Believe it or not, Kalani Sitake is the solution

BYU football is facing stormy times right now, and some people are crying for changes. But not the smart BYU fans.

Smart fans *WANT* Kalani Sitake to be BYU's head football coach for the next 20+ years. In fact, they have just locked into that mindset: Sitake is BYU football, and they are not tempted by people who pretend to know more than they actually do.

Consider this: if a BYU head football coach is as successful as we all want him to be, then he will get offers to coach for WAY more money at other schools. It's happened before and it can happen again.

This means that BYU football's success depends on getting a head coach who is good, but who also is loyal, true-blue BYU through and through.

And frankly, fans are living in a fantasy world if they think firing Kalani Sitake will surely lead to someone better filling his shoes, given the circumstances.

Fans are living in a fantasy world if they think firing Kalani Sitake will surely lead to someone better filling his shoes, given the circumstances.

BYU could never replace Kalani Sitake with someone who meets BYU's unique criteria better than Sitake.

In addition to BYU's poor pay and (fickle fans), there is the double whammy of BYU's honor code to consider.

The number of outstanding football coaches who would contractually agree to be fired — regardless their record — if they fail to live their lives by a very strict honor code is closer to zero than it is ten — especially for relatively modest pay.

And remember: these coaches have to win with a group of players who likewise contractually agree to live the BYU honor code or get expelled from school.

Alcohol and pre-marital sex are a major part of the culture of almost every university campus in America. But at BYU, those things will get you expelled — as will having a cup of coffee, or a beard, or your hair too long.

In short: it is just flat out dumb to call for Kalani Sitake to be fired given that it's not like BYU could replace him with anyone better succeed under these circumstances.

However, changes in assistant coaches are a different matter.

If an assistant isn't cutting it, he should go — even if he was a legendary BYU player who won a Heisman and played in the NFL.

And by the way, if an assistant is doing very well, BYU fans should also expect that he won't last long at BYU. Great assistants will be offered jobs elsewhere — including head coaching jobs — and they will go where the money is.

Over time, BYU assistant football coaches will be a revolving door, so BYU *NEEDS* a head coach like Kalani Sitake for long term continuity and stability — and recruiting.

That said, BYU also needs Sitake to get better — and I'm confident that he will.

But make no mistake, BYU fans: BYU needs Kalani Sitake.

So lock into that, please.

At present, it feels like Kalani Sitake is the problem with BYU football, but make no mistake: an evolving, growing Sitake is also BYU's best solution.

At present, it feels like Kalani Sitake is the problem with BYU football, but make no mistake: an evolving, growing Sitake is also BYU's best solution.

Thanks for listening.