It is early, but BYU’s defense is among the best in the country. Here’s how it was built

How good is this BYU defense?

The conservative answer is that it is too early to tell, mainly because the Cougars haven’t played an offense capable of punching its way out of a wet paper bag through two games of a very young 2025 college football season. The offenses belonging to Portland State and Stanford, which combined to put up 212 yards and three points on BYU, are well below average.

Truthfully, they were as bad as any that have visited LaVell Edwards Stadium in recent memory, from this vantage point.

The blue-goggled answer is that defensive coordinator Jay Hill’s group has done enough to show that it is one of the best defenses in the country, regardless of the quality of competition. It has clearly exceeded expectations, although the sample size is obviously small and incomplete.

The best answer is that time will tell, beginning a week from Saturday when BYU makes the cross-country trip to face perennially underrated East Carolina of the American Conference. Kickoff is at 5:30 p.m. MDT and the game will be televised by ESPN2.

ECU has “the best offense we will have seen by far, and maybe the best passing team we will see all season long,” BYU defensive ends coach and special teams coordinator Kelly Poppinga said on the “Coordinators’ Corner” show Monday.

What is clear right now, as BYU (2-0) approaches its first of two bye weekends of the season, is that it is at the top of the country in scoring defense (1.5 ppg.), first downs allowed (15) and rushing defense (7.0 ypg.).

It is No. 2 in total defense (106.0 ypg.), No. 3 in third-down conversion percentage defense (.115) and No. 5 in team passing efficiency defense (76.22). Opponents are 3 of 26 on third down against BYU, and are averaging just .29 yards per rushing attempt.

“I would say we have been prepared for everything,” sophomore safety said Faletau Satuala after Stanford was held to 19 rushing yards and 142 passing yards. “Coach Hill is a genius. I don’t know how he even knows it is coming, but he knows what is coming each time. We were ready for everything.”

Of course, Tarleton State also shut out Portland State, and North Dakota held the Vikings to 20 points last week in Grand Forks. Stanford, which had two weeks to prepare for BYU’s defense, scored 20 points against Hawaii.

So tap the brakes just a little on the hype, head coach Kalani Sitake said Monday in so many words during his weekly press briefing. Has a school known for producing outstanding quarterbacks and high-scoring offenses turned into a defensive power in Hill’s third season, and Sitake’s 10th?

“I am not going to make any statements about our identity. We just have to keep working. We don’t know what is going to happen, how the team is going to respond to whatever comes next,” Sitake said. “We have a feeling (of what) our guys are capable of, but you have to recruit that, you have to develop it, and keep being all about it.”

BYU’s defense has forced four turnovers and posted five sacks, which ranks the Cougars T41 in team sacks — much better than last year.

“Well I think we are headed in the right direction. I like our depth right now. I don’t think it is close to what it is going to be in a couple of years. But I like where we are trending,” Hill said before the Stanford game.

The Cardinal’s interim coach, former NFL quarterback, offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and head coach Frank Reich, certainly went away impressed.

After saying before the game that he felt like he was “watching an NFL defense with everything they do” he noted after the game that the Cougars were well-coached and had several NFL-caliber defenders who made moving the ball on BYU ultra-difficult.

BYU coach Kalani Sitake talks to his players during practice Aug. 19. 2025, in Provo. The Cougars open their 2025 season Saturday night at LaVell Edwards Stadium against Portland State. | Jaren Wilkey/BYU

Sitake, who was responsible for luring Hill away from a head coaching job at Weber State and deserves credit for having the guts to part ways with close friend Ilaisa Tuiaki after the lackluster 2022 season, said the defensive rise — which started in 2023 and picked up steam in 2024, culminating with a tremendous showing against Colorado and Deion Sanders’ explosive offense — has been years in the making.

He praised the current players and many recent graduates for making it work.

“I think it goes both ways. You have to have players that can run the system that Jay wants to run, that I completely agree with. This is a defense I am really familiar with and that I feel really comfortable with,” Sitake said. “Then you combine that with the support that we have on the staff, from all the different coaches that are in there, and the analysts, that makes it really nice. Then you have to have the pieces, the players.”

How the 2025 BYU defense was built

There was plenty of concern surrounding the BYU defense when the 2024 season ended because stalwarts Tyler Batty, John Nelson, Blake Mangelson, Jakob Robinson, Marque Collins, Isaiah Bagnah and Crew Wakley were moving on to the NFL or CFL — or Purdue, in Wakley’s case — and linebackers Jack Kelly and Isaiah Glasker were seriously weighing their future options.

But those fears were calmed when Kelly and Glasker — the heart and soul of the unit, along with safety Tanner Wall — decided to return and BYU landed one of the top defensive tackles in the transfer portal, Utah’s Keanu Tanuvasa.

Another high-profile DT acquisition from the portal, Oklahoma State’s Justin Kirkland, sustained a knee injury over the summer and has yet to play, but Snow College transfer John Taumoepeau has combined with Tanuvasa to create a solid front wall.

“Having No. 57 (Tanuvasa) in there makes things really difficult” for opponents to run on the Cougars, Sitake said. “The front seven is playing at a high level right now, especially the run defense.”

Sixth-year senior defensive end Logan Lutui got a year of eligibility back after splitting time with Bagnah last year, and has been the surprise leader in tackles through two games, with eight. Bodie Schoonover, Viliami Po’uha, Texas transfer Tausili Akana, returned missionary Hunter Clegg and SUU transfer Anisi Purcell have also made plays as rush ends and defensive tackles.

“It is a great way to start the season. Coach Hill’s challenge to those guys was to play like they are the No. 1 defense in the country. That was his challenge going into the (season),” Poppinga said. “We will be able to say that going into our next game, which is going to be a great challenge.”

Linebackers not allowing the defense to be leaky

The aforementioned Glasker and Kelly are off to fantastic starts, as expected. Glasker has a sack, two quarterback hurries and seven tackles, second-most on the team, while Kelly has a sack, three tackles for loss, six tackles and a touchdown after he returned a blocked field goal against Portland State. Siale Esera and UCLA transfer Choe Bryant-Strother — who missed the Stanford game with an undisclosed injury — are holding down the middle linebacker spot.

Miles Hall, Ace Kaufusi, Max Alford and Ephraim Asiata — who has made the move from defensive end to outside linebacker — have provided depth at linebacker.

“We feel really good about the talent defensively, and there are a bunch of up-and-coming young players that are going to be big-time players for us,” Sitake said. “We are getting some reps for them. But man, we really feel good top to bottom with the entire talent on the defensive side.

" … When injuries and things like that happen, you have to rely on the depth, and there is quality depth and quality talent behind the guys that are starting. There is not really much of a gap between the ones and twos. That is a good sign.”

Linebackers coach Justin Ena said one of those young players to keep an eye on is Nusi Taumoepeau, a true freshman who can play at multiple levels.

“We have guys that are developing that are young that I am telling you are going to be something special,” Sitake said. “The quicker we can develop them, the better. I know Jay is really excited about getting that done, too. So we feel good about the defense and the way it is working right now.”

BYU’s secondary is getting set for a big test

BYU’s safeties and cornerbacks haven’t really been tested yet, as the Cougars have faced a couple of punchless offenses with subpar quarterbacks. That will change next week — ECU quarterback Katin Houser is one of the best passers in the country.

Moving Tommy Prassas from safety to nickel has worked, to date, after Jonathan Kabeya needed surgery during fall camp. Mory Bamba, Tre Alexander, Marcus McKenzie and Evan Johnson have rotated in and out at corner, showing some rare depth in that position for BYU cornerbacks coach Jernaro Gilford.

“We have an understanding that we are a great defense, and we are able to stop the run game and cover the pass game,” said Satuala, who had an interception and made a tackle for a safety against Stanford. “But there is still a lot of work to do. It is nice to have a week off so we can heal up our defense … and have that extra week to prepare for the game coming up.”

Safety figured to be a team strength, even with Wakley departing. The former Jordan High quarterback has made six tackles and a pass breakup in Purdue’s 2-0 start.

Wall, Satuala, veteran Talan Alfrey and Raider Damuni, who had an interception against Stanford, have given Hill exactly what he wants out of the position.

“I just think all around we have great team speed, we are a physical team, we are an experienced team, we have been in this system for three years, and these guys are very confident,” Poppinga said.

BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill instructs his players during practice on July 30, 2025 in Provo. | Aaron Cornia/BYU Photo