Although it was still the month of February, BYU football kicked off its spring practice session weeks before most other programs, as is standard operating procedure in Provo.

In fact much of what went on during Friday’s opening session was business as usual despite multiple coaching changes within Head Coach Kalani Sitake’s staff, along with the typical and even untypical departures of notable players who will now have to be replaced. Of course there were necessary tweaks made, and those tweaks will continue to be made leading up to the 2026 football season.

But again, undergoing those tweaks is standard operating procedure in Provo with every spring session.

“We’re not doing things the same that we’ve done in the past. And so every year, we’ve changed a few things to get our team ready, and but the thing that’s consistent is we have some great leadership on the team,” Sitake said. “We’re going to lean heavily on our leaders and heavily on the staff getting them ready, and I feel really confident about what to do. But again, it’s all not real yet, you know? So with today I was really encouraged with what I saw, and I think (former BYU Coach) Lavell (Edwards) said it best, ‘we have a pretty good chance.'”

Last season saw the Cougars exceed many expectations and advance clear to the Big 12 Championship game where it took their second loss of the season to Texas Tech before topping off the season with a win in the Pop-tarts Bowl over Georgia Tech. Coaches are now working to parlay that success into this coming season in hopes of building off of all of it in order to reach new heights.

“I think we’ve got a good, good feel of things right now and got some great momentum,” Sitake said. “So I think the key is to get everybody, especially the new players, in a position where they can understand our scheme and and then put them in a position to compete. Right now, we’re just trying to make sure that they’re aligned correctly and that they have they know their assignment, and then they’re executing with the right technique. Then we’ll compete a lot more when we get to fall.”

BYU’s roster this spring is full of new and exciting additions, which include transfer portal additions like linebacker Cade Uluave (Cal), tight end Walker Lyons (USC) and receiver Kyler Kasper (Oregon), on top of an impressive group of true freshmen, most of whom graduated from high school early in order to participate in the spring practice session.

How each of the new additions will ultimately pan out and contribute is all but impossible to know after just one day of official practices, although both coaches and players hold strong initial impressions.

“We got a bunch of talent,” Sitake said about his group of receivers and tight ends specifically. “We obtained some talent, so I think we’re going to be really good in that position, at receiver and be good at tight end, like the backs.”

One of the chief storylines this spring will be the integration of the new coaches on staff, particularly new safeties coach DeMario Warren and new cornerbacks coach Lewis Walker. Are the newest addition to the Cougar staff up-to-speed and will things necessarily slow down as they themselves get acclimated to Sitake’s scheme?

“It hasn’t changed. We got a we got a system that we’re in, a standard that we operate by, and coaches come in, they fit by what we asked them to do,” Sitake said. “Lewis has done a great job. I like the way that they demand from their players, and today was a really good day for those guys. So I think Demo (Warren) and Lewis know what they have in the group, and they know how to get them going.”

Much is yet to unfold with regards to how the team prepares and then fares for the 2026 season, but it’s spring, and optimism abounds.

“I’m glad we’re outside and I’m excited about the team,” Sitake concluded. “I Thought we had a really good practice and I think it’s a really good start to 2026. I think I thought we had a great offseason with the two months of prep for now. (The players are) not in game shape yet, but we don’t have to be yet. We’ll have to be game shaped by the time we get to fall (and) by the time we get to game one. But (players are) definitely stronger, and a lot of guys are bigger, so we’re going to keep working on that and try to progress as a team during spring during these 15 practices.”