Penn State in talks with head coach of CFP contender, per report
By Andrew Olson
Published:
The conclusion of the 2025 regular season brought lots of action on the coaching carousel, particularly in the SEC, but there remains plenty of curiosity on how one of the biggest openings will be filled. The Penn State job remains open, and the Nittany Lions reportedly have their sights set on the current head coach of a College Football Playoff contender.
FootballScoop is reporting that Penn State is in talks with BYU coach Kalani Sitake. The Cougars are 11-1 on the season entering Saturday’s Big 12 championship game with a shot at making the CFP.
Anonymous sources who spoke to FootballScoop were quoted in the report. One openly questioned why Sitake would leave BYU – “your school as well as your church” – when the football program is doing so well.
Penn State, though, is likely offering a step up in compensation. BYU is not a public school, so Sitake’s salary is not public record, but reports estimate the football coach is making $3 million plus bonuses and incentives. James Franklin was making $8.5 million annually before his midseason firing.
Sitake, 50, played at BYU in 1994 and 1997-2000. He became his alma mater’s head coach ahead of the 2016 season. He has a record of 83-44 as a head coach and 5-2 mark in bowl games.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
