Urban Meyer Gives Coach Of The Week Nod To BYU’s Kalani Sitake
Nov 13, 2020, 5:08 PM
BYU head coach Kalani Sitake on the sideline during the Cougars win over Louisiana Tech on October 2nd, 2020. (BYU Photo/Jaren Wilkey)
(BYU Photo/Jaren Wilkey)
PROVO, Utah – Urban Meyer never uttered the words “BYU” and “Cougars” when he was the head coach of the Utah Utes from 2003-2004. But over time, feelings change, and Meyer has no reason to have angst towards the team he once referred to as “Team Down South.”
In fact, Urban Meyer is giving praise to BYU these days and its current head coach, Kalani Sitake.
This week, Meyer, one of College Football’s greatest coaches ever, gave Sitake a coach of the week recognition for the job he and his BYU team had against Boise State in their 51-17 victory on the Blue Turf.
1. @NDFootball's Brian Kelly
2. @GatorsFB's Dan Mullen
3. @IndianaFootball's Tom Allen
4. @BYUfootball's Kalani Sitake@CoachUrbanMeyer names his top coaches of the week 🙌 pic.twitter.com/HEvqQMpv7d— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 12, 2020
“Kalani Sitake’s BYU Cougars are now 8-0 after a Top 25 win over Boise State. This is the program’s first time reaching 8-0 since 2001,” Meyer said.
Sitake was one of four coaches that Meyer recognized as his “Coaches of the Week” for FOX College Football. The others were Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly, who defeated No. 1 ranked Clemson last week. Florida’s Dan Mullen and Indiana’s head coach Tom Allen led the Hoosiers to its first win over Michigan since 1987.
The turnaround from Sitake and this BYU program has been one of the biggest surprises in college football this season. Heading into the 2020 season, Sitake had a losing record against FBS competition through his first four years. Now BYU is in a position to potentially be an at-large team in a New Year’s Six bowl game.
Sitake’s career record as head coach of the Cougars is now 35-25 through his first 60 games. A similar mark to BYU legend LaVell Edwards. Edwards started his career at BYU with a 37-22-1 record through his first 60 games as head coach in the 1970s.
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., KSL Newsradio). Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper and the KSL Sports app.
