Head coach Kalani Sitake’s latest move hints at BYU’s succession plan

Coach Kalani Sitake and the BYU Cougars had a successful season. With Jake Retzlaff as the starting quarterback, the Cougars were able to win the Alamo Bowl and only lose two games throughout the season. While Retzlaff still has a few years of eligibility left, college programs are always looking for ways to ensure they have a succession plan for the quarterback position.

At the start of this week, college football coaches were allowed to start visiting recruits at their high schools. Sitake and his coaching staff went on the road to start visiting some of their top targets for the 2026 class. On Tuesday, they visited the campus of Folsom High School where five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons plays.

Lyons has visited BYU a few times on unofficial visits, and the Cougars are reportedly high on his list for possible recruitment. If he chooses to sign with the Cougars, he would be the most decorated quarterback to sign with them since Ben Olson signed with the team in 2002.

However, Lyons is expected to be recruited heavily by several teams in the coming months. Both Ole Miss and USC have interest, and it has been reported that he has over 30 offers from big-name schools.

If Lyons signs with BYU, he will not join the team next season, but the season after. As a result, Jake Retzlaff is still expected to be the starter next season. He could even start the next year, allowing Lyons to redshirt for a season and get accustomed to the college environment, much like what Arch Manning is doing behind Quinn Ewers in Texas.

The BYU coaching staff also travels to Southern Utah and Idaho to meet with recruits

While Lyons was the biggest recruit the BYU coaching staff spoke with on Tuesday, it was not the only visit the coaching staff made that day. Several members of the coaching staff traveled to Utah to visit four-star tight end Brock Harris. Harris, like Lyons, is a member of the 2026 class.

Additionally, offensive line coach TJ Woods traveled to Meridian, Idaho, to meet offensive lineman Jax Tanner. He is a high-priority target for the Cougars in the 2026 class. He has offers from Michigan, Nebraska, Oregon, Tennessee, Stanford, Wisconsin and Utah.

With the Cougars coaching staff making early visits to members of the 2026 recruiting class, it has the potential to be one of the highest-ranked classes in their history.