BYU’s Fesi Sitake Named Nominee For Top Assistant Coach Award

PROVO, Utah – BYU passing game coordinator Fesi Sitake is in the running for the top assistant coach award in college football.

Sitake was named a nominee to the 2022 Broyles Award list. He’s one of 51 coaches that made the nominee list in a pool of approximately 1,500 assistant coaches representing 131 FBS programs across the country.

Here is the complete list of 2022 Broyles Award nominees! pic.twitter.com/99628BeS1t

— BROYLES AWARD (@BroylesAward) November 15, 2022

The Broyles Award, named after legendary Arkansas head coach and athletic director Frank Broyles, honors the top assistant coach in college football.

Fesi Sitake named a Broyles Award nominee

Sitake has led a BYU wide receiver room that has been hit hard by injuries since the start of fall camp but has remained a top-producing group. The fifth-year assistant on cousin (they view each other as brothers) Kalani Sitake’s staff, Fesi Sitake has been a key piece in the evolution of BYU’s offense over the past handful of years.

His receivers this season include star Puka Nacua. Nacua is one of the highest-graded receivers in all of college football this season, according to Pro Football Focus’ grading system. Another key contributor is Kody Epps. Epps emerged as BYU’s leading receiver before suffering a season-ending injury against Liberty in late October.

#BYU Passing Game Coordinator Fesi Sitake has been named a nominee for the 2022 Broyles Award.

The award is given to college football's top assistant coach.#BYUFootball

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 15, 2022

Sitake’s wide receivers have produced at a high level despite being without one of the top players in Gunner Romney. The fifth-year senior has only played in two games this season after suffering a lacerated kidney injury in fall camp.

Then you add receivers such as Keanu Hill and Brayden Cosper, it’s been a productive group that shows no signs of slowing down when they move into the Big 12 Conference next year in 2023.

Sitake began his coaching career immediately after his playing days concluded in 2011. The former receiver at Southern Utah University became a student assistant for his alma mater and worked his way up to passing game coordinator in 2013.

After three seasons with the T-Birds, Sitake moved north to Ogden to join the Weber State program as wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator. He was named offensive coordinator for the 2016 and 2017 seasons before joining BYU’s staff under then offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes.

Speaking of Grimes, the Baylor offensive coordinator is also on the Broyles Award nominee list. During the 2020 season while at BYU, Grimes was a finalist for the award.

2022 Broyles Award Nominees

Alabama – Pete Golding, Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers

Arizona – Jimmie Dougherty, Passing Game/Quarterbacks

Arkansas – Jimmy Smith, Running Backs

Ball State – Tyler Stockton, Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers

Baylor – Jeff Grimes, Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends

Boise State – Spencer Danielson, Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers

BYU – Fesi Sitake, Passing Game/Wide Receivers

Cincinnati – Mike Brown, Wide Receivers/Passing Game

Coastal Carolina – Skylor Magee, Defensive Line

Duke – Kevin Johns, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks

East Carolina – Chris Foster, Running Backs

Florida – Rob Sale, Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line

Florida State – Alex Atkins, Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line

Georgia – Todd Monken, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks

Georgia Southern – Bryan Ellis, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks

Illinois – Ryan Walters, Defensive Coordinator

Iowa – Phil Parker, Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Back

Iowa State – Jon Heacock, Defensive Coordinator

Kansas – Andy Kotelnicki, Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends

Kansas State – Joe Klanderman, Defensive Coordinator

Louisville – Bryan Brown, Defensive Coordinator

Louisiana State University – Matt House, Defensive Coordinator

Michigan – Jesse Minter, Defensive Coordinator

Minnesota – Joe Rossi, Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers

NC State – Tony Gibson, Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers

North Carolina – Phil Longo, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks

North Texas – Mike Bloesch, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks

Notre Dame – Brian Mason, Special Teams

Ohio – Scott Isphording, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks

Ohio State – Jim Knowles, Defensive Coordinator/ Linebackers

Ole Miss – Marquel Blackwell, Running Backs

Oregon – Kenny Dillingham, Offensive Coordinator

Oregon State – Trent Bray, Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers

Penn State – Manny Diaz, Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers

Rutgers – Joe Harasymiak, Defensive Coordinator

Southern Methodist University – Casey Woods, Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends

South Carolina – Pete Lembo, Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams

Syracuse – Tony White, Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers

Texas Christian University – Garrett Riley, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks

Tennessee – Alex Golesh, Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends

Texas State – Zac Spavital, Defensive Coordinator

Toledo – Vince Kehres, Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers

Troy – Shiel Wood, Defensive Coordinator/Safeties

UAB – Blake Shrader, Defensive Backs

UCF – Travis Williams, Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers

UCLA – Deshaun Foster, Running Backs

USC – Shaun Nua, Defensive Line

Utah – Morgan Scalley, Defensive Coordinator/Safeties

Wake Forest – Kevin Higgins, Wide Receivers

Washington – Ryan Grubb, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks

Western Kentucky – Tyson Summers, Defensive Coordinator

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 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.

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