When Jay Hill officially left BYU to become the defensive coordinator at Michigan on January 1, 2026, the tone from both men was professional and appreciative rather than emotional or sad . Kalani Sitake issued a public statement shortly after the announcement, expressing sincere gratitude for Hill’s contributions over the previous three seasons .
“I want to express my sincere appreciation to Jay Hill for all he’s done for BYU football over the last three years. He’s a great coach and I wish him the best in his new endeavor,” Sitake said in a statement posted to social media . Sitake also emphasized the strength of the program moving forward, noting, “Our football program is in a great place… I’m excited about the collaborative efforts of our defensive coaches over the past few years and the momentum we have been building as a staff” .
### The Context: A Reunion with Kyle Whittingham
Hill’s departure was widely anticipated and viewed as a natural career move rather than a shock defection. He left to reunite with Kyle Whittingham, the new Michigan head coach, for whom Hill had previously played and coached for a combined 15 seasons at the University of Utah . Whittingham praised Hill as “a great leader and one of the sharpest defensive minds in the game” .
Sitake acknowledged the inevitability of the move given Whittingham’s influence. “When [Whittingham takes a job], he has a network that he goes to for putting together a staff. That is how football works,” Sitake said, indicating he was not caught off guard by the coaching raid .
### The Real “Sad” Part: Losing a Key Architect
While the personal messages between Sitake and Hill were positive, the “sad” aspect for the BYU program is strictly related to the **on-field impact of losing a top-tier coordinator** . Hill transformed a BYU defense that ranked 109th nationally before his arrival into a top-35 unit that led the Big 12 in scoring defense, allowing just 19.4 points per game over the past two seasons .
BYU also lost cornerbacks coach Jernaro Gilford to Michigan, a departure that, combined with Hill’s exit, could have signaled a mass exodus . However, the narrative quickly shifted from “sadness over loss” to **”celebration of retention.”**
### The Silver Lining: No Players Followed
If there was concern about “sad messages” following Hill out the door, they did not materialize among the players. Despite fears that top defenders might follow Hill to Ann Arbor, BYU retained its core roster . Key players like safety Faletau Satuala, running back LJ Martin, and defensive lineman Keanu Tanuvasa all announced their return .
New defensive coordinator Kelly Poppinga revealed that the retention effort was player-driven. Cornerback Tre Alexander immediately began texting teammates to rally the troops, telling Poppinga, “I ain’t going anywhere… I’m rallying the troops… nobody’s leaving” . This response underscores that while the coaching change was a loss, the culture Sitake built remained strong .
In summary, there is no record of “sad messages” being exchanged. The news is that Sitake publicly wished Hill well, Hill moved to a prestigious Big Ten job, and BYU responded to the departure by promoting from within and successfully stabilizing the roster .
