RESTRUCTURING: BYU Football & Kalani Sitake No Longer Report to Brian Santiago | Friction Resolved? | Will BYU Basketball's Euro Imports be Cleared?

Welcome to a breaking-news edition of Locked On Cougars, your daily home for all things BYU athletics. On today’s show, host Jake Hatch dives deep into a massive administrative shakeup in Provo and a controversial new ruling from the Big 12 Conference that directly impacts the hardwood. First, we tackle the seismic news surrounding the BYU Athletic Department. In a stunning structural shift, BYU is officially separating the football program from Athletic Director Brian Santiago’s direct oversight. Going forward, head football coach Kalani Sitake will report directly to BYU Advancement Vice President Keith Vorkink. Jake breaks down why this restructuring happened, exploring how it sheds light on and ultimately aims to resolve the underlying friction that has quietly simmered between Santiago and Sitake. With the financial and logistical demands of the modern college football landscape—including the impending House settlement and $20.5 million revenue sharing—aligning the football program more closely with university advancement makes strategic sense. We analyze what this means for the day-to-day operations of the athletic department and how it positions Sitake and the football program for long-term stability in the Big 12. Next, we shift our attention to the Marriott Center to address a sweeping regulatory change in college basketball. The Big 12 is moving to ban players with professional experience from participating in college athletics. This ruling sends shockwaves through the sport and carries massive implications for Kevin Young and the BYU Men’s Basketball program. Given Young’s extensive NBA background and his success in recruiting elite international talent from leagues like the Euroleague, BYU has heavily leaned into prospects with high-level professional backgrounds. We examine how this new conference mandate affects BYU’s current roster construction, its international pipeline, and what steps the coaching staff must take to adapt to changing NCAA and conference compliance standards. From executive-level changes in the athletic offices to regulatory battles on the basketball court, this episode covers the pivotal storylines shaping the future of BYU sports. Subscribe to Locked On Cougars on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform for daily, in-depth coverage of BYU Athletics! Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! 5-Hour ENERGY: Bring on the sweetness with Cotton Candy 5-hour ENERGY®️ shots—available online now at https:/5hourENERGY.com or on Amazon Wayfair: Patio season is here and these deals won’t last! Head to https://wayfair.com right now to get your outdoor space ready for way less.  Wayfair. Every style. Every home. LARINECO: Give Larine a try. Right now, Larine Co is offering our listeners up to 50% off at https://BUYLARINE.com/LOCKEDONCOLLEGE. Odoo: Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon KALSHI: For a limited time, Download the Kalshi app and use code [LOCKEDON] to get $10 when you trade $10 Indeed: Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast Gametime: Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase FanDuel: Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at FANDUEL.COM to play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Follow the Locked On Cougars podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up-to-date with the latest with regards to the podcast and BYU sports news. Please remember to subscribe, enable notifications, rate and review the show. If you are interested in advertising with Locked On Cougars or the Locked On Podcast Network, please email us at [email protected]. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.