BYU head coach Kalani Sitake is one of the most passionate and well-respected coaches in college football. It is time to explore his background and how his parents helped him become a head coach.
Kalani Sitake’s Family: A Story of Love, Legacy, and Leadership From His Father
Sitake’s parents were the ones who helped push him towards becoming a head coach, especially his father, who raised him for much of his childhood.
Sitake’s father, Tomasi Vaetolufatu, always supported him in his youth and even when he played fullback at BYU over 25 years ago.
Plan your naps accordingly.
(We’ll make sure there’s plenty of Diet Coke.) pic.twitter.com/moood4wGtS
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) May 29, 2025
His two siblings, T.J. and Tevita, also helped mold him into a man of high integrity and honor.
It appears as though he has always maintained a close relationship with his family, even his mother, whom he didn’t see again until he was 24 after she left the family when Sitake was a child.
But that bond with his family, especially his father, is one of the many things that has kept him coaching all these years.
Kalani Sitake Looking to Take BYU to the College Football Playoff
The BYU Cougars have been able to win 10 or more games in three out of the last five seasons under Sitake.
In fact, they finished tied for first place in the Big 12 but were not able to make the Big 12 Championship, much less the College Football Playoff, because they lost out on tiebreakers to both Arizona State and Iowa State. With his outstanding season last year, quarterback Jake Retzlaff is set to be the starter for Sitake.
He threw for nearly 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns, helping the Cougars win 11 games in total. He also added 417 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground.
Heading into his fifth and final collegiate season, Retzlaff, along with Sitake and the rest of the team, has some unfinished business heading into the year.
KEEP READING: BYU Cougars Heisman Trophy Winners: A Complete List and History
If the Cougars can beat teams such as Iowa State and Colorado on their 2025 schedule, they could be in a good position to contend for a conference title.
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