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BYU head coach Kalani Sitake and players celebrate with the Cougar fans after the Big 12 game against UCF at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU football players prepare to take the field before the Big 12 game against Kansas State at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024.

Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photo

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BYU football players warm up before the Big 12 game against Kansas State at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024.

Aaron Cornia, BYU Photo

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BYU players gather after practice in Provo on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024.

Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photo

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Some college football teams are trending toward relying more and more on building their rosters through enticing transfers, hoping the experience such players bring will make up for deficiencies in team chemistry and playbook knowledge.

BYU, however, isn’t planning on going down that road.

“The transfer portal is hard because it is such fast-paced recruiting,” Cougar head coach Kalani Sitake said during a press teleconference on Wednesday. “If you look at the majority of the people we bring in, even through the portal, there is often a connection from before. One thing we have to focus on is protecting the culture of the team.

“A lot of times people look at talent and say that’s the overriding factor, but talent doesn’t just get you wins. You need culture and strategy. We can develop a relationship when they are in high school and see what they are about. With high school recruiting, you can’t fake it. You can work them into being a great fit. They are adding to the culture, not just feeding off of it.”

BYU had 18 high school athletes sign to join the program on the first day of the early signing period on Wednesday.

“I’m really excited about the talent in this class and the relationship that we’ve built with these young men and their families,” Sitake said. “The players joining our program are those that want to be at BYU for the right reasons and we are looking forward to mentoring them and helping them develop and achieve their goals. I also have a lot of gratitude to express to our recruiting department and the people that work behind the scenes in recruiting, from the university, faculty, staff, our players, fans and all those that promote the brand of BYU.”

The 18 recruits who signed on Wednesday include 10 offensive players, seven defensive players and one specialist.

Cougar defensive coordinator Jay Hill and offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick explained that they aren’t ignoring the portal and will look for good fits.

“You never know who is going to be available next week (when the transfer portal opens) but we wanted to save a few spots just in case the right guys are available, guys we feel could add to our roster,” Hill said.

Their main goal, however, is to develop and retain players who sign out of high school.

“Defensively speaking, I would still prefer to bring in freshmen who are great fits at BYU,” Hill said. “We want to develop them the right way and then fight like crazy to keep those guys here who have made plays for us and that we know everything about.”

He acknowledged that injuries or having players decide to leave can require a team to make adjustments, which is where he feels the transfer portal comes in.

“Then you can go out and find maybe an experienced guy who has played more reps at the college football level and can come in right away and play,” Hill said. “I believe strongly, though, that those guys have to be good fits for both BYU and for what we are trying to do in our scheme. We want to be really careful about taking the right guys.”

Roderick said he has the same mentality and believes it is the best way to construct a team.

“We want to keep bringing in young players every year and then building the program around them,” Roderick said. “The transfer portal is just a tool to fill an immediate need that you had that was unforeseen. We don’t want wholesale portal transactions going on every year. It should be just filling in a gap or two each year. The rest of our team should be developing the young guys that we sign out of high school.”

One of the best parts of being a coach, according to both Sitake and Hill, is the chance to mentor athletes and see them become the best they can be, on and off the field.

“One of the most exciting things we do as coaches is sign these young players who we believe in and then develop them into what we hope they become,” Hill said. “That’s such a rewarding part of coaching. I’ve seen that with the seniors we are going to lose. Every year we get this opportunity to be excited about a new crop of these guys and that’s the best part of our job.”

In some ways it is fitting that the new early signing period started just four days after BYU’s Senior Night celebration at its last home game. It was the end of the college football cycle for the seniors and the beginning for the new recruits.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Sitake said. “They come in right out of high school or they show up right after serving missions, and they’re not developed yet. Then you see them get older and bigger and stronger and develop their identity. They are already on a path to getting there, and I’m just really proud that I get to be a part of their progress. You see this transition and to be honest I can’t believe I get to be a part of it. I love where I’m at and see them go through different phases of their life.”

BYU football’s newest roster additions

Midyear enrollees

Cale Breslin, RB, 5-11, 186, Faith Lutheran High, Las Vegas, Nev.

Tucker Kelleher, TE, 6-6, 225, Alpharetta High, Georgia

Tyler Payne, LB, 6-1, 220, Weber High, Utah

Vincent Tautua, DL, 6-3, 250, Saint Louis High, Hawaii

Lamason Waller III, WR, 6-1, 178, Oak Hills High, Calif.

Andrew Williams, OL, 6-8, 280, Kirksville High, Missouri

Summer enrollees

Ulavai Fetuli, DL, 6-4, 245, La Habra High, Calif.

Kelepi Finau, DL, 6-5, 250, Alameda High, Calif.

Siosiua Finau, OL, 6-6, 295, Alameda High, Calif.

Kendal Wall, DL, 6-5, 215, Mountain Ridge High, Utah

Mission first athletes

Blake Bryce, TE, 6-5, 235, Newbury Park High, Calif.

Jackson Doman, TE, 6-6, 220, Canby High, Oregon

Sale Fano, DL, 6-4, 225, Westlake High, Utah

Kingston Keanaaina, RB, 6-0, 205, St. Francis High, Calif.

Nolan Keeney, QB/ATH, 6-5, 226, Tualatin High, Oregon

Taaniela Makasini, LB, 6-1, 200, Timpview High, Utah

Austin Pay, OL, 6-7, 295, Lone Peak High, Utah

Will Walker, P/K, 6-5, 210, Riverton High, Utah