Why BYU's Kalani Sitake could teach a MasterClass in blocking outside noise

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College football has almost become a spectator’s game of waiting for chaos to ensue. Each year, fans enter a new season with expectations and the typical cast of characters dominating the top of the rankings. Inevitably, some teams won’t meet those expectations and there is a perception that challenges the established status quo.

Alabama, for example, was so consistently threatening that in the first season post-Saban did not include postseason play, many fans, even non-Crimson Tide fans, felt the effects of that perceived chaos. Sometimes teams move through ebbs and flows. Clemson has had some down years after a long run of success. As well as every time Ohio State finds themselves in the top 5 only to get bounced earlier than expected.

The goal is sustainability. No one is going to be on top forever. There is no such thing as the greatest program in the country that has stayed that way throughout its entire history. The next best thing is to establish consistency. In some cases, programs have been able to remain at some level of ‘good’ without any periods of significant regression or ‘bad play’.

Sitake’s BYU seems chaos proof

Coaches love to win and hate to lose. The only thing worse than losing is experiencing bad football. Undisciplined, susceptible to unnecessary penalties, offenses that can’t move the ball and defenses that can’t stop the ball. Yet, in ten completed seasons, Kalani Sitake's BYU Cougars have not had one completely bad season.

A quick look at their team stats and results would suggest they have had one bad season under Sitake, but even that season comes with significant context. In 2016, BYU finished with only four wins, and it was one of only two seasons the Cougars did not appear in a bowl game in the Sitake era. However, they faced a tough schedule, including No. 17 LSU, No. 6 Wisconsin, No. 25 Boise State, No. 23 Mississippi State as well as significant roster turnover.

The Cougars have averaged almost nine wins in 10 completed seasons under Sitake, and that includes two seasons of 4–5 wins. Meaning there are several seasons of over eight wins (6) as well as four double-digit winning seasons. This includes 23 wins in the last two seasons.

In all that time, BYU has not experienced a single story or narrative about a scandal with the entire program. The Cougars have not been embroiled in any sort of nationally reported disciplinary issues among multiple players or staff. Even when players are dismissed for misconduct, there are no blurred lines.

The only 'story' at all recently has been an administrative re-alignment that aims to help not hinder Sitake and the football program. Most importantly, Sitake is never the story. In his 10-plus seasons, whatever the narrative has been, it has always been about the players and the team. Never about the coach.

Sitake’s contrast is noticeable when compared to other big-name coaches

There are three recent examples that should raise Sitake’s profile from a contrast standpoint. Lane Kiffin, Kyle Whittinham by way of Steve Sarkisian and Deion Sanders. Three very different examples, all drawing attention away from the players and the overall team results due to antics. Yet, all three of those names are almost universally discussed more than Sitake.

Kiffin has managed to make the story about himself so consistently that it has become part of his reputation. His stint with the Raiders ended in a public feud with owner Al Davis. Left Tennessee in the middle of the night after one chaotic season. Rehabbed his image under Nick Saban, but never missed an opportunity to remind everyone that he coached with himp. Most recently, the “Lane Kiffin Show” became the star attraction when he decided to leave Ole Miss before the Playoff run.

Ole Miss battling LSU was arguably the most anticipated game of this season due to Kiffin's antics. Ole Miss won that game in what many believe will go down as an instant classic. Despite the exciting, back and forth game, Kiffin leaned into the revenge game narrative and stadium atmosphere. Referring to that game as “their Super Bowl.”

Recently, Steve Sarkisian (and his quarterback Arch Manning) made headlines after a less than respectful exchange with reporter Holly Rowe. Longtime broadcaster Tim Brando recently gave context to a shift in thinking among some popular coaches. He cited an example of a production meeting where he was told not to ask about the quarterback before a Utah press conference.

“I told her to tell you not to ask that,” Kyle Whittingham said in that press conference. According to Brando, Whittingham got “confrontational” after that. He further went onto say college sports information directors used to be respected by their coaches and now they’re not. Operational staff now create a buffer between SID and coach. When previously, SIDs were an important aspect of the program’s communication with the media and the outside world.

Which brings us to Deion Sanders. There may not be another program in college football where the coach is a bigger entity when compared to the overall program. When people think about Colorado, they aren’t thinking of players, wins, conference title races first. They think of Coach Prime first. He is the definition of head coach, being the ‘face of the program’ in almost every way imaginable.

Colorado and BYU are polar opposites. There's no secret why. Sanders brings flash and hype because that's his world. Colorado has an in-house production company headed by the eldest son of the coach, Deion Sanders Jr., that provides extra content in social media circles. A sneaker/cleat line and twelve plus uniform combinations per season. With a coach that presents two different personas depending on various situations. Even Sanders himself would confirm he has an alter ego.

BYU is out to an almost predictable 3-0 start, scoring 132 points in three games. The Cougars still have the bulk of their Big 12 schedule left to play, including games against No. 3 Notre Dame and No. 13 Utah. Most expect BYU to be in the Big 12 title conversation late in this season.

The Cougars play sound football. And even though their head coach is never going to expect credit for that, he deserves the recognition. For over a decade, Sitake has been blocking out the noise and continues to build an outstanding culture.