Kalani Sitake, a leading candidate in Penn State’s coaching search, has told director of athletics Pat Kraft that he is staying as the BYU head coach, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Tuesday.
BYU officials are in the process of putting together a lucrative contract to keep him in Provo, Utah, where he has an 83-44 record in 10 seasons, Thamel reported. The 11th-ranked Cougars (11-1) will face No. 5 Texas Tech (11-1) in the Big 12 championship game Saturday in Arlington, Texas.
The 50-year-old Sitake, a native of Tonga, started three seasons (1998-2000) at fullback at BYU for Hall of Fame coach LaVell Edwards.
He began his coaching career the following year at Eastern Utah and then went to BYU as a graduate assistant. He spent two seasons at Southern Utah before joining the Utah staff and working there for 10 seasons, including the six as defensive coordinator.
Sitake worked one year as Oregon State defensive coordinator before BYU hired him as head coach in 2016.
His BYU salary is reportedly in the $3 million range, plus bonuses and incentives. Penn State paid James Franklin, who was fired on Oct. 12, about $8.5 million per year, plus bonus and incentives.
Sitake is the latest college head coach to turn down Kraft and Penn State, joining Mile Elko of Texas A&M, Kalen DeBoer of Alabama, Marcus Freeman of Notre Dame, Curt Cignetti of Indiana and Bob Chesney of James Madison, a Pennsylvania native who reportedly is headed to UCLA.
With National Signing Day set for Wednesday, the Nittany Lions are still looking for a head coach.
