How Much Stock Should BYU Put Into Kalani Sitake to Penn State Rumors?

There’s been plenty of noise swirling around BYU head coach Kalani Sitake over the last 24 hours, and this time it’s not about bowl prep or the Big 12 title game. It’s about Penn State. More specifically, it’s about whether Sitake could be on the move to take over in Happy Valley after the James Franklin firing.

It started with a tweet from Alex Markham that caught everyone’s attention. He said if the numbers he heard were true, there’s “no way in hell BYU is matching it.” Then came the kicker: “I was just told it’s in the eight figures, yearly.” Naturally, the internet lost its mind. That tweet was followed up by a flight tracker spotting a plane heading from Provo to State College, and suddenly the rumor mill was at full speed.

Then Markham followed up with a little backpedal. He said Sitake wants a raise, feels underpaid, and isn’t necessarily looking to leave. He added that BYU doesn’t need to match Penn State; just give Sitake a fair deal to stay. That’s where things get interesting.

Look, Sitake leaving for Penn State doesn’t feel like the move. He’s a BYU guy through and through. He played there, coached there, and has built this program into a legitimate Power Four contender. He’s got one of the most respected locker rooms in the Big 12, and more importantly, he seems to genuinely enjoy being in Provo. There’s value in stability, especially when your team is winning, and your players want to play for you.

But let’s not pretend the number being floated isn’t a big deal. If Penn State is throwing out $10 million per year, that’s the kind of money that turns heads no matter where you’re from. Sitake would be crazy not to at least listen. That doesn’t mean he’s leaving. It just means he’d be smart to use this as leverage to finally get what he deserves.

BYU should pay attention here. This isn’t about matching Penn State dollar for dollar. It’s about recognizing what Sitake has done and showing him that the school is all-in on keeping him long term. If they don’t, someone else will be.

In my opinion, Kalani stays put. But if BYU doesn’t want that decision made for them, they’d better make the next move count.