For most of the Utah football team, there was something sweeter than finding out it was going to the Sugar Bowl.
Kalani Sitake’s promotion to U defensive coordinator was announced minutes after head coach Kyle Whittingham spoke about Utah’s selection to play against No. 4 Alabama in New Orleans. The reaction from the Utah players was even louder than the uncovering of their bowl destination.
“I was more excited than anybody,” said safety Robert Johnson, who was recruited by Sitake. “Out of everybody, I think he deserves it the most. I’m more excited (about this) than the bowl game.”
Sitake was Utah’s coach of inside
linebackers for four seasons and replaces Gary Andersen, the man who helped get Sitake his job at the U. Andersen was recently named Utah State University’s head football coach after four years at the U.
Sitake was the defensive coordinator at Southern Utah University under Andersen when the two coached together from 2003 to 2004. Sitake was rumored to be joining Andersen at Utah State by several media outlets, but said he never even considered the position.
“Utah State was never even an issue,” Sitake said. “(I) met with Kyle and talked about the position. It was an honor for me to have that thing offered to me. We’ll just work hard and have fun with it.”
If there’s one thing Sitake does better than relating to and coaching his players, it’s recruiting. He is Utah’s recruiter in the Hawaiian Islands, Samoa, Tonga and Los Angeles. He personally recruited Robert Johnson and was on recruiting visits when the rumors were flying about his departure to Utah state.
“He told us how excited he was to be here,” said defensive end Paul Kruger. “He’s the type of guy that’s going to go on to be a legend around here.”
Whittingham and Sitake spoke when he returned from recruiting and settled on Sitake’s new position Friday. Sitake said he was thrilled with the new opportunity and will share the defensive coordinator assignment with Andersen on Jan. 2, when Utah attempts to go 13-0 for the first time in school history.
“Gary Andersen and I go way back,” Sitake said. “As a mentor, he’s been great. I’ve sat by and watched him coach and we’ve been working really close together since I’ve been at Utah. He’s a great man, and I hope to be the same type of mold that he is.”
Most of Utah’s players congratulated Sitake personally after the announcement. The general consensus was that Sitake is a players’ coach who is relentless both in his film study and expectations of his players on the field. In fact, Sitake and his graduate assistants have already broken down most of the tape they have on Alabama. He said he’s had Alabama on his mind for a few days, and even mistakenly called the Crimson Club8212;Utah’s athletic booster club8212;the Crimson Tide during his acceptance speech.
“Obviously I was thinking about it the whole time, before (Whittingham) even announced the defensive coordinator,” Sitake said. “That’s why you got the slipup with me, talking about the Crimson Tide. That’s all I’ve been thinking about, even now. I’m still thinking about it.”
Sitake has coached an all-conference linebacker in each of four years at Utah. In 2005, it was Spencer Toone. In 2006, Joe Jiannoni won second-team honors. This past season, Stevenson Sylvester was an honorable mention as a sophomore and a second-team all-conference player.
“I’m happy for him,” Sylvester said. “We’ve had a good relationship. We’ve got a good family with the whole defense and the linebackers. For one of us to go into a position like that, I’m just extremely happy for him.”
Sitake spent his playing days 40 miles south at Brigham Young University. He was named the Cougars’ most valuable running back before he graduated in 2000. He had a brief stint in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals before retiring in 2001 with a back injury. He has been coaching football ever since.
“He’s great, more than qualified,” said defensive tackle Greg Newman. “He’s a players’ coach, really. He really knows the players. He brings passion to the team, the intangibles.”
Utah begins its bowl preparations today.
Erik DaenitzKalani Sitake was named the new defensive coordinator Sunday night at the BCS selection party. Sitake had been the inside linebackers coach since 2005.