BYU coach Kalani Sitake gave a shoutout to the fans following the Cougars' season-opening 63-7 win over Utah Tech late Saturday night.
Even with BYU taking on an FCS opponent, Sitake was impressed not just with his team's play, but with the fan support in the home opener at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
He believes it set an impressive standard for players who transferred in from other schools, in their first experience playing at home in Provo.
"Really proud of the team, proud of the way the guys played, proud of the energy that we had. And just want to tell all the fans, thank you so much for your energy. They stayed here till the very end. The ROC (BYU's student section) was here the whole entire time," Sitake said.
"(That) impressed a lot of our players that came from the portal, been other places. They couldn't believe the support that the fans had for the team and the energy — made a lot of noise. And you know, we're going to need them next week (vs. Arizona). It's going to be a lot of fun, but we need them all year long."

#support #home

Arizona football is back. The Wildcats took down NAU in their week 1 matchup 35-7. The defense was stout allowing zero points from NAU's offense. Northern Arizona got seven points from a pick-six off of the Wildcats' backup quarterback. Seth Doege's offense was sharp in the first half but slowed down in the second half.
Brent Brennan's group won the program's 5th straight season opener to make it to their ranked matchup with Kalani Sitake and the BYU Cougars healthy and undefeated.
The Wildcats' Heisman hopeful Noah Fifita played lights out again in this one. Fifita was 22 for 29 passing, threw for 262 yards and two touchdowns. Fifita had his first of many lasts this week as he played in his last home opener in Tucson.
"Noah Fifita is such a good player…Nothing he does surprises us." said head coach Brent Brennan after the win in his post game press-conference.
Fifita will need to be sharp again next week against BYU but if he performs at his usual level, Heisman hopeful could turn to Heisman dark horse.

#heisman

LAS VEGAS — Former Phoenix Mercury center Kalani Brown spent the summer waiting for another WNBA opportunity. When it finally came, it brought her back to a team that ended her previous season.
Mercury forward Satou Sabally (0) and Kalani Brown (21) celebrate a basket against the Lynx at PHX Arena in Phoenix, on May 30, 2025.
Brown spoke for the first time since signing with the Las Vegas Aces, returning to the league after agreeing to a contract buyout with the Mercury in the preseason. The move came after Las Vegas ruled NaLyssa Smith out for the remainder of the season with a left leg injury.
What makes Brown's return particularly interesting is the history tied between player and team. She spent the 2025 season in Phoenix after arriving from Dallas as part of a four-team trade that also brought Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas to the Valley.
Aug 3, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Phoenix Mercury center Kalani Brown (21) battles for the ball with Chicago Sky guard Rachel Banham (24) during the first half at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

#brown #kalani

We have a fun episode of The Dunker Spot coming your way!
First, Nekias Duncan and Steve Jones share their most interesting players heading into the 2026-27 season. The players range from superstars returning or going on revenge tours to new faces in new places to players facing contract extensions or role shifts and much more.
On the WNBA side, the guys take a look at the current playoff picture, using it to check in on all eight teams. The conversation features thoughts on the Lynx's last two losses, the Wings' winning streak, the Mystics' playoff upside (plus Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen joining Team USA's roster), the Aces adding Kalani Brown, and the guys sharing their favorite potential playoff matchups.
If you ever have NBA or WNBA questions, email us at dunkerspotyahoo.com
02:10 -- Most interesting East players

#interesting

The last big practice of BYU football's fall camp last Tuesday wound down like a fading echo.
A colleague of mine moved over and said, "Did you see Brian Santiago and Kalani Sitake giving one another a hug?"
That was positive news after several weeks of sensitive drama between BYU's head coach Sitake and athletic director Santiago.
A minute or two later, Santiago and I met off the sidelines, and he commented that with all the negativity swirling around, he was excited for so many positive developments going on with all the school's programs, that these were "exciting times" and that a positive vibe hung in the air.
I then broke away as my interviews with players were arranged and called for my turn. The players I spoke to were excited for the season. Very excited. And positive.

#santiago

As BYU wrapped up preseason training camp last Tuesday and turned its attention to its opener against Utah Tech on Saturday, head coach Kalani Sitake said the process of turning his program into a bonafide contender in a power conference is mostly complete.
"The goal (when BYU joined the Big 12 in 2023) was to get to where we are at right now, so we don't have a lot of excuses," Sitake said.
"We have great depth. We have a lot of talent, and we have to do our job as coaches to get it done."
One of those jobs is to identify the very best players on the team and put them on the field in positions where they can succeed, even dominate.
That task starts with putting together a depth chart and settling any position battles — there weren't really that many this month — that were still up in the air.

#wrapped

BYU shook up its athletic department on Thursday, splitting football off from the other 20 sports.
Head football coach Kalani Sitake will report directly to a university vice president while athletic director Brian Santiago will oversee the remaining programs.
The decision's dramatic timing, nine days before the season's first football game, underscored both the hurtling rate of change in college sports and rumors about friction between Sitake and Santiago.
"BYU Athletics shares a common focus on helping our student-athletes succeed not just on the field, but also in the classroom and, most importantly, in their Christian discipleship," advancement vice president Keith Vorkink said in a statement.
BYU head football coach Kalani Sitake speaks as he's joined by BYU athletic director Brian Santiago during a press conference regarding Sitake's contract extension with the football program, held at the Student Athlete Building on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News

#Football #kalani #head #university

After BYU football coach Kalani Sitake put his team through a 102-play scrimmage Saturday morning at LaVell Edwards Stadium, he ******* ounced the offense a slight winner, and neither quarterback Bear Bachmeier nor linebacker Cade Uluave disagreed.
The 11-on-11 scrimmage, which Sitake likes to refer to as "sparring," was a mixture of "live" plays, in which ball carriers are taken to the ground and "thud" plays, where contact is supposed to stop after the initial hit. Usually, defenses are ahead of offenses this early in camp, but that was not the case in the first scrimmage, apparently.
The scrimmage was closed to the media, and Sitake spoke to reporters via Zoom after the proceedings, along with Bachmeier and offensive lineman Bruce Mitchell from the offensive side and Uluave from the defensive side.
"I thought (both sides) had some moments," Sitake said. "I probably give a slight edge to the offense today, because I thought the offense had more big plays than I would like to have seen from the defense.
"A lot of big plays came because of guys that made them happen," Sitake continued. "I know all the questions will be about the receivers. I thought the receivers had a really good day today."

#bachmeier

Good luck finding any Big 12 season previews that don't spend 1/3 of their ****** e talking about Brandon Sorsby. That subject has been covered to death, so I'm limiting myself to merely mentioning that he will not be the QB for Texas Tech this season. The gap he leaves creates one of the bigger question marks in a conference. Even with that uncertainty, the Red Raiders will enter the season as favorites to defend their conference championship and make it back to the CFP. Who are the teams best situated to challenge Texas Tech for the conference ****** le and possibly make the Big 12 a two-bid league?
Texas Tech
Texas Tech has arguably adapted to the NIL/Transfer Portal era better than any team in the country, unsavory as it may be. Alum/Benefactor/Oil Tycoon/Slimeball Cody Campbell has given the team one of the top NIL budgets in the country and they have used it to elevate their talent level a clear cut above their in-conference competition. Last year, they last a single conference game, hammered the next two teams consistently over three combined meetings (BYU and Utah), finished in the top 10 in Offensive and Defensive SP+, and made a run to the CFP Quarterfinals. This year, Will Hammond looks like the starting QB, once he fully recovers from a torn ACL suffered early last season. Hammond is unspectacular, but gets the job done. The rest of the roster is loaded. RB Cameron ****** ey might be the biggest star, but the offensive line is probably the best overall unit. Even WR looks great with four big-time transfers coming in. They also took in basically an entire starting-quality defensive lineup through the transfer portal despite having decent returning production. They might not have anyone as dominant as DE David Bailey, but they are incredibly deep with proven players everywhere on the depth chart. Like Miami in the ACC, something would have to go horribly wrong to offset the talent advantage they have over the rest of the conference.
BYU
The Cougars once again fought to retain Kalani Sitake after another season where they performed above expectations. QB Bear Bachmeier was good as a true freshman, which usually means there is room to grow into being a true star. They reloaded their offensive line, including UW tackle prospect Paki Finau, who was blocked on the depth chart in Seattle. There are two question marks related to departures They have to replace their top three receivers from a season ago without obvious backfills. They also lost their DC, Jay Hill, to Michigan. Despite the loss of Hill, the defense returns lots of experience and production, which should ease the transition for promoted LB coach Kelly Poppinga. As is often the case with BYU teams under Sitake, the question will be about the offensive explosiveness. If Bachmeier has the receivers to make enough big plays, it looks like the defense and the running game should support a real contender.

#offensive #make #teams

A season ago, Kalani Sitake and BYU were on the precipice of making the College Football Playoff. The Cougars made it to the Big 12 Championship, where they fell to Texas Tech to just miss out on the 12-team bracket.
After an offseason that saw Penn State notably pursue Sitake for its head coach vacancy, the Cougars are now looking to keep the momentum with their headman returning to Provo. But as he looked ahead during a recent interview, he gave a lengthy response about the resources at the program's disposal.
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In the NIL era, Kalani Sitake made clear he's not striving to be the team offering athletes the most money. However, he said the ability to be in that position could help keep BYU toward the top of the Big 12 and also play a role in a national ****** le push. Given the program's momentum, he called for more investment in the football program.
"I said before, I don't want to be the highest bidder," Sitake told CougarSports' Ben Criddle July 30. "But I'd like to have access to stuff like that, and that's a reminder to the administration of that you can count on us to do things right and be responsible with the finances to get the right program in place. Sometimes, you kind of go through these things. You're like, 'Okay, this is going well.' And I've always just been appreciative of everything. But then, when I look back at it and my agent tells me, 'Hey, this is the stuff that everybody else has.' … It just gives me a whole different appreciation for them.

#like #kalani #made #team

PROVO — There's no quarterback derby to speak of, unless one considers the battle to be Bear Bachmeier's backup in 2026 a topic worthy of discussion.
There's no debate over who's going to be RB1, as LJ Martin enters his fourth and final season at BYU with some reachable school records in sight if he maintains the pace he established in 2025 before missing the 25-21 win over Georgia Tech in the Pop-Tarts Bowl after shoulder surgery.
Even the five spots on the offensive line are mostly settled, especially if Washington transfer Paki Finau proves capable at the all-important left tackle position.
Putting together a BYU football depth chart a month before the season starts is usually a fool's errand, but not this year. That speaks to just how experienced head coach Kalani Sitake's roster is heading into arguably the most-anticipated season in school history.
Expectations are soaring for Sitake's program, and for good reason. According to a report by CBS Sports, BYU is No. 3 in the country in overall returning players with snaps under their belt, at 63%. On offense, it is 60% and on defense it is 65%. While a lot of programs continue to hit the transfer portal hard, BYU has relied more on roster retainment and player development after the near-disaster that was the 2023 season, in which coaches prepared for their first season in the Big 12 with a massive roster overhaul.

#roster #school #transfer #martin

New BYU linebacker Cade Uluave thought it sounded too good to be true.
Take a few hours off from offseason football conditioning and play golf with his teammates, coaches and media members?
"Count me in," said the transfer from Cal, who earlier this month was selected to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team and named All-America Fourth Team by both Athlon Sports and Phil Steele Publications.
Uluave, safety Raider Damuni and offensive linemen Andrew Gentry and Sonny Makasini were among the players who participated in the annual BYU Football Media Golf Classic on Thursday at Timpanogos Golf Club in Provo, along with coaches Kalani Sitake, Fesi Sitake, Demario Warren, Lewis Walker, Logan Lutui and Jack Damuni.
"I think everybody loves it. It is a chance for all of us to be a little bit more vulnerable, get to know each other a bit better. I always look forward to it."

#team #damuni #take

When the season is on, his job as a safety is to stymie any opposing success in his secondary, and when given the chance, to hit people hard enough to separate the ball from their body. It's football and he's good at it, but it's a far cry from what Raider Damuni did this summer to prepare for his last blast at BYU.
"We just got back," the senior told the "Y's Guys" livestream show this week about a trip to Tonga with a few of his teammates and head coach Kalani Sitake. While there, in addition to staging a football camp and a fireside, they advanced the mission of BYU-Pathway Worldwide throughout the island nation.
"When we play, we represent not just the people in Provo and Utah, but we represent the church and our faith and our faith is worldwide," Damuni said. "So being able to have that impact on people with the platform that we have as football players at BYU, that is why we want to go out and reach out to people, not just in the United States, but worldwide."
In partnership with the We Are One Foundation, headed by former Cougars Isaiah Kaufusi and Connor Pay with BYU head coach Kalani Sitake as chair of the board, Tonga has a new employment center to ****** ist BYU-Pathway Worldwide graduates find work.
"I've seen it firsthand with my own family," Damuni said. "I've had family members who went through the BYU-Pathway program who didn't go to college out of high school, but they were able to do that and now they are thriving in their lives. They have jobs. I think that is the vision."

#tonga #kalani

This article was first published in the Cougar Insiders newsletter Tuesday. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox each week.
BYU’s 2027 recruiting class is small, but deep in talent. However, there are 22 players slated to join the football program from missionary service in the next few months.
With the addition of athletes Peyton Higginson, Lakepa Satuala, offensive lineman Kyle Nabrotzky and talented Uhila Wolfgramm, head coach Kalani Sitake enjoyed a real recruiting boost to start the month of July.
Here are our stories on these announced July commitments:
Lakepa Satuala

Deion Sanders at Big 12 Media Days: Live updates from the Star in Frisco Texas originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders made the trip to Frisco Texas to rub elbows with fellow Big 12 teams and media. Sanders is joined by current Buffaloes players Julian "Juju" Lewis, Danny Scudero, Zach Atkins, Ben Finneseth, Naeten Mitchell and Cree Thomas.
Sanders is scheduled to be the 5th head coach to speak on the main stage around 3:20pm EST or 1:20pm MDT. With ASU's Kenny Dillingham, BYU's Kalani Sitake, and Texas Tech's Joey McGuire set to follow.
Sanders' Buffs have a new look this season. Almost all of the big names ****** ociated with the program have departed for a different opportunity. Everything coming out of Boulder would suggest that the coaches and players believe this team is poised to perform better this year than last year's 3-9 season.
The Buffs brought three of their bigger names expected to be significant contributors in 2026. While the quarterback competition is still ongoing, the group of players is headlined by Julian Lewis. Danny Scudero has been front and center in Well Off Media videos and Coach Prime has not hesitated to sing Scudero's praises. As of late Cree Thomas, Tennessee transfer, has caught attention and headlines at this stage in the offseason.