and NIL support. He spoke candidly about resource limits holding back the program right now.
"There's probably a collection of things that I'm looking at," Sitake said. "We've been given the challenge of doing the most with the least, right? And so you have your own culture to help you win. But I think there's a way to increase your chances on both. I think there's a way that you can get deep culture and be really strong as a football team, and there's an opportunity that you can get to players that you normally wouldn't have access to."
Sitake isn't just talking about paying the players. He understands the entire process that goes into running a top-tier program, which includes strength and conditioning, sports science and nutrition as key components. Money does a lot, but resources go further. He wants people to understand that side of the new era as well.
"I still want more resources for these guys. Because then for me, the frustrating part is, like, yeah, we've been able to do so much, and it was like, okay, keep doing it... but we can do way more at a faster rate," Sitake added. "I'm not going to be the one that's making high demands. These are very simple demands. So people that our opponents have in the conference and not even Texas Tech, the others. So, if we can get on an even playing field with that stuff, then I should be able to do more."
Sitake came off as frustrated and rightfully so. His job is to take BYU to the next level on the field and compete for championships. If the Cougars are able to go 23-4 over the past two seasons, imagine what they could do by going above and beyond.
"We're not going to be the highest bidder, but I'd like to have access to stuff like that," Sitake said about NIL commitments. "That's a reminder to the administration that you can count on us to do things, right? And be responsible for the finances to get the right program in place."
Sitake went on to say, "And the fact that we're this close to making the playoffs, it's like, come on, let's not make the same mistakes that we've made in the past, overall. And then let's keep investing in BYU football."
Sitake said this became a point of emphasis after talking with Penn State officials about the head coach position. They were transparent about what the program would be able to offer.
Either way, the timing of this push for more resources from Sitake is fascinating. He's not asking for anything unrealistic or unreasonable if other mid-major Big 12 programs have more to work with. For BYU, the basketball program has been on the rise since Kevin Young arrived on campus two years ago. Sitake has stayed in Provo for over a decade after turning down major offers to leave.
This also comes after BYU denied rumors from over the weekend about athletic director Brian Santiago being fired by the school. We'll see how Sitake's requests are handled by Cougars' officials.
BYU opens the season on Sept. 5 against Utah Tech.
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