The other four AFCA FBS Regional Coach of the Year winners include Jeff Monken, Army West Point (region 1); Clark Lea, Vanderbilt (region 2); Curt Cignetti, Indiana, (region 3) and Spencer Danielson, Boise State (region 5).

Regional winners were selected by active members of the AFCA who vote for coaches in their respective regions. Regional winners then become finalists for AFCA National Coach of the Year.

In his ninth year at BYU, and 24th overall season as a college football coach, Sitake leads the program he once played for under legendary hall of fame coach LaVell Edwards. A former Cougar running back (1994, 1997-2000), Sitake guided BYU to a 61-41 overall record during his first eight seasons (2016-23) and has led the Cougars to a 9-1 start in 2024.

Early this season, Sitake was also named to the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award Watchlist and the Dodd Trophy Midseason Watch List. He was also named Midseason Big 12 Coach of the Year by College Football Network.

Sitake is the first FBS head football coach of Tongan descent as well as the first former player under Edwards to be named head coach at BYU.

As an independent football program, Sitake guided BYU to P5 wins over Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Tennessee, USC, Utah, Washington State and Wisconsin, including a 29-9 record during the final three seasons of independence from 2020-22. He then led BYU into its first season In the Big 12 Conference in 2023.

Sitake was recognized as an Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award Finalist and George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year Award Semifinalist in 2020 and 2021. He was also named to the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award watch list in 2020.

The AFCA began recognizing district coaches of the year following the 1960 season. Prior to 1960, the Scripps-Howard Company had sponsored the program, which recognized one national Coach of the Year.

The AFCA will announce the 2024 FBS National Coach of the Year on Monday, Dec. 16.

BYU kicker Will Ferrin named semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award

The Palm Beach County Sports Commission today named BYU kicker Will Ferrin a semifinalist for the 2024 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, presented by the Orange Bowl.

The junior from Kaysville, Utah, currently leads the Big 12 Conference in field goals with 19, good for fifth nationally among all FBS kickers. He also leads all Big 12 kickers in scoring with 92 points, placing him at No. 4 nationally.

The BYU co-captain has made 11 consecutive field goals over the last five games and is 19 of 22 (86.4) for the season. Ferrin is also perfect on the year in PATs, converting on all 35 attempts.

Ferrin was named one of the Lou Groza Award “Stars of the Week” and Big 12 Special Teams Co-Player of the Week after leading BYU to a 22-21 win over rival Utah on Saturday, Nov. 9. Ferrin was a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals, including a 44-yard game winner with just four seconds remaining.

The Lou Groza Award is named for NFL Hall of Fame kicker Lou “The Toe” Groza, who played 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Groza won four NFL championships with Cleveland and was named NFL Player of the Year in 1954.

Three finalists for the Lou Groza Award will be selected by a panel of FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists and current NFL kickers. The finalists will be announced on Nov. 26 and honored at the 33rd annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Banquet on Dec. 9 in Palm Beach County. The winner of the award will be announced live on ESPN at the Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 12.

For more information regarding the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, please visit LouGrozaAward.com, or follow @LouGrozaAward on X for updates.

Kemavor named Big 12 Co-Defensive Player of the Week

BYU women’s volleyball middle blocker Brielle Kemavor has been named the Big 12 Co-Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday morning.

Kemavor led the Cougars and finished tied for the lead in conference with 13 total blocks this week. The middle blocker recorded a game-high nine blocks, including three solo stuffs, in BYU’s win at UCF.

The Bristow, Virginia product also tallied four blocks and one dig in the Cougars’ sweep at Houston. Offensively, Kemavor contributed 10 kills between BYU’s two road Big 12 matches.

This is Kemavor’s second conference honor of the season. She was also named Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 29 after a career-high 12 blocks at Colorado.

Kemavor’s award marks the third for the Cougars this season. Setter Alex Bower received Big 12 Rookie of the Week honors on Oct. 1.