The Penn State coaching search, which has gone quiet the past few weeks, has focused in on BYU coach Kalani Sitake, sources told ESPN.
The sides have been in discussions, but sources cautioned that no deal has been signed yet. The sides have met and there is mutual interest, with discussions involving staffing and other details of what Sitake's tenure in State College could look like.
Sitake's BYU team plays Saturday against Texas Tech in the Big 12 title game, with the winner securing an automatic bid in the College Football Playoff. On3 first reported Sitake as Penn State's top target.
Sitake has been the coach at BYU since 2016, winning more than 65% of his games. Sitake's best two years have been these past two, as BYU went 11-2 in 2024 and is 11-1 in 2025. This is BYU's third season in the Big 12, and the transition to becoming one of the league's top teams has been nearly instant.
Penn State officials were active early in their coaching search, which included numerous in-person meetings around the country. That activity has quieted in recent weeks, sources said, even as candidates got new jobs and others new contracts to stay at their schools.
BYU officials have been aggressive in their attempts to retain Sitake, according to sources, and consider it the athletic department's top priority.
BYU plays a style that's familiar to the Big Ten, with rugged linemen and a power game that's complemented by a creative passing offense in recent years.
Kalani addressed the notion of Penn State generally with both his team and the local media this week. He called the reports linking him to jobs "a good sign" because it means "things are going well for us."
If a deal comes together, Sitake would be replacing James Franklin, who was fired in October after going 104-45 over 12 seasons. Franklin's departure came after three straight losses to open league play and followed a trip to the College Football Playoff semifinals in 2024.
Sitake's potential hire would be a fascinating one if it were to come together. He has been a consistent winner, with four of his past six seasons at BYU including more than 10 wins. After going 2-7 in league play while adjusting to the Big 12 in 2023, BYU has gone 15-3 the past two years and found a quarterback of the future in true freshman Bear Bachmeier.
There would be a geographic adjustment to the potential move, as Sitake has no coaching experience east of the Mountain Time Zone. His stops as an assistant coach outside of BYU include Oregon State, Utah, Southern Utah and Eastern Arizona.
He played high school football in Missouri, his college football at BYU and signed with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2001.
Sitake is BYU's fourth head coach since his mentor, LaVell Edwards, took over in 1972.
