The future of Penn State football becomes more unclear and worrisome by the day between coaches signing extensions and other programs hiring their next head coach before the Nittany Lions come to an agreement.
On Monday, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that in the midst of ideal candidates washing away, BYU head coach Kalani Sitake and Penn State expressed mutual interest in each other for the open job.
Sources: BYU coach Kalani Sitake is the focus of Penn State's head coaching search. No deal has been signed, as the sides continue discussions. The sides have met, and there's mutual interest. On3 reported Sitake as the target earlier today. pic.twitter.com/xbUUO4mxct
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 2, 2025
BYU head coach Kalani Sitake reportedly becomes Penn State's target for program's next head coach
BYU is currently second in the Big 12 behind Texas Tech, holding an 11-1 overall and 8-1 conference record. The two teams will face off for the Big 12 title, and the Cougars have their final shot at getting into the College Football Playoff with a win. With the buzz around Sitake coming to Happy Valley, he addressed the rumors.
“This is a great distraction to have, let’s be honest,” Sitake said, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. “I’ll address it with the team . . . But they are used to me saying, ‘Hey, this is a good sign that things are going well for us.’ But I will say that this isn’t about me.”
Sitake said he's avoiding distractions to focus on BYU's opportunities ahead in the near future, according to Kevin Reynolds.
At BYU, Sitake has a 83-44 overall record since 2016 and brought the Cougars from an independent program to a Big 12 team. He also helped secure his fourth 10-plus-win season with BYU in 2025. Over the past two seasons, specifically, Sitake led the Cougars to a 22-3 combined overall record.
According to CBS Sports, athletic director Pat Kraft "has identified Sitake as the coach to push Penn State into national championship contention."
After firing incoming Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin, the standards for the next head coach were clear: win big games and win titles. With a Big 12 Championship Game on the horizon, Sitake has a chance to prove he's the guy.
With his success at BYU, Thamel said the Cougars "have been aggressive in their attempts to retain Sitake."
While the picture gets clearer as to who the Nittany Lions are targeting moving forward, there has yet to be a deal in place and signed. Discussions between the two parties, including conversations of what the program will look like under Sitake, continue, according to ESPN.