When BYU lost defensive coordinator Jay Hill to Michigan, it felt like the kind of move that could trigger real instability. Hill was widely respected inside and outside the program, credited with modernizing the defense and helping BYU reach new heights in their last two seasons. The Cougars went a combined 23-4, with two bowl wins, and a conference championship game appearance.
Around college football, the assumption was almost automatic: a coordinator that influential leaves, the foundation cracks,
and the transfer portal follows. Certainly, that’s what BYU’s rivals hoped for.
Sorry to disappoint them, but that mass exodus never came. Instead of watching defensive contributors and depth pieces scatter, BYU largely held its roster together. Players like Isaiah Glasker, Evan Johnson, Faletau Satuala, Keanu Tanuvasa, Tre Alexander, and several more, announced their re-commitment to BYU for 2026, despite losing their beloved defensive coordinator.
The Cougars didn’t just survive the departure; they stabilized quickly and aggressively. Key players stayed put and the Cougars also added in the transfer portal. Linebacker has been a strength for several years, especially with the duo of Jack Kelly and Glasker. With Kelly out of eligibility, the Cougars need to replace his impact. They just added two impactful linebackers via the portal in Jake Clifton, a returned missionary from Kansas State, and Cade Uluave.
Uluave was rated as the top linebacker available via the portal, coming from Cal. He even was considering joining Kyle Whittingham and Jay Hill at Michigan, yet still chose Kalani Sitake and BYU.
Reality points back to Kalani Sitake. BYU’s identity, being physical, disciplined, culturally unified. Sitake has long emphasized continuity, trust, and player development, and those values don’t walk out the door when an assistant takes another job. Jay Hill mattered, but the infrastructure that allowed him to succeed is still very much in place.
That infrastructure revolves around Kalani Sitake. BYU made sure it would stay that way, by giving Sitake a massive extension after Penn State made a huge effort to lure him to coach the Nittany Lions. In many ways, the lack of panic after Hill’s exit says more about BYU’s health than any single transfer addition. This is Sitake’s team.
BYU currently ranks 25th in the country in their overall class of 2026, counting recruits and transfers coming in. Keep in mind, BYU ranked 59th and 62nd in 2025 and 2024 respectively.
Make no mistake, it’s Sitake who is in charge in Provo. Who is the reigning Big 12 Coach of the Year.
