BYU got a little healthier on Monday, and the timing matters with Notre Dame on deck.
Two names popped back onto the depth chart: Raider Damuni and Isaiah Glasker. It’s Damuni’s first time back on there since the Utah Tech game, while Glasker had been left off for the Iowa State matchup. Damuni is listed as a co-starter at strong safety with Tommy Prassas, and Glasker returns as a co-starter alongside Jake Clifton at linebacker.
Clifton, though, has made it tough to hand that job back. He’s played very, very well in Glasker’s absence, and over the last two weeks his production has been hard to ignore.
BYU coach Kalani Sitake also delivered some encouraging news on the injury front ahead of the Notre Dame game. “If we're looking at the [Notre Dame] game, everyone that [has} started the game will have a chance to play this weekend except for Andrew Gentry and LJ Martin,” Sitake said.
That would mark a welcome turnaround for a team that got hit early and often. By the end of the first half of the season opener, the Cougars had already lost two key pieces in safety Raider Damuni and running back Sione Moa. And by the time the TCU game wrapped up, BYU was missing six starters: Raider Damuni, Andrew Gentry, Cannon DeVries, Isaiah Glasker, LJ Martin, and Siale Esera.
Now, after several weeks of attrition, some of those names are starting to come back into the picture.
Sitake’s update pointed to a real chance of getting Damuni, Glasker, and Cannon DeVries back this week. Esera even showed up briefly at the end of the Iowa State game, and the expectation is that he should be ready for the Fighting Irish. DeVries is listed as BYU’s starting nickel, and he’s also the starting punt returner, so his return would matter in a couple of spots - especially on special teams.
The most encouraging development may be Sione Moa. Sitake said, “It's also nice that Sion Moa is back on the field and practicing,” and that’s a meaningful step for a player who is just over a month removed from a fairly severe knee injury.
BYU needs help at running back, especially a power option for short-yardage snaps, and Moa could fill that role if he’s close to coming back. That would be an especially useful development with LJ Martin still out. For now, though, Moa has not been added back to the depth chart.
In Other News...
BYU Just Made A Clear Statement Before Notre Dame
BYU is leaning into a familiar look for one of its biggest stages of the season, choosing its classic royal home uniforms with white pants and a white helmet with a royal blue facemask for the game against Notre Dame. It is a throwback combination that was most associated with the 1980s and 1990s, and it gives the Cougars a clean, traditional presentation for a matchup that will draw plenty of attention.
The choice also stands out because BYU has already rotated through multiple uniform combinations this season, but this one feels deliberate. The Cougars last wore the look in November 2025 against TCU, and bringing it back now suggests they want the classic brand front and center when the spotlight is brightest. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Just Added A Tradition Twist To Notre Dame Week
BYU is leaning into a classic look for one of its biggest nonconference stages of the season. For Saturdays meeting with Notre Dame, the Cougars announced they will go with a white helmet featuring the royal blue stretch Y, paired with a royal blue uniform and white pants with royal blue stripes, a combination that gives the matchup a little extra throwback feel.
It is the first time BYU has worn that set against Notre Dame since 1993, and the look most recently appeared in last years game against TCU. The primetime slot only adds to the spotlight, with kickoff set for 5:30 p.m. MDT on ABC, and the uniforms now join the list of small details that tend to matter when a program is trying to make a statement in a game like this. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Has A Short-Yardage Problem It Must Solve Before Notre Dame
BYUs red zone issues against Iowa State offered a glimpse of how much this offense leans on LJ Martin when the field tightens and the windows shrink. Without its star running back, the Cougars managed just two touchdowns in five trips inside the red zone, and the usual power game between the tackles never really showed up. The backup backs had trouble creating yardage inside, which pushed BYU toward the air when it most wanted balance.
Three stalled red zone drives told the story of a team that could move the ball but struggled to finish in the most crowded part of the field. With Notre Dame next on the schedule, the Cougars are left trying to solve a short-yardage problem that goes beyond one game and one absence. If the ground game cannot hold up in close, BYU may have to keep leaning on passing situations it would rather not make routine. [Read more 🡒]