The “Big Announcement”: A Contract Extension and Commitment to BYU
The most significant recent news involving Coach Sitake is his decision to remain at BYU after being heavily pursued by Penn State. In early December 2025, following several tense days where Sitake explored the Penn State opportunity, BYU announced it had reached an agreement on a long-term contract extension .
The announcement was made in a memorable and heartfelt way. Just before 5:30 p.m. on December 2, 2025, BYU’s director of football operations posted a video on social media of Sitake addressing his players. Sitake told them, “Listen, I know we talked about it yesterday and all that, but you don’t need anymore distractions, OK? You guys know we’re working out all the details with agents and everything, but I’m not going anywhere” . His players erupted in loud cheers and swarmed him in celebration .
This decision came at a critical time, as BYU was preparing for the Big 12 championship game . Penn State had reportedly set a market value for Sitake at an estimated **$10 million a year**, which would have made him one of the highest-paid coaches in the country . BYU, backed by influential boosters including Crumbl co-founder Jason McGowan and Nutricost founder Min Kim, deployed a full-court press to keep their coach, working out an extension for Sitake and his staff while reviewing projected NIL needs .
### 📈 A Historic Recruiting Class
Sitake’s decision to stay at BYU has already paid dividends on the recruiting trail. The Cougars signed the best recruiting class in program history for 2026, ranked **No. 21 nationally** and **No. 2 in the Big 12** by 247Sports . This class is headlined by four-star talents like quarterback **Ryder Lyons**—the 2024 California Gatorade Player of the Year—and five of the top ten players in the state of Utah .
Key victories included flipping twin brothers **Jaron and Kennan Pula** from rival Utah, a massive statement that BYU is now winning critical battles for top-tier local talent .
### 🏈 On-Field Success and Looking Ahead
Sitake has guided BYU to remarkable success since joining the Big 12. In 2025, the Cougars posted a **12-win season** and appeared in the Big 12 Championship game . They were led by true freshman quarterback **Bear Bachmeier**, who threw for 3,033 yards and 15 touchdowns while rushing for 11 more, earning Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year honors .
For the 2026 season, the hope for Bachmeier and the Cougars is to finally reach the College Football Playoff after finishing near the top of the Big 12 for the last two seasons. BYU will face a pair of 10-win teams in Utah and Notre Dame but does not play any College Football Playoff participants from a season ago .
