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How Kalani Sitake navigates NCAA landscape – Deseret News

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9 months ago

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Kalani Sitake has a voice he’s going to use. His tone is one of common sense and humility.

College football is like a three-ring circus these days and from Sitake’s perch as a member of the board of directors for the American Football Coaches Association, BYU’s head coach would like common sense to rule.

Conference commissioners, TV executives, university presidents and athletic directors, and our American court system have loud voices, but Sitake told Waco, Texas, SicEm 365 podcast last week he hoped the voices of coaches would find an audience too.

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“The key for me was just making sure that the coaches are heard in our profession. Our job is to care about the student-athlete first. And I know we all get paid to win games and do those things, but when you talk to coaches, we got into this business because we care about young people, specifically about young men that play football,” Sitake told host David Smoak.

Sitake said college coaches have many conversations about pitfalls and worries in what could be a Pandora’s box with the transfer portal and NIL. “I think we’re getting a better handle on it,” he said.

“Coaches are committed to making it work and making it better and I’m happy to be part of that group.”

This past week Sitake had two starters, All-American kickoff returner Keelan Marion and middle linebacker Harrison Taggart, enter their names in the transfer portal. There are also nearly a dozen other BYU players who have entered the portal.

Sitake’s approach to his players leaving for the transfer portal is more like being a favorite uncle than a coach who is mired in recruiting warfare.

“It’s such an individual-by-individual case,” said Sitake on the podcast.

“I think the first thing I do as a head coach is thank them for what they’ve done for our program and appreciate them, and show them love that they deserve. I’m always going to cheer for them. I want them to do what’s best for them.

“I feel like we do have all the resources here for one to be their best, and if it doesn’t match with what they’re expecting, that’s OK,” he continued. “That’s part of college football nowadays. I can work with guys who want to be here. I always want what’s best for them, and I’ll cheer for them when they play somewhere else, except when we play them. But I do want them to know the energy and effort they put in here is appreciated, and I love them.”

Most transfers are for playing time

Sitake said in his experience, there are different reasons for players to enter the portal, but in most conversations he has, the athlete just wants to be on the field more.

“I can understand that,” Sitake said. “I think the key is we just talk about it, and if we feel like it’s the best thing, then I encourage them to do it.”

Sitake said at the end of the season, position coaches and coordinators have interviews with players, and when it’s an exit interview, most players say, “Hey, coach, I’m just looking for other opportunities to play.”

Sitake said the key is to just face it, not hide from it.

“If they want to get in the portal, then so be it. I mean, that’s just the game. I do know that sometimes when people think the grass is greener on the other side, it usually doesn’t mean it works out that way. I want to be able to help them come to what they want. I want to know the reasons they leave.”

The hosts asked Sitake if he believed it was important to be approachable with an open door kind of relationship with players and staff.

“I’m open to feedback myself,” he said. “I want to know how I can do a better job and what I can do to improve. And so I don’t have a problem with being upfront with people and being direct, and I would want them to do the same.

“I know one thing I’m not good at, and that’s guessing how you’re feeling and what you’re thinking. If I were a mentalist, I would be doing something else. But I’m not. So I’m pretty simple,” he continued. “If you want something, and if you’re frustrated with something, I want to know about it, and if you’re willing to talk to me about it, then we can come to a conclusion of what’s best for all parties.

“But I think it’s important for me to give young men an opportunity to just hear them out and what they’re thinking. I think a lot of times feedback is a gift. It definitely is.”

Sitake said as a coach leads players there is nowhere it says you have to be mean to get your way.

“I believe in Christ as our Savior, and I’m trying to follow his example. I think you do that by being sincere and trying to understand where they are coming from, their point of view and differences,” he said. “I didn’t have a transfer portal when I played. I didn’t have all the things they have now, but I want to understand. It’s a learning process for me, too.”

BYU trying to navigate NIL

How has NIL impacted the way he recruits and has managed players and rosters over the past few years? Well, Sitake said he’s learning just like everyone else. He just wants to educate himself and it’s been a process he’s still adapting to.

In recent weeks, Sitake has received commitments from several highly sought-after high school recruits in the class of 2026, including Pine View tight end Brock Harris and Lone Peak lineman Bott Mulitalo, who flipped from Oregon. According to 247Sports, BYU has climbed to No. 33 in recruiting rankings for that class with just seven commitments, the latest one Lehi receiver Legend Glasker.

Managing NIL monster

Sitake said when NIL began, he didn’t panic but tried hard to understand how it worked and how it could fit into the culture and what he wanted to accomplish as a team. This brought on a team-wide approach with Built Brands and included resources for walk-ons — which made national headlines.

Now, with roster reductions and the House Settlement looming, the entire NIL horizon is evolving with revenue sharing — P4 schools mandated to pay athletes to the tune of $21 million per year per school.

Sitake said he saw the benefit of players earning money that would change their college lives, but he saw it as an opportunity to make those changes impact a lifetime.

“I wanted to still focus on education and to learn how money could really be beneficial in the future and that, right now, the purchases they wanted to make may not be the wisest,” he said. “They needed to think about themselves when they are older and have a family.

“I mean, imagine what it would mean if all of us could have started a retirement fund when we were 18? That’s a huge benefit for these young men. They need to learn how finances work and talk about taxes, because these guys don’t know anything about that.”

Sitake said proper counseling, financial information, guidance and expert advice for athletes became part of his approach.

“So, it’s opening a whole new world to them of different things, how to be responsible, that instant gratification now in spending may not be the wisest thing,” he said. “A lot of it is creating a budget and living within their means. I don’t know if you really need a second video game console. That’s up to them, but if they do, maybe they aren’t watching (game) film or focusing on academics.”

According to a 2009 Sports Illustrated article, 78% of NFL players are either bankrupt or under financial stress within two years of retirement. Professional athletes face financial ruin at an alarming rate.

Sitake said the biggest issue these days is understanding rules, regulations, what NIL truly is. Is it name, image and likeness or pay for play? With revenue sharing, all athletes are going to receive a salary.

“I’m excited that student-athletes get to be paid. I’m not one of these guys that say because I didn’t have it, you can’t have it. I mean that’s technology and that’s grown and progressed. So, we’re in a really good spot. Our focus in getting into high school and college is education, and we should be educating them now in NIL and finances.”

Sitake’s sincerity is good for the AFCA and his voice should carry some weight.

But back in the 1970s and ’80s, who would have thought college sports would bend so heavily under the burden of so much controversy?

From lawsuits to a feeble grasp on regulating the sport the NCAA once reigned over with a phone-book-thick set of guidelines, it’s a very different world.

BYU head coach Kalani Sitake greets fans prior to the Cougars’ game against UCF on Oct. 26, 2024 in Orlando. | BYU Photo



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College Sports Commission distributes reminder about third-party NIL deals amid transfer portal movement

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52 minutes ago

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January 10, 2026

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One week into the college football transfer portal window, the College Sports Commission issued a reminder about its rules regarding third-party NIL deals. Specifically, the guidance mentioned deals with MMR and apparel partners.

The CSC said it received word of schools offering deals that go against terms of the House settlement through the first week of the transfer window. The organization expressed “serious concerns” about some terms of the deals in question and reiterated third-party NIL deals are subject to the NIL Go clearinghouse if they’re worth more than $600.

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Additionally, the CSC said investigations are progressing with regard to unreported third-party NIL deals. Some schools “should expect to hear from the CSC next week”, the commission said.

Such deals must be reported within five days of execution. Enrolling high school athletes and incoming D-I transfers have up to 14 days in some cases.

“Without prejudging any particular deal, the CSC has serious concerns about some of the deal terms being contemplated and the consequences of those deals for the parties involved,” the guidance reads. “Making promises of third-party NIL money now and figuring out how to honor those promises later leaves student-athletes vulnerable to deals not being cleared, promises not being able to be kept, and eligibility being placed at risk.”

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CSC says MMR deals must be reported

Friday’s guidance comes after Yahoo! Sports’ Ross Dellenger reported a $3.5 million offer that LSU made Cincinnati transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby this week. Sorsby later committed to Texas Tech, where he’s set to receive a deal in the $5 million range, On3’s Pete Nakos reported.

The offer to Sorsby included a third-party marketing deal through LSU’s MMR partner, Playfly Sports Properties, Dellenger reported. LSU also planned to compensate Sorsby through rev-share, which would help make total compensation competitive to Texas Tech’s investment.

The College Sports Commission said deals in place with an MMR partner must be reported, even if the partner intends to find other sponsors to help activate the deal. In addition, deals with an MMR or other partner “must include direct activation of the student-athlete’s NIL rights,” the guidance read.

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“The label on the contract (e.g., ‘agency agreement,’ ‘services agreement’) does not change the analysis; if an entity is agreeing to pay a student-athlete for their NIL, the agreement must be reported to NIL Go within the reporting deadline,” the guidance reads.

Third-party NIL deals are viewed as the next “arms race” in college sports in the post-House settlement landscape. Tennessee and Penn State are both set have NIL components in their upcoming apparel deals with adidas, On3 previously reported. LSU was also the first school featured in Nike’s new Blue Ribbon Elite program, and that announcement came at the same time the Tigers announced an extension with The Swoosh.



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Learning football from video games now a legit teaching method for coaches, athletes

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2 hours ago

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January 9, 2026

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The Athletic has live coverage of Oregon vs. Indiana in the 2025 College Football Playoff semifinals.

When David Pollack played linebacker at the University of Georgia from 2001-04, he was considered one of the best defenders in the country: a two-time consensus All-American and a two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year.

But when he played the game in college, NIL (name, image and likeness) deals didn’t exist, and active players were not named in athletic video games. In the EA Sports College Football series, Pollack knew he was No. 47 for Georgia.

Pollack now sees the video game as more than entertainment or a fun way to pass the time. The game can also be a tool of instruction for coaches at all levels, particularly those coaching young children and adolescents. In addition to being a recognized college football analyst, Pollack is a defensive line coach at North Oconee High in Bogart, Ga.

Also on his resume: He’s one of the voices of EA Sports College Football 26 as an analyst.

Teaching players about schemes and how to react on the field has become reality for him as a coach with the help of video games such as EA Sports College Football 26 and Madden NFL 26. He’s a believer of the method and has seen the return on investment.

“I can’t tell you how many of my kids that I’ve coached (using video games) over these years,” Pollack said, “and they were really little, too — 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 years old.”

EA Sports College Football 26 includes more than 2,800 new plays and 45 new formations. Madden NFL 26 features a playbook expansion of more than 1,000 plays. Football video games have come a long way from the days of Tecmo Bowl, a 1980s-released game featuring only 12 pro teams and four offensive plays per team on the Nintendo 8-bit console.

Because of technology becoming so advanced, studying plays by way of video games can resemble studying in real life to football players of all ages. Coaches can talk football jargon with younger players who are familiar with it from the video games. Players are understanding what offensive schemes work best against certain defenses. Conversely, they are learning multiple defenses and what might be the best option to contain an offense.

“With Madden, with College Football, these kids learn what Cover 2 is, what Cover 3 is, what Cover 4 is,” Pollack said. “The games have gotten to be so detailed that it’s correct.”

David Pollack, now an assistant coach at North Oconee High in Georgia, was a star linebacker for the Georgia Bulldogs. On video games, he knew he was No. 47 for the Bulldogs. (Joshua L. Jones / USA Today)

Statistically, EA Sports College Football 26, released in July, is again among the best-selling games, ranking fifth and trailing only NBA 2K26 among sports games, according to GameStop. College football was brought back to video game consoles in July 2024 with EA Sports College Football 25, the first such game since 2013. EA Sports College Football 25 was the second-highest selling game of 2024, according to GameStop. There were 2.2 million unique players during early access in July 2024, per EA Sports.

Pollack said many young football players he’s worked with who have gravitated toward video games as an entry point to the sport show up with a deeper understanding of the game. And with the College Football Playoff now in full swing, there is a sample size of a fan base that learned about the significance of the tournament through gaming, despite having no connection to any of the 12 teams originally selected for competition. (Miami beat Ole Miss on Thursday to advance to the CFP Championship. The Hurricanes will face the winner of Friday’s semifinal between Indiana and Oregon.)

Young fans as gamers, however, are looking for realism down to the smallest detail. EA Sports creative director Scott O’Gallagher said a lot of the feedback the company receives from gamers goes beyond gameplay. With football video games, there are gamers who want to see players in the right helmet style, the right style of shoe, even the correct number of wristbands. That detail, O’Gallagher said, resonates particularly when young gamers are playing with the team that features certain athletes they admire.

Before becoming immersed in video games as a career, O’Gallagher was an NAIA basketball All-American at Warner Pacific University in Portland, Ore. He played professionally overseas in Europe and Australia. He learned as a professional athlete in Europe that passionate fans care about every aspect of their favorite team.

The details that go into making football video games as real as possible include keeping the playbook updated. EA Sports works throughout the season to add any wrinkles to the playbook that can be added to its games. A young player can follow a team they like and not only understand what plays are used, but also see the changes over the course of the season.

“We’re a live service, so if things are happening during the year, we’re definitely going out there and trying to add them,” O’Gallagher said. “I can talk to one of our playbook guys about what USC was doing and say, ‘Hey, did we get this? It’s a new wrinkle that Lincoln Riley’s put in. Let’s make sure we have it.’”

A more intricate game doesn’t just help Pollack’s young players, but also gives more for Pollack to discuss in his role as an in-game analyst. When recording for the game, it’s no longer about simply saying “first down.” Announcers will record game analysis in studios with tons of energy but without seeing an actual play. They will spend hours preparing to record for several scenarios.

“The technology’s getting so much better that we’re able to do so much more now and give layered concepts,” Pollack said. “It’s crazy how much they can learn about the game and are ahead of the curve on playing the real game.”

Football education by way of video games isn’t limited to a specific squad, either. Evan Dexter, EA Sports vice president of brand and marketing, said data shows football games make a strong connection with young fans who don’t have allegiance to a particular team.

“If you were to pull the analytics of (College Football) 25 and 26, I’m sure Colorado is being used far more than what you might think, based on the population of alumni or people geographically around the school,” Dexter said, referring to the popularity of Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who led Colorado during the 2024 season.

“It’s certainly true that younger sports fans will abandon allegiance in favor of some form of hero worship, some form of individual superstar,” Dexter said. “As the sport becomes a little more superstar driven, the Travis Hunters move through it, and the Arch Mannings (of Texas) and those narratives start to transcend the old-school rivalries.”

Whether rivalries are traditional or budding, the evolution of football video games will continue to be an introduction to the sport for young gamers who ultimately want to become football players. They’ll now have a lot more than four plays to choose from to learn the game.

“It’s definitely raising the football intelligence of kids all around the world by playing the game and understanding what’s going on,” Pollack said.



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Niko sounds off on UW’s Demond and NIL, plus Seahawks boosting Seattle businesses

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3 hours ago

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January 9, 2026

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SEATTLE — In this edition of Inside the Arena, Niko is back from the Seahawks’ huge win in Santa Clara and sounding off on the sudden departure of UW QB Demond Williams and what it means for the future of NIL.

Plus, Chris introduces us to the RailSpur development in Pioneer Square, which has been boosted by bonus Mariners and now Seahawks games in advance of the 2026 World Cup.

RELATED | Seahawks secure No. 1 seed in NFC and division title with dominant 13-3 win over 49ers

The Seahawks will play the lowest remaining seed in the NFC Divisional Round on either Jan. 17 or 18.

You can also watch previous episodes of Inside the Arena on the KOMO News YouTube page.

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Inside the Arena is presented by Snoqualmie Casino and Hotel.



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UCF Knights basketball general manager Chris Wash resigns

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January 9, 2026

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Jan. 9, 2026, 1:23 p.m. ET



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NIL, transfer portal has evened playing field and SEC can’t keep up

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January 9, 2026

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Jan. 9, 2026, 3:31 p.m. ET





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Rodriguez Names Trickett Director of Player Evaluation

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January 9, 2026

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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University football coach Rich Rodriguez announced that Chance Trickett has been hired as the director of player evaluation on the Mountaineer coaching staff.

“Chance has built an outstanding resume of scouting, evaluating and recruiting experience at the FBS, Power Four and NFL levels,” Rodriguez said “His wide-spread experience and knowledge in these areas, along with being a West Virginia football legacy, will make an immediate impact in our program.”  

Throughout his career, Trickett has experience leading player evaluation, roster construction and long-term talent strategy at the college and NFL levels. He has proven his ability to build multi-year roster plans, aligning evaluation with financial strategy, integrating and leveraging analytics and networks to identify top prospects and cultural long-term fits. He has a strong network across high school, college, financial and agency circles with a track record of identifying undervalued talent and maximizing roster efficiency.

 

Trickett joins the WVU football staff after spending almost 10 years as a college area scout in the Los Angeles Rams organization. He served one year as the director of football recruiting at Louisiana Tech and was at Florida State for two years as a recruiting assistant.

While with the Rams, he led comprehensive player evaluations integrating film, analytics, verified measurables and psychological/cognitive components to support draft board construction and roster strategy decisions. He also produced in-depth positional value assessments and roster impact reports for multi-year draft planning and contract strategy. He developed internal valuation reports and roster strategy that models and mirrors current NIL/college market structures. He also integrated advanced scouting technology to enhance accuracy in player projection and long-term roster planning.

Trickett was awarded the BART List Award for scouting excellence in 2025 and given the “inside the league” scout/agent organization’s Best Draft Award in 2024.

A native of Morgantown, he earned his bachelor’s degree from Florida State in 2011.

Trickett, and his wife, Ashley, have two children, Tristan and Matthew.



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