FRISCO, Texas — Kalani Sitake's 10th season as BYU's football coach officially begins on Aug. 30 when the Cougars host Portland State at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo.
But for all intents and purposes, the talking portion of the 2025 season really kicks off on Tuesday, as Sitake and five of his players represent the school at the Big 12 football media days in Frisco, Texas.
BYU and seven other schools will take the stage at The Star inside the Ford Center, practice facility of the Dallas Cowboys , on Tuesday. Utah and seven other schools will have their time in the spotlight Wednesday.
Before BYU's first season in the Big 12, the event was at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Last year, it was held in Las Vegas as the conference welcomed Utah, Colorado, Arizona State and Arizona into the fold.
"It will be good to get back to Texas," Sitake said last month at a media event . "Media day just means we are getting closer to the season, which is good."
The other schools sharing the stage with BYU on Tuesday are Arizona State, Baylor, UCF, Cincinnati, Iowa State, Kansas State and Texas Tech.
Receiver Chase Roberts , running back LJ Martin , linebackers Jack Kelly and Isaiah Glasker and defensive lineman Keanu Tanuvasa will represent BYU in the Lone Star State. It will be Roberts' second-straight appearance in the event; last year he was joined by defensive end Tyler Batty , receiver Darius Lassiter, cornerbactivitiesack Jakob Robinson and offensive lineman Connor Pay.
For the second-straight year, a quarterback won't be among the BYU players in attendance, after USC/Pitt transfer Kedon Slovis participated in 2023.
Sitake almost certainly will face questions about BYU's quarterback situation, which is usually the case, but even more so this summer.
Embattled BYU QB Jake Retzlaff intends to transfer in the face of a seven-game suspension for violating the honor code, the Deseret News reported on June 29 . As of Monday morning, Retzlaff had not entered the transfer portal, but was exploring ways to transfer and be immediately eligible.
Assuming Retzlaff does not return to BYU, three quarterbacks are vying to get the starting nod in the opener: Utah State transfer McCae Hillstead , Western Michigan transfer Treyson Bourguet and freshman Bear Bachmeier.
Although coaches cannot talk publicly about recruits until they have actually signed, Sitake will probably be asked about his team being currently ranked in the top 30 of the 247Sports.com team rankings for the class of 2026.
BYU has secured commitments from five-star QB Ryder Lyons and four-star prospects Brock Harris (tight end) and Bott Mulitalo (offensive line), among others. Sitake recently got a commitment from three-star receiver Kaue Akana of nearby Orem High.
"One of the big reasons why I came to BYU (was the school's commitment to utilizing NIL and revenue sharing to attract high-profile recruits)," defensive coordinator Jay Hill said last month. "I think BYU in the Big 12 is a powerhouse. And with more success — stacking good years on good years — I think we can become the national brand BYU fans want. Kalani has done a phenomenal job assembling this staff. … In the new world of NIL and player retention, I think BYU can really thrive."
Aside from the quarterback situation, there are not a lot of question marks surrounding the 2025 Cougars.
At receiver, BYU has brought in transfers Tiger Bachmeier and Reggie Frischknecht to replace Keelan Marion, who transferred to Miami , and Darius Lassiter, who exhausted his eligibility.
At running back, media days attendee Martin is clearly RB1, while Sione Moa and Pokaiaua Haunga stand at the ready to help out as well.
Defensively, Hill said at the golf gathering last month that his group has a chance to be elite if it can stay healthy and develop chemistry, particularly in the secondary and on the defensive line.
BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill and offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick talk after BYU held their first fall football practice in Provo on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
