BYU Shifts Defensive Approach Under New Coordinator Kelly Poppinga

Kalani Sitake explains the reasoning behind the Cougars' defensive changes as Poppinga replaces Jay Hill.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 12:10pm

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting a college football defensive play, with sharp geometric shapes in muted earth tones representing the players and action on the field.BYU's defensive shift under new coordinator Kelly Poppinga aims to build on the program's recent success through a focus on developing talent from within.Provo Today

BYU has promoted Kelly Poppinga to defensive coordinator, replacing Jay Hill who left for Michigan. Head coach Kalani Sitake discussed how Poppinga's background as a former linebacker and NFL player brings a different approach compared to Hill, who was more focused on the secondary. Poppinga is emphasizing the front seven and developing the talent already on the roster rather than relying heavily on the transfer portal.

Why it matters

BYU has developed into one of the nation's more effective defensive units in recent years, finishing near the top of multiple statistical categories. Poppinga's promotion reflects both his familiarity with the program and the impact he has already made, as the Cougars look to build on their defensive success.

The details

Poppinga previously played at BYU under Bronco Mendenhall and later coached on his staff from 2009 to 2015 before returning in 2022. His promotion to defensive coordinator is seen as a natural progression given his history with the program and the defense's strong performance. Poppinga has taken a somewhat unconventional approach in recruiting, choosing to invest in developing the talent already on the roster rather than relying heavily on the transfer portal for defensive ends.

  • Poppinga was promoted to defensive coordinator on January 7, 2026, after Jay Hill departed for the same role at Michigan.
  • Poppinga previously played at BYU from 2006-2007 and coached on the staff from 2009-2015 before returning in 2022.

The players

Kalani Sitake

The head coach of the BYU Cougars football team, who discussed the reasoning behind the defensive changes and Poppinga's promotion.

Kelly Poppinga

The new defensive coordinator for the BYU Cougars, who previously played and coached at the school and is taking a different approach focused on the front seven.

Jay Hill

The former BYU defensive coordinator who left the program to take the same role at Michigan.

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What they’re saying

“Yeah, I think the main thing is that he's a linebacker that played outside linebacker and played in the NFL, played here at BYU. So his approach is different, just being a former player and knowing what these student athletes are going through. That's unique and different than what we had with our former coordinator.”

— Kalani Sitake, Head Coach, BYU Cougars

“We have a lot of young guys that haven't really played for us that I think are going to be very, very good players, Kini Fonohema being one of them. Vince Tautua being another one, Kendall Wall being another one, and that's not even mentioning the 7 or 8 guys that we have coming back that have playing experience.”

— Kelly Poppinga, Defensive Coordinator, BYU Cougars

What’s next

BYU will look to build on its defensive success under the new leadership of Kelly Poppinga as the Cougars prepare for the upcoming 2026 season.

The takeaway

Poppinga's promotion to defensive coordinator reflects BYU's commitment to developing talent from within the program rather than relying heavily on the transfer portal. His focus on the front seven and emphasis on accountability could help the Cougars maintain their status as one of the nation's more effective defensive units.