Sitake Announces New Leaders Of BYU Football Recruiting Efforts

PROVO, Utah – Even during a global pandemic, recruiting in college football never sleeps. To lead BYU football recruiting, head coach Kalani Sitake announced that Jasen Ah You has been promoted from Support Services Coordinator to Director of Recruiting.

Ah You replaces Alema Fitisemanu who was BYU’s Director of Recruiting since 2018.

Along with Ah You, BYU Football Community Relations Coordinator Jack Damuni will assist with recruiting as Player Personnel Coordinator. Damuni has been on Sitake’s staff since 2016 where he was originally hired to lead Player Personnel.

Kalani Sitake just addressed the media in a teleconference. One hire to note, @Jasen_AhYou has been promoted to lead the recruiting efforts at #BYU along with @JackDamuni. Those are permanent promotions.#BYUFootball @kslsports

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) March 24, 2020

“We were looking to get a lot more involvement in recruiting with him [Ah You] and Jack Damuni and try to utilize as many of the resources as we have in recruiting,” said Sitake. “That was kind of an adjustment we were going to make anyways and I think it just kind of fits perfectly now allowing him to do this.”

After Fitisemanu was no longer in the Director of Recruiting role, Ah You stepped in and started to host recruits during spring football prior to practices and recruiting operations being suspended due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. Both Ah You and Damuni have also made a strong push on social media with edits and graphics that promote the accomplishments of the coaching staff and big NFL paydays for former BYU players such as Kyle Van Noy inking a $51 million contract with the Miami Dolphins.

LaVell Edwards Stadium
Ain’t no other setting like it in the nation. Once you take that field as player you will never forget that feeling.
GO COUGS! pic.twitter.com/ns7yUmGPfw

— BYU Football Recruiting (@BYUFBRecruiting) March 21, 2020

Ah You and Damuni have deep connections to recruiting that spans decades. One of the big challenges going forward for the new recruiting leadership at BYU will be to put together classes that rank higher nationally in the team recruiting rankings.

Since Sitake became the head coach in 2016, BYU’s recruiting classes have average a ranking at 70th nationally according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings. It will be Ah You and Damuni who will look to move the Cougars up the recruiting rankings and identify athletes who fit BYU both on and maybe more importantly off the field.

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.