BYU’s Kalani Sitake Named To Coveted Bear Bryant Coach Of The Year Watch List

PROVO, Utah – BYU head coach Kalani Sitake has been named to the 2020 Paul “Bear” Bryant award list. The Bear Bryant Award recognizes the top coach in College Football in a given season.

Sitake is one of 24 coaches who will be considered for the highly coveted award.

Coach @kalanifsitake named to the 2020 Paul “Bear” Bryant Award watch list.

➡️ https://t.co/tN0enU8Qip#BYUFOOTBALL #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/3FbGSJKvo9

— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) November 18, 2020

“I’m just thankful I have really great assistant coaches and players that allow us to get some recognition,” Sitake said on his weekly coaches show (KSL NewsRadio, Tuesday, 9 p.m.). “But I couldn’t do it without the assistant coaches, they do a phenomenal job for us.”

Sitake has led BYU to only its fourth 8-0 start in program history, the first since 2001.

This is Sitake’s fifth year as head coach of the Cougars. A former BYU player, Sitake’s BYU teams are 35-25 since he took over in 2016.

“Coming into the program through the ups and downs, he’s always been optimistic, he’s always been more about football, there’s more to him. He literally cares about every one of us and we feel that the fans see that,” BYU nose tackle Khyiris Tonga said about Sitake. “I feel like he deserves everything that’s coming towards him and more. He’s a great coach, great mentor, great father figure, and we’re grateful to have him here at BYU.”

The Bear Bryant Award is presented each January and is the only college football honor selected after the postseason bowl games and the national championship game are concluded.

2020 Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award Watch List

Alphabetical Order

Tom Allen, Indiana University

Matt Campbell, Iowa State University

Jamey Chadwell, Coastal Carolina University

Paul Chryst, University of Wisconsin

Mario Cristobal, University of Oregon

Ryan Day, The Ohio State University

Manny Diaz, University of Miami

Karl Dorrell, University of Colorado

Luke Fickell, University of Cincinnati

Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M University

Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern University

Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State University

Clay Helton, University of Southern California

Tom Herman, The University of Texas at Austin

Doc Holliday, Marshall University

Brian Kelly, Notre Dame University

Gus Malzahn, Auburn University

Dan Mullen, University of Florida

Jay Novell, University of Nevada

Lincoln Riley, University of Oklahoma

Nick Saban, University of Alabama

Kalani Sitake, Brigham Young University

Kirby Smart, University of Georgia

Dabo Swinney, Clemson University