Kalani Sitake led BYU into the Big 12 Conference in 2023, and the program has already transformed that move into back-to-back double-digit win seasons. Because of that success, Sitake quickly became a leading candidate for other head-coaching openings, including Penn State, following the firing of James Franklin.
How the College Football World Reacted to Kalani Sitake Rejecting Penn State
Penn State made Sitake one of its top targets as Franklin’s successor before the search eventually landed on Matt Campbell. The school later finalized an eight-year, $70.5 million deal with Campbell to become its next head coach, but questions still lingered about why Sitake passed on the opportunity.
Sitake spoke with On3’s Pete Nakos this week regarding his choice to reject Penn State and remain in Provo.
“It got real quickly after people started to find out about it,” Sitake said. “The decision-making process had to happen almost overnight. Looking at what Penn State was doing and what they were trying to offer, I had to decide what I wanted and what I considered compensation for me, and what I was chasing.”
Sitake also said there was nothing against Penn State, as it is a fine institution. He added that the Nittany Lions got the “right” guy in Campbell.
Meanwhile, news of him ditching the Penn State offer began to earn reactions from the football community.
“Looking back now, the Sitake to Penn State situation feels like it was a fever dream,” former Penn State offensive lineman Landon Tengwall wrote.
“Every coach says they’d leave for the right offer. The ones who don’t are the ones who already know what they’re building. One Game at a Time: A Brief History of College Football,” Frank Wilson Jr., associate head coach at Tennessee Tech University, tweeted.
Sitake said it would have been “really hard” to walk away from BYU, especially because of how much support he receives from the fan base. He also said that people can sometimes get too caught up in the “business” side of things and lose sight of what matters most.
We know Sitake’s business is winning for BYU, which also earned him high praise.
“He chose loyalty and the opportunity to build upon the foundation of a lasting legacy vs chasing $$ with no guarantee of success,” Iowa State alum Jeremy Davis wrote.
BYU was also close to earning a spot in the College Football Playoff at the time, though the Cougars ultimately finished just outside the 12-team field alongside Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame.
However, after successfully fending off a post-2025 coaching raid and keeping much of its roster foundation intact, the future looks promising for the Cougars heading into 2026. The PFSN College Football Playoff Predictor gives them a 29.7% chance of making the CFP in the upcoming season.
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