PROVO, Utah — The BYU football team is closing in on completing its second week of fall football camp after another practice session Friday at the Zions Bank Practice Fields.
Position previews for today encompass all of the defensive line, including the ends and tackles on the interior.
Kelly Poppinga returns for his fourth year as the defensive ends coach and 11th overall at BYU. Poppinga got his coaching start in 2009 at BYU as a defensive intern before spending time as a graduate assistant and outside linebackers coach for the Cougars from 2011 to 2015. The Wyoming native departed for Virginia where he worked as the outside linebackers coach, edge position coach and special teams coordinators during his tenure with the Cavaliers until 2021. He was at Boise State for the 2021 season before heading back to Provo in 2022 in his current role.
Poppinga also had a standout career as a linebacker at BYU where he was named an All-Mountain West and Academic All-MWC performer from 2006-07. He also spent time with the Arizona Cardinals in 2008.
Despite losing starting ends Tyler Batty and Isaiah Bagnah, BYU brings back several defensive ends who spent time in the rotation last season in Logan Lutui, Viliami Po’uha and Bodie Schoonover. Lutui is set for his senior season after totaling 13 tackles, seven of which were solo, three-and-a-half tackles for loss, one sack and two passes defended. Po’uha recorded nine tackles and Schoonover four. All three will look to became mainstays on the edge in 2025.
Ephraim Asiata, a 6-foot-3, 210 pound native of Herriman, Utah appeared in 11 games last season and offers a twitchy edge piece with a lot of speed while the Cougars welcome back Orion Maile-Kaufusi, who appeared in four games looking to earn time. Sani Tuala saw action in the Valero Alamo Bowl and Kinilau Fonohema is also returning with a year of experience in the program.
Tausili Akana, a transfer from Texas, is a former four-star prospect who played at Skyridge High School in Utah. Akana played in nine games for the Longhorns.
The Cougars bring on four true freshmen to the defensive end room in Nusi Taumoepeau, Vincent Tautua, Siosefa Brown and Hunter Clegg. All four have a chance to make an impact early.
On the interior, Sione Po’uha returns to lead BYU’s defensive tackle room for his third season. Po'uha spent four years at Utah as the defensive tackles coach from 2018-21, along with time as a player development director and student assistant previously. He also spent time at Navy under Ken Niumatalolo.
Po'uha played four years at Utah as a first-team All-Mountain West defensive lineman and spent eight seasons in the NFL after being drafted in the third round by the New York Jets.
In the middle, BYU is also replacing starters Blake Mangelson and John Nelson but have added plenty of talent and new faces to make an impact.
Keanu Tanuvasa, a transfer from Utah, is an exciting addition to the defensive line. The 6-foot-4, 300 pound redshirt junior appeared in 24 games with 19 starts during his time with the Utes. In 2024, he played in seven games, totaling 17 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and one sack. The Mission Viejo, California, native earned All-Big 12 honorable mention honors last season.
The Cougars welcome back senior John Taumoepeau, who appeared in 12 games in 2024. He recorded 12 tackles, including five solo stops. In BYU’s dominant 38–9 win over Kansas State, the Renton, Washington, native logged a season-high three tackles.
Oklahoma State transfer Justin Kirkland also joins the BYU defensive tackle group. The West Haven, Utah, native appeared in all 12 games for the Cowboys in 2024, including a start in the season finale against Colorado. He finished with 18 tackles.
Anisi Purcell, a 6-foot-3, 305 pound redshirt junior transfer from Southern Utah, brings experience to the unit. He played in 24 games with 19 starts for the Thunderbirds, totaling 52 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and five sacks.
The Cougars also added Kaufusi Pafoke, a 6-foot-3, 345 pound senior transfer from Weber State, and Alvin Puefea, a 6-foot-4, 335 pound freshman transfer from Hawaii.
Incoming freshmen are Kendal Wall from Herriman, Utah; Kelepi Latu-Finau from Oakland, California; Ulavai Fetuli from Laie, Hawaii and Maverick McManus from Saratoga Springs, Utah.