, ▁M enden hall ▁accepted ▁the ▁head ▁coach ▁position ▁with ▁Virginia ▁in ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Coast ▁Conference ▁( AC C ). ▁His ▁ 9 9 ▁wins ▁in ▁ 1 1 ▁seasons ▁are ▁second ▁all - time ▁in ▁school ▁history , ▁behind ▁only ▁Edwards . ▁ ▁BY U ▁spent ▁more ▁than ▁a ▁week ▁cour ting ▁Navy ▁Mid ship men ▁football ▁head ▁coach ▁Ken ▁N ium atal olo ▁to ▁take ▁over ▁the ▁C oug ars ▁program . ▁After ▁several ▁days , ▁which ▁included ▁a ▁visit ▁to ▁Pro vo ▁and ▁public ▁remarks ▁about ▁considering ▁the ▁job , ▁N ium atal olo ▁ultimately ▁decl ined ▁BY U ' s ▁offer ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁remain ▁with ▁Navy . ▁Athletics ▁director ▁Tom ▁Hol mo e ▁moved ▁on ▁to ▁several ▁other ▁potential ▁candidates ▁and ▁on ▁Dec . ▁ 1 9 ▁introduced ▁Oregon ▁State ▁def ensive ▁coordin ator ▁and ▁former ▁C oug ars ▁full back ▁Kal ani ▁Sit ake ▁as ▁BY U ' s ▁next ▁head ▁coach . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁his ▁h iring , ▁Kal ani ▁Sit ake ▁said , ▁" I ' m ▁grateful ▁for ▁everything ▁BY U ▁gave ▁me ▁as ▁a ▁player . ▁It ' s ▁a ▁dream ▁come ▁true ▁for ▁me ▁to ▁return ▁home ." ▁ ▁While ▁many ▁have ▁question ed ▁whether ▁independence ▁long - term ▁is ▁sust ain able , ▁from ▁a ▁financial ▁perspective ▁it ▁appears ▁to ▁be ▁so . ▁BY U ' s ▁ESP N ▁contract ▁is ▁worth ▁somewhere ▁between ▁$ 6 – 1 0 ▁million ▁ann ually , ▁which ▁is ▁on ▁par ▁with