Has Kalani Sitake Done Enough For A Contract Extension?

PROVO, Utah – With only one year left on his contract, BYU head coach Kalani Sitake’s contract situation is always going to remain a talking point that hovers around Sitake’s program.

This past Saturday, after the Cougars defeated No. 24 USC, it brought up talks of Sitake’s contract status once again.

With a 2-1 start to the 2019 season and those victories coming against college football powerhouses, has Sitake done enough to earn the extension?

Come for 🎥of the game-winning interception in @BYUfootball's 30-27 overtime win over USC and stay for Kalani Sitake's reaction and celebration with fans. #BYU #BYUFOOTBALL pic.twitter.com/FeaBUDoeXL

— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) September 15, 2019

Emotions always run high after big wins or hard losses, but in this case, where the Cougars are coming off two wins where they were underdogs, it’s not being shortsighted to suggest Sitake warrants an extension right now.

Sitake has shown that progress is being made in his program. Nobody thought BYU was capable of winning two of the games in their four-game gauntlet against Power Five teams. With one game remaining, the Cougars have a chance to win 75-percent of that gauntlet.

BYU’s talent under Sitake has improved, the Cougars are deeper than they’ve ever been since becoming an independent, and there is accountability taking place within Sitake’s program.

But is it enough? No extension has been offered as of yet. Will the outlook change if the Cougars get blown out by Washington again? Is BYU’s administration and Tom Holmoe waiting on results against rivals Boise State and Utah State?

Booster Weighs In Supporting Sitake

After Saturday’s win, one of BYU’s prominent donors in Domo’s Josh James tweeted out, “CONTRACT.”

CONTRACT @BYU @BYUfootball @kalanifsitake

— Josh James (@joshjames) September 15, 2019

National Signing Day is coming up in three months and negative recruiting can happen when a coaches contract is up in the air. BYU can resolve all of that by extending Sitake and then the fourth-year head coach can have the luxury of telling recruits he will be there for years to come.

During Sitake’s tenure at BYU, the Cougars have defeated some quality Power Five programs in Michigan State, Mississippi State, Arizona twice, Wisconsin, Tennessee, and USC.

After the debacle that was 2017, Sitake fought for his job by making wholesale changes to his offensive staff and parting ways with a Cougar legend in Ty Detmer. The move has paid off as a renewed sense of leadership has taken place from the top-down in his program and now the results are barring the fruits of tough decisions during his tenure.

When players aren’t bought in with what Sitake is preaching, Sitake has found athletes better fits if they aren’t willing to be as Sitake calls it, “ballers” both on and off the field, at a school that demands a lot from their student-athletes.

FINAL: BYU 30, USC 27

Big-time win for Kalani Sitake and the Cougar football program. By far the best home win of the Sitake era.#USCvsBYU #KSLsports

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) September 14, 2019

On top of the recent success, there isn’t anyone out there in the coaching world that has more institutional knowledge of BYU, has a better coaching resume, and is an active, temple recommend carrying member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints than Kalani Sitake.

No need for BYU and Holmoe to continue waiting, Sitake has done enough to earn an extension.

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