The following quotes are from BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe and head coach Kalani Sitake's media availability following the announcement of Coach Sitake's new contract at BYU.
Athletic Director Tom Holmoe
I am sitting next to a man here who I have a great deal of respect for and I love this guy. It just so happens that he is a great coach, so we have this amazing combination if character, football acumen and love and mentoring and leadership that we feel is super important for our program and Cougar Nation. I feel Kalani has made an incredible commitment to BYU football, he has made a commitment to his student athletes, his staff and Cougar Nation. So thus, we felt it was imperative and very important that we make that same commitment back to him.
So today, I am happy to say that we have an unprecedented contract with Kalani and BYU football that will keep him here for many years to come. We are so grateful that he is a coach for BYU that brings stability in a time of so much instability. For us to feel his love and for Cougar Nation to feel that love, we want to put it together and keep it rolling. I have great value for this man, for his wife and the Sitake family and we are moving forward into a great future with one more year of an Independent football schedule and then moving into the Big 12. There is nobody else on the planet that we would rather do it with than Coach Kalani Sitake.
On why the contract is unprecedented
I feel it is unprecedented because Kalani and I got together with Brian Santiago, my deputy AD, and we started talking about the program. The program starts with Kalani, but it goes deeper than that. It goes into his coaching staff, his office staff, it goes onto the people around the strength staff and trainers. There are so many people involved in the success of this program, and when we started talking about the future of the program, Kalani wanted to start with those people.
Kalani did not want to start with himself, so I believe it is unprecedented because we are able to move forward with our head coach leading the way in a long-term contract. It also is unprecedented that we have made a commitment to Kalani and his staff going forward and for the rest of the program that we are going to do the things we need to do to bring BYU football into this modern age. We have been Independent for a long time and we are heading into the Big 12 which is going to take a concerted effort between our administration, BYU athletics, BYU football, Kalani and his staff because we are all in this together.
Something that has made me feel really good about this is Kalani loves the department. It is so unprecedented because Cougar Nation wanted it so badly. Kalani made a commitment to Cougar Nation and Cougar Nation has made a commitment to Kalani and we just had to put that all together.
Kalani has dreams for BYU football and we talk about those visions a lot. So when we talk about unprecedented, we are talking about what we can do at BYU. Kalani doesn’t really concern himself with other schools and how they are doing things because it is more about what his boys can do. I feel we are taking this to another level here at BYU.
On deals for assistants and other staff members
It will not be part of Kalani’s deal, but part of our vision includes all the separate pieces moving forward. I would say that the assistant coaching pool has contracts coming together as we speak so they will all be done and renewed for January 1st.
On budgeting questions
We are trying to make decisions that will be efficient for our future success. There are budget issues that come into play, so we just talk about them. We talk about where we can allocate our money and where we should invest it. We know that we needed to make a bigger commitment because we are all on the same page of what it will take to be successful in the Big 12. It will be a way tougher initiative than we have been involved with in the past and we need to make sure we are doing the right things with the right people in the right way.
I think it is important to note that we went about all the budgeting items together. It is a combined effort as we looked at what other schools in the Big 12 are doing and looked at where we had come from and together we came up with those numbers. We are still working with those, but we are on track. If we have to adapt, we’ll adapt.
Head coach Kalani Sitake
First of all I just want to express my appreciation and gratitude for the opportunity I have to be head coach here at BYU football and being around such wonderful people. Working under President Worthen and his leadership, upper campus administration, and with Tom Holmoe as our Athletic Director and his staff has been a pleasure for me and I have learned quite a bit. It has been a wonderful experience for me to grow and spread the culture of love and learning and feel the love and appreciation I have from the wonderful people on campus.
I am really excited to be the head coach and have the stability Tom mentioned. I am really excited for the opportunity we have with everyone involved in BYU football, especially the players, for the resources and opportunities they will have to have to get us into a situation where we can have success. Most of all I just want to tell the BYU fans that I am so happy. I appreciate all the support that we have received from Cougar Nation, it warms my heart and I hope they know how much I love them and how much the team loves them. Looking forward to this next week and all the festivities and the bowl game.
On why the contract is unprecedented
I believe this contract is unprecedented for the main reason that it is not just about me, it is about the program, the players and the staff. I think that is what makes it different. It’s not a one-man show, this is something that takes a bunch of people and a lot of sacrifices from others so this is getting them the opportunities and resources they need. So for me, it is unprecedented because it involves more than just the head coach.
On support from fans, players, and alumni
The support has been really nice. This is so much fun because the fans, alumni and the love from everybody has been great. Our team feeds off of that and our program feeds off of that. I thank my family for allowing me to spend so much time with Cougar Nation. I am really thankful for a wonderful family who supports me and knows how important it is to be around the fans. This is something that just feels so good. Going into our bowl prep and practices, it was nice to share with our players the news of the commitment we are seeing from our administration and our school. Looking forward to our practices and seeing all the wonderful people in Shreveport.
On contract timeline
I think everything is a work-in-progress. I can tell you BYU is in a situation they have never been in before when talking about athletics and what I have seen from the leadership, I have been really impressed with. There will be opportunities for us to continue to be innovative and creative in how we operate and I am looking forward to all the wonderful opportunities ahead for our athletes, which extends to our fans and other students and faculty and staff here on campus.
On what the contract means for his assistant coaching staff
I think we have wonderful people behind the scenes that do a lot of the work that people don’t ever hear about. This program doesn’t work without those people in the background who spend so much of their time sacrificing for this program. I want to share my appreciation for their families for allowing their family members to sacrifice so much time for us. Whatever we can do to get them more opportunities and resources we will do. I feel we have a wonderful brand of football and the more people we can add to it, the more people we can reach around the world for bigger influence.
Wide receiver Puka Nacua
On the staff
The staff that we have here, just the total team environment, I’ve really enjoyed being a part of and everybody is excited to keep it going.
On affect in the locker room
As much as there has been a lot going on recently, it was never a concern for us in the locker room, knowing the season we’ve had. It’s been pure enjoyment for us ever since the good news.
On moving to the Big 12
We plan to build a dynasty here and that’s Coach Kalani’s plan. It all started at the beginning of this season and going to continue forward.
On the value of the coaching staff
We are blessed to have Kalani and the commitment BYU has to him throughout the years. The confidence boost of knowing that the same guy is going to be leading us forward with the same message is really exciting.
Quarterback Jaren Hall
On moving to the Big 12
It shows a lot of confidence that the program has in us as a team and in our coaches for what we’ve been able to do at this point. It shows there is a lot of support and a recognition for the hard work we have been putting in and the results we are receiving.
On finishing out the season
The announcement won’t really affect how we’ve been approaching each game of the season.
Kalani has not even mentioned anything because he is so focused on our upcoming game. That’s just the type of man he is, investing everything he has into us as players and preparing us as well as he can.
Realizing this bowl game is the most important game we’ve ever played because it’s the next one we have, is something Kalani’s taught us.