Big 12 media days: BYU AD Brian Santiago focusing on positives in wake of Retzlaff bombshell in May

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Big 12 media days: BYU AD Brian Santiago focusing on positives in wake of Retzlaff bombshell in May

Newly-named Brigham Young University Director of Athletics Brian Santiago speaks during a press conference announcing his hiring for the position held at the BYU Broadcast Building on the university's campus in Provo on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Santiago began working at BYU in 1997 and has served as deputy athletic director since 2017. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News

Jay Drew · Deseret News

Wed, Jul 9, 2025 ·

7 min read

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FRISCO, Texas — Exactly a week after he was announced as Brigham Young University's new athletic director , succeeding the ultra-successful Tom Holmoe, Brian Santiago got the news on May 21 that absolutely rocked the faith-based school's athletic department that he oversees to the core.

Starting quarterback Jake Retzlaff, the face of BYU sports in 2024 and 2025, at least until AJ Dybantsa suits up in October, had been hit with a civil lawsuit alleging sexual assault and battery by an anonymous Salt Lake County woman known only as Jane Doe A.G. in court documents.

Talk about a "Welcome to the Big Leagues" moment.

Santiago still doesn't want to publicly discuss the matter (the lawsuit was dismissed after both sides filed a joint motion to dismiss the case), citing university and federal policies involving student privacy, but on Tuesday at the Big 12 football media days at The Star — the Dallas Cowboys' practice facility — he opened up a bit on what the ordeal has been like for a new athletic director.

"I think in any athletic department you are going to have challenges that pop up," he said. "This has certainly been one of those."

Remarkably, however, Santiago said his not-quite-two-month tenure has been overwhelmingly positive, marked by "so many good things happening" that he has almost lost count.

Just before head football coach Kalani Sitake sat at the podium at Ford Center and answered a couple of questions about the Retzlaff situation as deftly and vaguely as possible, thanking the embattled quarterback "for all that he's done for our program," Santiago said both Retzlaff and the Sitake-led program will land on their feet.

The Deseret News has reported that Retzlaff plans to transfer to another Power Four program rather than serve a seven-game suspension at BYU, citing sources close to the situation.

"It's been quite a ride. I just look at some of the major announcements that have been made," Santiago said, alluding to BYU basketball player Egor Demin getting selected in the first round (No. 8 overall) of the NBA draft; a five-star high school quarterback picking BYU over Oregon, USC and others; Dybantsa leading Team USA to a gold medal and earning MVP honors in the FIBA U19 world championships; and what future Cougars Kihei Akina (golf) and Jane Hedengren (track) have accomplished on a national stage.

"I look at our two primary programs, football and basketball, and all the momentum they have generated," Santiago said. "I just have a ton of confidence that Kalani and our team are going to rally. I just think that is who they are. They have had such a positive response (to the Retzlaff situation). So yeah, it has been an interesting two months, but a great two months."

Santiago said there were doubts about the football program last year at this time, but Sitake rallied the troops and guided the Cougars — who were picked to finish 13th in the Big 12 — to an 11-2 record and Alamo Bowl win over Colorado.

"There were those of us that said before the season that we thought we are going to surprise some people. Kalani has built some incredible depth in the recruiting of strong classes, and that is what it takes in these power conferences," Santiago said. "And then we saw it in basketball as well. I just think people are going to continue to see BYU on the rise. We are going to do it in a way that is going to keep everybody pretty excited."

QB situation aside, program as stable as ever

Santiago said he's not overly concerned about the quarterback situation — McCae Hillstead, Treyson Bourguet and Bear Bachmeier are the candidates to win the starting QB derby — because of the stability that Sitake and coordinators Jay Hill, Aaron Roderick and Kelly Poppinga have brought to the program in all three phases of the game.

"I think we are led by a great football coach in Kalani Sitake. I think he is a great man, and he is building a culture, and has built a culture, of excellence in a way where it is really about the big picture, especially tied into the mission of BYU," Santiago said.

"There is something to be said when you can win huge games, even a rivalry game, and what the conversation is after the game about who we are representing, the Savior. Those are the conversations that are happening after the games," he continued. "And then you start talking about the great culture at BYU, that is why the word 'stability' comes to mind. And excellence."

Sitake said the Cougars "were a play or two away" from playing in the Big 12 championship game last December, "and doing it in a way where there is great mission alignment."

Sitake was rewarded with a long-term contract extension on Dec. 7, 2024.

"That example (from Sitake) is super powerful to all of us that are helping lead BYU athletics, and Kalani Sitake is a guy I want to stand next to, walk the path with, and climb the mountain with," Santiago said. "That guy is first class in every way."

Santiago remains bullish on BYU baseball

There were some on May 14 when Santiago was hired who believed it was only a matter of time before he started dismissing some coaches whose teams were not performing up to his expectations.

In particular, BYU's baseball team has found the going rough in its first two seasons in the Big 12, going 28-27 overall (10-20 in conference) this last season and 21-31 (7-23 in conference) in 2024.

Asked if he's contemplated a change in baseball leadership, he responded: "I think that's more than a fair question."

Then he said he believes the program directed by Trent Pratt has turned the corner.

"We have hopes that every one of our sports is going to be nationally relevant and chase greatness, and baseball is no exception," he said. "We have a history there. You go back and notice that some of the great players in the history of the game (came out of BYU)."

Santiago said the program "made some significant progress" last season, most notably surging late to get into the Big 12 tournament and then upsetting No. 5 seed Arizona State 2-0 at Globe Field in Arlington, Texas.

"Probably a couple of arms short of being an NCAA team. You look at the games we lost in the last two or three innings. There were quite a few. Multiple games in the Big 12 conference that probably would have catapulted us into the tournament if we had won them," he said. "We are going to continue to pour resources into baseball, and our expectation is they are going to climb the mountain and be nationally relevant like our other sports.

"We want that. And I think you know me well enough to know that we are not going to be OK with mediocrity in any of our sports. We are going to chase excellence," he continued. "And we are going to do it in a way that is going to make Cougar Nation proud. But I did see progress last year and was excited about the way our guys battled all the way to the end."

0514santiago.spt_IH_0978.jpg — Newly-named Brigham Young University Director of Athletics Brian Santiago speaks as he's joined by BYU President C. Shane Reese during a press conference announcing Santiago's hiring for the position held at the BYU Broadcast Building on the university's campus in Provo on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News

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