BYU Football and the Defensive Line

This is the second installment in a position-by-position breakdown of the BYU Football program.

Heading into the past two seasons, the defensive line has been a concern in Provo, due to youth in 2006 and injuries in 2007.

In both seasons they surprised everyone, as the defense has been in the top 15 in scoring defense the past two seasons, with the D-line a big part of that.

Going into 2008, however, the position on paper finally looks to be a strength, and it will be vital to perform to expectations with an inexperienced secondary behind them.  Getting pressure in opposing backfields will be key and the talent is there to do such a thing.

Junior: Jan Jorgensen

Many preseason predictions have Jorgensen as the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and a possible All-American candidate.

Jorgensen had 14 sacks last season, ranking in the top 10 nationally.

Jorgensen has a motor and will be drawing a lot of double teams this season, which will open things up for everyone else.  If he continues to produce at high level will be playing on Sundays in the future.

Junior: Ian Dulan

Opted to stay in school rather than go on a mission was the smart choice.  He has started 16 games in his career at BYU and will be the starter this season if he stays healthy.

Dulan missed the Wyoming game last season due to an MCL injury and in 2006 sufferred a leg injury midway through the season.

Along with Jorgensen, these two might be the best starting DE combo in the conference.

Junior: Brett Denney

The Denney family has been good to BYU over the years.

Both Ryan and John were talented DEs and are currently in the NFL.

The third Denney, Brett, has been no slouch either showing a lot of potential.  He had his first start of his career last year against Wyoming in replace of an injured Ian Dulan.

Denney is a solid back up and would be a starter for many teams in the Mountain West.

RS-Freshman: David Angilau

Red-shirted last season, he skipped a practice mid-way through along with five other freshmen, but didn’t lead to any suspensions.

He’s only 18-years-old, so there is a possibility he could be serving a mission after 2008.

From his high school days in Longmont, Colorado he was a good pass rusher and an all-state performer.

RS-Freshman: Steven Fendry

A transfer from Colorado, Fendry red-shirted last season and was switched from tight end to defensive line before fall camp last year.

He has been with the unit for a year now.

At tight end, Fendry was in the top 30 at that position nationally in the Class of 2006, and an all around good athlete who lettered in basketball and lacrosse in high school.

He could make a dent in the two-deep this year with his size at 6’6” and has long arms to make things difficult for opposing QBs.

Junior: Kyle Leukenga

Leukenga red-shirted last season, and this past spring was suspended due to violating team rules.

Last month, we saw Leukenga working out with the team, so I would assume he is back in the program.

Junior: Bernard Afutiti

Afutiti was a four-star recruit out of Mt. San Antonio College.

Out of high school back in the 2005 recruiting class, Afutiti was offered by BYU and many others including some of College Football’s historic programs: Michigan, USC and Ohio State.

Afutiti couldn’t make it grade wise so he went to San Jose State and was academically ineligible there.

He then ended up at Mt. San Antonio where he was the team MVP in his first season and had 22 tackles for loss.  Afutiti was a surprise signing this past Letter of Intent Day, but according to head coach Bronco Mendenhall, Afutiti still had work to do to get cleared into BYU.

So, here’s to hoping that Afutiti can get in, because he could be a big-time boost a line that is already strong.

Walk-Ons:

Jordan Chronister, Soph., Eastern Arizona CC

Steven Fisher, Soph., Orem HS (UT)

David Tuitupou, Fr., Mountain View HS (UT)

Defensive Tackle

Junior: Russell Tialavea

Coming into 2007, the defensive tackle spot was thought to be strength with Tialavea coming off his great sophomore season in 2006 where he started in all 13 games.

That all changed during the first scrimmage of fall camp last year when Tialavea went down with a season-ending ACL injury.

Tialavea will have to apply for a medical red shirt his senior season to see if he can get that year back and I would assume the NCAA would grant him.

All reports now, indicate that Tialavea will be ready for fall camp and will be competing for the starting DT spot this season.  When healthy, Tialavea is one of the best DTs in the conference if not the best.

Sophomore: Rick Wolfley

Originally an offensive lineman, but was switched to defense after Tialavea went down and Garrett Reden was switched back to offense.

At 6’3”, 343 lbs., he is definitely a guy who plugs the middle and stops the run. 

Wolfley is most likely the No. 2 guy in the rotation.

Junior: Tevita Hola

Hola was a mid-year transfer out of Snow JC (UT) where he was a four-star recruit.

Hola has experience in the program already playing spring ball and performing well during the scrimmage at the tackle spot.  He will be competing for the No. 1 spot.

Senior: Mosese Foketi

Saw limited action last year coming off a red shirt season.  We should see more time this year with no clear-cut rotation set yet until camp.

Walk-Ons:

Rockey Kalamafoni, Fr., Tonga

Brock Richardson, Sr., Idaho Falls, ID

Players serving Mormon missions

Eathyn Manumaleuna (DT)

Serving in Oklahoma City.

Manumaleuna last season was a true freshman and established him as the starter at defensive tackle in replace of Tialavea and started every game.

His shining moment was in the Las Vegas Bowl against UCLA where he blocked UCLA’s field goal attempt to win the game, giving BYU the 17-16 victory and their second straight bowl victory.

He has a bright future ahead of him when he gets back in 2010.

Romney Fuga (DT)

Serving in Madagascar.

Played in 13 games as a true freshman in 2006 and had two tackles for loss.

Fuga is a very strong player who wrestled in high school, was highly-recruited out of Edison HS in Huntington Beach (CA).

He will be back in April of 2009.

Jordan Richardson

Serving in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Red-shirted in 2006, will be back in 2009.

Players BYU has offered for Class of 2009

Latu Heimuli – Highland HS (UT)

A four-star defensive tackle that is getting more and more attention as the recruiting process continues.

Heimuli has offers from Arizona, Washington, Oregon State and Utah.

BYU hasn’t had recent success with highly rated in-state recruits outside of the ones from Timpview HS in Provo.  A good thing for BYU was that they were the first to offer to Heimuli.

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