BYU’s rush ends and outside linebackers are determined to increase their sack totals in 2026

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In the 2023 and 2024 college football seasons, BYU had one of the weakest pass rushes around, if total sacks are a good measure of that element of the defense.

It got better last year, as BYU moved from No. 122 in the country in sacks in 2024 (20 sacks) to No. 62 in 2025, getting to rival quarterbacks 30 times.

Monday, several coaches, including defensive coordinator Kelly Poppinga and new rush ends/outside linebackers coach Chad Kauha’aha’a, said 30 sacks won’t be acceptable in 2026. Senior defensive tackle Keanu Tanuvasa pushed the envelope even more, saying the Cougars “should have around 50 sacks this year.”

For his part, Kauha’aha’a said the unit he oversees now, a mixture of guys listed as outside linebackers and defensive ends, hasn’t come up with specific numbers yet for sack goals, but believes it should be more than 25 for that group alone.

“Again, it is about creating havoc plays, being in the backfield, and getting our names called,” he said. “That’s what we want out of that position. We want excitement out of that position.”

Poppinga said he’s “a big numbers guy, a big stats guy,” but didn’t list sacks as a number he keeps a particularly close eye on as the season progresses. Rather, he wants to see opponents held to less than 3 yards per carry, less than 33% conversions on third down and 45% or fewer touchdowns each time they get in the red zone.

Poppinga’s predecessor, Jay Hill, who is now in the same role at Michigan, also wasn’t laser-focused on sacks as a measure of a defense’s strengths. He was more focused on creating havoc and using the pass rush to force turnovers.

Poppinga will coach the inside linebackers in addition to his coordinator duties, aided by assistant linebackers coach Tyus Moe. Guys in that room include Isaiah Glasker, Siale Esera, Jake Clifton and Cal transfer Cade Uluave.

Kauha’aha’a joined Sitake’s staff in 2023 as a volunteer analyst after having been released by UCLA — but was still being paid by the Bruins — and then was put on the staff full-time to work with the inside linebackers in 2024 and with the defensive tackles in 2025.

The Cougars also rely heavily on the work of former Utah State, Wisconsin and Oregon State head coach Gary Andersen, now called BYU’s chief consultant to the head coach and senior defensive consultant.

“It was a smooth, easy transition (to rush ends/outside linebackers coach),” Kauha’aha’a said, noting that he teaches his guys to rush the passer, but also drop into coverage. It’s similar to what he did when he was at Wisconsin and Oregon State. He’s also coached at USC, Boise State, Utah, Utah State and Weber State after a playing career at Utah (1993-96).

“I tell my guys we have the toughest job on the field. We’re the only group that has to play the run, play the pass and in various situations (cover) the back end,” Kauha’aha’a said.

“The (defensive) line is going to play the run the whole time. They play up front. There’s a lot of moving parts, too, especially the F position that we have, the field side backer/edge, whatever you want to call it,” he continued. “It’s a tough position to play, but we got a lot of good players that can do it.”

Glasker plays it when BYU is in its base package. When the Cougars move out of the base package, the F spot starter is projected to be sophomore Nusi Taumoepeau.

Kauha’aha’a said Taumoepeau is “fully healthy and fully cleared” after the 6-foot-3, 242-pound sophomore from Westlake High in Saratoga Springs missed contact drills in spring camp.

“We got a lot of depth in that room, so we gotta make a statement,” Kauha’aha’a said.

He added that other players to watch include junior Tausili Akana, redshirt freshman Kendal Wall, freshman Braxton Lindsey, sophomore Hunter Clegg and freshman Vince Tautua.

“We got Braxton Lindsey, who, oh boy, he’s gonna be a good surprise for everyone,” the coach said. “And then at the B spot, we got Hunter Clegg starting in the base package, obviously more of a run-stopper guy.”

Bottom line, the coach said, is that the group he coaches is “hungry” and “ready to make a name for themselves” much in the way that Jack Kelly did last year.

Kelly, who had 10 sacks in 2025, is now with the NFL’s New York Giants.

Tanuvasa, the defensive tackle who will team with Justin Kirkland, Anisi Purcell and Ulavai Fetuli as BYU’s primary run-stuffers and block-eaters on the interior defensive line, relayed a story about center Bruce Mitchell’s take on the linebackers and rush ends.

“Bruce walked up to me the other day and said, ‘You have the Avengers back there, with Cade (Uluave), with Glasker, and with Nusi,”’ Tanuvasa said.

“He said, ‘I don’t know how we are going to be able to block all of them, or let alone have some area on the field to throw the ball to.’”

Said Glasker, when asked about Kirkland and Tanuvasa working inside to take up blocks and allow the linebackers to do their job, “I have never seen a dude (Kirkland) like that before. He and Keanu working together is — you are in for a long movie.”

And a lot more sacks, presumably.

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