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Assistant Head Coach
Defensive Coordinator
Linebackers
8th Year
Coaching Experience
2005 - Utah
2012 -
Assistant Head Coach
Defensive Coordinator
Linebackers
2009 -
Defensive Coordinator
Linebackers
2005-08
Linebackers
2003-04 - Southern Utah
2004
Offensive Line
Tight Ends
2003
Running Backs
Tight Ends
2002 - Brigham Young
Graduate Assistant
Defense
2001 - Eastern Arizona
Defensive Backs
Special Teams Coordinator
Bowl Experience
2005 - Emerald Bowl
2006 - Armed Forces Bowl
2007 - Poinsettia Bowl
2008 (2009) - Sugar Bowl
2009 - Poinsettia Bowl
2010 - Las Vegas Bowl
2011 - Sun Bowl
Kalani Sitake solidified his reputation as one of college football's best defensive coordinators last season when the Utes led the Pac-12 in four defensive categories and finished near the top in another two. Sitake (pronounced sih-TA-kay), the first native Tongan defensive coordinator at an NCAA FBS school, begins his eighth season at Utah and his fourth as the defensive coordinator. Promoted to assistant head coach in February 2012, Sitake has coached the linebackers since joining the staff in 2005.
In their first Pac-12 season, the Utes led the conference in scoring defense, pass efficiency defense, interceptions and fourth-down conversion defense. Utah placed third in the league in total defense and rushing defense.
On a national level, the Utes have finished in the top 25 in 13 defensive categories with Sitake as their coordinator. The 2009 Utes ranked ninth in pass efficiency defense and opponent third down conversions, 16th in pass defense, 19th in total defense and 23rd in scoring defense. The 2010 Utes finished third in opponent fourth down conversions, 10th in rushing defense and opponent first downs, and 25th in scoring defense. Last year's team finished sixth in interceptions, 19th in scoring defense, 20th in rushing defense and 24th in pass efficiency defense.
Sitake has coached seven first-team all-conference defenders (5 Mountain West, 2 Pac-12), five NFL draft picks, the 2011 Morris Award winner and two Freshman All-Americans.
Sitake's first-team all-MWC defenders were linebackers Spencer Toone (2005) and Stevenson Sylvester (2009), linemen Koa Misi (2009) and Christian Cox (2010), and safety Robert Johnson (2009). He had two first-team all-Pac-12 linemen in 2011 in Star Lotulelei and Derrick Shelby. Lotulelei also won the Morris Award as the Pac-12's top defensive lineman.
Misi was selected in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft, while Johnson (Tennessee) and Sylvester (Pittsburgh) both went in the fifth round, and cornerback R.J. Stanford (Carolina) went in the seventh round. Toone, who led the MWC in tackles as a senior, was selected by Tennessee in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL draft.
Sitake's defense has produced two Freshman All-America safeties in the past two years--Brian Blechen in 2010 and Eric Rowe in 2011. Both were true freshmen.
He has also earned a reputation for his recruiting abilities and 247Sports named him to its Class of 2012 Top 50 recruiters.
Sitake came to Utah after two seasons assisting at Southern Utah in 2003-04. He coached the Thunderbird running backs and tight ends in 2003 and the offensive line and tight ends in 2004.
He began his career at Eastern Arizona in 2001 as the defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator. He coached two junior college All-Americans that year, with cornerback Walt Williams making the first team and Donta Bright earning second-team All-America honors. In 2002, he went to Brigham Young as a defensive graduate assistant.
Recruiting Area
Los Angeles, Utah, Florida
Playing Career
Sitake started at fullback all four years of a Brigham Young career that spanned seven years. He played as a freshman in 1994, followed by an LDS Church mission. He returned for the 1997 season and started the first three games before undergoing back surgery and redshirting. He was a regular in the starting lineup in 1998, 1999 and 2000 - missing the last two games of 1999 after breaking his leg against Wyoming. He was named BYU's Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 1998, Impact Player of the Year in 1999 and team captain and Most Valuable Running Back in 2000. He went to the Cincinnati Bengals as a free agent in 2001, but was forced to retire due to a back injury.
Education
Brigham Young, 2000
Bachelor of Arts in English
Personal Data
Hometown: Laie, Hawaii and Provo, Utah
Birthplace: Nukualofa, Tonga
Attended Kirkwood HS in St. Louis, Mo.
Birthdate: Oct. 10
Family: Married to the former Timberly Friddle. Daughters Skye and Sadie; son Kelaokalani (KK).
