PHILADELPHIA — BYU head football coach Kalani Sitake was today named a semifinalist for the George Munger College Coach of the Year Award, presented annually by the Maxwell Football Club.
In his 10th season at BYU and 25th overall year as a college football coach, Sitake leads the program he once played for under legendary College Football Hall of Fame coach LaVell Edwards.
A former Cougar running back (1994, 1997-2000), Sitake has guided BYU to a 20-3 record over the past two seasons, including a 9-1 record and a current No. 11 CFP ranking in 2025.
Also a semifinalist in 2024, Sitake's Cougars finished the 2024 season ranked No. 13 in the country at 11-2 following a decisive 36-14 win over Colorado in the Alamo Bowl. Sitake was also a semifinalist in 2021 and 2020.
The first FBS head football coach of Tongan descent, Sitake boasts an 81-44 record in his 10 seasons at BYU. Earlier this season he was named a candidate for the American Heart Association’s 2025 Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award and was on the midseason watch list for the Dodd Trophy presented annually by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation.
Since Sitake was hired at BYU, the Cougars are No. 17 in wins in the FBS. Among the 28 coaches hired at new schools in 2016, only Kirby Smart (114) at Georgia has won more games than Sitake's 81.
Sitake coached his first seven seasons with BYU as an independent program, notching notable wins over Arkansas, Baylor, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Tennessee, USC, Utah, Arizona, Arizona State, Washington State and Boise State, among others.
After the first season in the Big 12 in 2023, the Cougars have gone 13-3 in the league under Sitake's leadership the last two years. With two conference games to go at 6-1 in 2025, BYU controls its destiny for an opportunity to secure a berth in the Big 12 Championship in its third year in the conference.
Finalists for the George Munger College Coach of the Year Award will be announced on Dec. 8, with the winner named on Dec. 30. The formal presentation of the George Munger Coach of the Year Award will be held on March 14, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia. The Maxwell Football Club will also be presenting its other national awards from high school through the professional ranks at the event.
The Maxwell Football Club was founded in 1935 and is the oldest football organization of its kind in America. The Club recognizes excellence in performance at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of the game. The Maxwell Club is also fully vested in the community through programs to promote academic excellence, community volunteerism and leadership.
Semifinalists for the George Munger College Coach of the Year Award are listed in alphabetical order by school.