Social Media Reacts To BYU Promoting Brian Santiago As Athletics Director
May 13, 2025, 10:47 PM | Updated: May 14, 2025, 10:32 am
PROVO, Utah – Brian Santiago will be the new athletic director of the BYU Cougars.
It’s a promotion from his role as deputy athletic director. Santiago has been in BYU’s athletic department since 2001 and has worked at BYU since 1997.
Social media reactions to BYU hiring Brian Santiago
Once BYU made the official announcement, reactions to Santiago’s promotion as the next BYU A.D. began pouring in on social media.
Here’s a roundup of some of the notable reactions from individuals involved with BYU athletics throughout the years.
Val Hale, Former BYU Athletic Director
Congrats, Brian Santiago on your appointment as BYU’s AD. Something that impressed me about Brian when we worked together was his ability to get a prodigious amount of work done. His work ethic is one of many attributes that will help him lead the cougars to continued success.
— Val Hale (@UtahHale) May 13, 2025
Chad Lewis, BYU Associate AD – Development/Former NFL TE
Congrats B! I know that you will use all your skills and your great energy to help BYU Dominate!! Let’s go! https://t.co/fPP7G5fLoE
— Chad Lewis (@Chadlewis89) May 14, 2025
Liz Darger, BYU Athletics Senior Woman Administrator (SWA)
For 20 years, Brian has been Tom’s right hand and a driving force behind our success across all sports. I’m thrilled to see him lead our department into this new era of college athletics! GO COUGS!! 💙 https://t.co/9IvJEeePNx
— Liz Darger (@lizdarger) May 13, 2025
Austin Collie, Former BYU/NFL WR
Cougar Nation is in good hands!!!!! Well deserved. https://t.co/WEIsf12r8v
— Austin Collie (@AKCollie_17) May 14, 2025
Mark Durrant, BYU Sports Network Analyst/Former BYU basketball player
Brian has been a great friend to me over the years. I loved playing with him at Provo High and hated playing against him when he was at Fresno. He has been kind and generous to me and my extended family over the years. The Durrants love the Santiagos. He comes from truly… https://t.co/6bjMvPqAlG
— Mark Durrant (@DurrantMark) May 14, 2025
“Brian has been a great friend to me over the years. I loved playing with him at Provo High and hated playing against him when he was at Fresno. He has been kind and generous to me and my extended family over the years. The Durrants love the Santiagos,” wrote Mark Durrant on X.
Durrant continued, “He comes from truly remarkable parents, Frank and Ella. I’ve been teammates at Provo High and BYU with three of his tremendous brothers Kevin, Mark and Todd. His wife Kim is magnificent and talented and they’ve created a wonderful family. I don’t know a lot of things, but I know Brian is fiercely devoted to and loves BYU and is utterly committed to BYUs future athletic success. No one cares more, is more capable, or will work harder than Brian to make BYU great.”
Chris Burgess, BYU Basketball Assistant Coach
So proud of my friend & leader, Brian Santiago, on being named BYU’s new Athletic Director. No one more deserving. His passion, vision, & love for BYU are unmatched. Excited for what’s ahead—it’s a GREAT day to be a Cougar! https://t.co/Mmh92gcIY2
— Chris Burgess (@chrisburgess34) May 14, 2025
Travis Hansen, Former BYU/NBA Player
So happy for my good friend Brian Santiago on being named BYU’s new Athletic Director.
We’ve been close for 25 years—he’s celebrated with my family, shown up in the hard times + good times, and always repped BYU with passion.
Cougar Nation is in good hands. Let’s go! https://t.co/67U9faYonK
— Travis Hansen (@travishansen24) May 13, 2025
Brandon Dunson, BYU Basketball Assistant Coach
No one more deserving and everyone around @BYUCougars understands why! Congratulations to the man who is one of the main sources of the success of Cougar Athletics! It’s a GREAT day to be a Cougar! https://t.co/b031bPNTl8
— Brandon Dunson (@BMDunson) May 13, 2025
Nate Austin, BYU Director of Basketball Operations/Former BYU player
Brian is BYU blue through and through! Brian is a major reason for the success BYU has enjoyed recently. He’s as a competitive, driven, and hard-working as they come. BYU is in good hands–it’s a great day to be a Coug! https://t.co/SC3zUFHHQ8
— Nate Austin (@coachnateaustin) May 13, 2025
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
