The BYU football team officially began preparations for the 2026 season on Tuesday as players and coaches reported to campus for fall camp. The team gathered at the Student Athlete Building to kick off the preseason program.
Following an offseason focused on strength and conditioning, individual training, and player-run practices, team members attended their first official meetings on Tuesday. The players also received their fall practice gear and participated in a team activity at Splash Summit.
The 2026 squad is scheduled to hold its first official practice on Wednesday. This leads up to the season opener against Utah Tech on September 5 at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Single game tickets for the upcoming season are currently on sale.
Head coach Kalani Sitake enters his 11th year leading the program. Over the last decade, Sitake has held a record of 84-45, which includes a 23-4 mark over the previous two seasons.
The coaching staff includes several new roles and promotions for 2026. Kelly Poppinga has taken over as defensive coordinator, while Sione Po'uha has added associate head coaching duties to his role as defensive tackles coach. New additions to the staff include DeMario Warren as defensive pass game coordinator and safeties coach, Chad Kauha'aha'a as linebackers coach, and Lewis Walker as cornerbacks coach.
On the offensive side, Aaron Roderick, Fesi Sitake, TJ Woods, Kevin Gilbride, and Harvey Unga are returning to their previous roles. Justin Ena has moved from linebackers coach to serve as the full-time special teams coordinator.
Fans can follow camp coverage through BYU
Cougars.com, the BYU Cougars App, and BYU Football social media channels. The university plans to provide additional content during the fall, including previews of the offense, defense, and special teams, as well as historical looks at the program and Coach Sitake's decade of leadership.
