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Kalani Sitake

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Kalani Sitake

Kelaokalani Fifita "Kalani" 'Sitake (born October 10, 1975) is a Tongan–American football coach and former player who is the head coach for the BYU Cougars football team. Sitake played college football as a fullback for BYU under coach LaVell Edwards, graduating in 2000. He played professionally briefly in the National Football League before suffering a career-ending injury. As a coach, Sitake has held assistant coaching positions at BYU, Utah, Oregon State, EAC, and SUU. In 2016, he became the head coach for BYU, where he has (as of the end of the 2025) led the Cougars to four 10-win seasons. His .648 win record places him among the top 20 active FBS coaches in total victories. He is the first Tongan to become a collegiate football head coach, and he was inducted into the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame in 2025.

Infobox

2001
Eastern Arizona (DB/ST)
2002
BYU (GA)
2003
Southern Utah (RB/FB/TE)
2004
Southern Utah (OL/FB/TE)
2015
Oregon State (AHC/DC)
Title
Head coach
Team
BYU
Conference
Big 12
Record
84–45
Born
(1975-10-10) October 10, 1975 (age 50)Nukuʻalofa, Tonga
1994, 1997–2000
BYU
Position
Fullback
2005–2008
Utah (LB)
2009–2011
Utah (DC/LB)
2012–2014
Utah (AHC/DC/LB)
2016–present
BYU
Overall
84–45
Bowls
6–2

Tables

· Head coaching record
BYU Cougars (NCAA Division I FBS independent) (2016–2022)
BYU Cougars (NCAA Division I FBS independent) (2016–2022)
Year
BYU Cougars (NCAA Division I FBS independent) (2016–2022)
2016
2016
Year
2016
Team
BYU
Overall
9–4
Bowl/playoffs
W Poinsettia
2017
2017
Year
2017
Team
BYU
Overall
4–9
2018
2018
Year
2018
Team
BYU
Overall
7–6
Bowl/playoffs
W Famous Idaho Potato
2019
2019
Year
2019
Team
BYU
Overall
7–6
Bowl/playoffs
L Hawaii
2020
2020
Year
2020
Team
BYU
Overall
11–1
Bowl/playoffs
W Boca Raton
Coaches#
11
AP°
11
2021
2021
Year
2021
Team
BYU
Overall
10–3
Bowl/playoffs
L Independence
Coaches#
22
AP°
19
2022
2022
Year
2022
Team
BYU
Overall
8–5
Bowl/playoffs
W New Mexico
BYU Cougars (Big 12 Conference) (2023–present)
BYU Cougars (Big 12 Conference) (2023–present)
Year
BYU Cougars (Big 12 Conference) (2023–present)
2023
2023
Year
2023
Team
BYU
Overall
5–7
Conference
2–7
Standing
T–11th
2024
2024
Year
2024
Team
BYU
Overall
11–2
Conference
7–2
Standing
T–1st
Bowl/playoffs
W Alamo
Coaches#
14
AP°
13
2025
2025
Year
2025
Team
BYU
Overall
12–2
Conference
8–1
Standing
T–1st
Bowl/playoffs
W Pop-Tarts
BYU:
BYU:
Year
BYU:
Team
84–45
Overall
17–10
Total:
Total:
Year
Total:
Team
84–45
National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth
National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth
Year
National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth
mw- .mw- #Rankings from final Coaches Poll. °Rankings from final AP Poll.
mw- .mw- #Rankings from final Coaches Poll. °Rankings from final AP Poll.
Year
mw- .mw- #Rankings from final Coaches Poll. °Rankings from final AP Poll.
Year
Team
Overall
Conference
Standing
Bowl/playoffs
Coaches#
AP°
BYU Cougars (NCAA Division I FBS independent) (2016–2022)
2016
BYU
9–4
W Poinsettia
2017
BYU
4–9
2018
BYU
7–6
W Famous Idaho Potato
2019
BYU
7–6
L Hawaii
2020
BYU
11–1
W Boca Raton
11
11
2021
BYU
10–3
L Independence
22
19
2022
BYU
8–5
W New Mexico
BYU Cougars (Big 12 Conference) (2023–present)
2023
BYU
5–7
2–7
T–11th
2024
BYU
11–2
7–2
T–1st
W Alamo
14
13
2025
BYU
12–2
8–1
T–1st
W Pop-Tarts
BYU:
84–45
17–10
Total:
84–45
National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth
mw- #Rankings from final Coaches Poll. °Rankings from final AP Poll.

References

  1. "BYU names Sitake as 13th head football coach in program history"
    https://www.ksl.com/?sid=37775847&nid=272&title=reports-byu-to-name-sitake-as-13th-head-football-coach-in-program-history&fm=home_page&s_cid=topstory
  2. Deseret News
    https://www.deseret.com/2015/12/19/20578874/who-is-kalani-sitake-here-s-a-look-at-his-coaching-career
  3. "Kalani Sitake Bio"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20091202085524/http://utahutes.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/sitake_kalani00.html
  4. "Gary Andersen Names Assistants"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20141227024455/http://www.osubeavers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30800&ATCLID=209820754
  5. "BYU to name Oregon State DC Kalani Sitake new head coach"
    https://www.si.com/college-football/2015/12/19/kalani-sitake-byu-oregon-state-head-coach.html
  6. ESPN.com
    https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/14399087/byu-cougars-agree-kalani-sitake-become-next-head-coach
  7. "Kalani Sitake hired as BYU's head coach"
    http://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/index.ssf/2015/12/kalani_sitake_hired_as_byus_he.html
  8. KSL.com
    https://www.ksl.com/article/41340832/oldroyds-late-kick-sends-byu-to-18-16-win-over-arizona
  9. NFL.com
    https://www.nfl.com/news/polynesian-football-hall-of-fame-announces-2025-class
  10. The Salt Lake Tribune
    https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=3328854&itype=CMSID
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