Kalani Sitake chose not to leave BYU to coach college football at Penn State. Although money was not the only reason for the decision, Crumbl Cookies CEO Jason McGowan and other boosters stepped up to keep him in Provo.
They sparked something of a religious controversy with their actions.
The Book of Mormon teaches members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints not to spend money on things of “no worth.” Is a college football coach of worth?
Penn State swung and missed on BYU head coach Kalani Sitake.
As of early Monday morning, it appeared as though Penn State was going to poach Sitake from BYU. Where there is smoke, there is often fire. And there was a lot of smoke.
And then the pendulum suddenly swung back the other way on late Monday night into Tuesday.
The momentum shift started with a cryptic post to X from McGowan. It appeared as though he vowed to spend whatever money necessary to prevent Sitake from leaving.
He later followed up with a more specific post in praise of the head coach.
Meanwhile, Crumble Cookies CEO Jason McGowan and other boosters at Brigham Young University went to work behind the scenes. Nutricost CEO Min Kim was rumored to be one of the other money men who got involved but that is not confirmed.
Regardless of who or what or why, Kalani Sitake signed a long-term extension with BYU on Tuesday. The university committed to an additional $10 to $15 million per year in NIL money on top of the revenue share split and gave its head coach a raise. Those financial efforts certainly helped to sweeten the deal but it was the outpouring of love from the community and his faith that ultimately kept him from leaving.
The Book of Mormon teaches how to spend money.
Faith plays an interesting role in what happened at BYU over the last few days. Sitake is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The university is sponsored by the Church. Approximately 98.5% of students at the university are Mormon.
To go even one step further, McGowan and Crumbl co-founder Sawyer Hemsley both served in missions for the LDS church. Their spending on collegiate athletics is a point of contention within the community.
The Book of Mormon directly warns Latter-day Saints not to spend time or effort on things of “no worth.” Three passages stand out.
- 2 Nephi 9:51 reads, “Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy.”
- Don’t waste money on things that don’t offer lasting value.
- 3 Nephi 13:19 reads, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt.”
- To spend money on temporary pleasures is hollow.
- Alma 39:14 reads, “Seek not after the vain things of this world, for you cannot carry them with you.”
- Don’t chase after things that might inflate the ego but lack real worth.
Overall, the Book of Mormon teaches that spending should always align with the things that matter. Those things are family, spiritual growth, helping others and building goodness.
Does college football offer lasting value?
A unique conversation about religion proceeded to unfold in the LDS community over the last few days. Some people of Mormon faith do not agree with the amount of spending on college sports at BYU.
Is college football aligned with the teachings of Joseph Smith? How does college football build goodness?
I am not able to answer either of those questions. It is not my place to say.
Those who do not agree with how Jason McGowan spent his money see athletics as a temporary pleasure. Wins and losses are thrown out at the end of the season. That money could be better spent in places of need on people of need.
McGowan and other supporters of this spending might point to Sitake as a man of LDS faith. By keeping him in Provo, he is able to build young men who hold strong to their religious values both on and off the field. It is important for BYU to be relevant in athletics to help drive the conversation surrounding the faith. To build the university brand requires success in sports.
At the end of the day, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints oversees the university. This kind of spending had to be approved by the Church.