Defensive tackle commit Moa Havili gave BYU fans a reminder on Thursday night that his game is about more than just pushing bodies around in the trenches.
The Granger High School standout, who committed to BYU in May, lined up at fullback and ripped off an 80-yard touchdown run after taking the handoff. Havili, listed at 300 pounds, powered through multiple defenders with stiff arms before turning on the speed and finishing the play in the end zone.
That kind of athletic pop is part of what turned Havili into a national recruit in a matter of three weeks. Alabama, Oregon, Michigan and Utah all jumped in before he chose BYU. He earned that attention by flashing as a pass rusher and overwhelming offensive linemen with his size and strength.
At BYU, Havili is expected to anchor the defensive tackle spot, not carry the ball. Still, the run was a vivid snapshot of the kind of player the Cougars are getting: big, explosive and hard to move.
He has the look of a long-term starter for BYU, and he also fits the kind of buy-in Kalani Sitake wants in his program. Havili called BYU his "dream offer" after receiving the scholarship, then announced his commitment just days later.
And Havili isn’t the only BYU defensive tackle commit who can handle the football.
California native Jeremiah Williams, a four-star BYU commit, also plays running back for his high school. Williams checks in at over 300 pounds and still moves extremely well for his size.
BYU’s defensive tackle haul is part of what could end up as the program’s best defensive line class in the Kalani Sitake era. Along with Havili and Williams, the Cougars have commitments from edge rushers Uhila Wolfgramm and Jag Ioane. Wolfgramm passed on Oklahoma, while Ioane chose BYU over Washington, Utah and Michigan.
Wolfgramm already made an early impact this season, posting multiple sacks and quarterback hits against Lehi in the first weekend of the high school football season. When he wasn’t being double- or triple-teamed, he was getting to the quarterback with ease.
He also took notice when Havili’s touchdown run made the rounds on social media. If BYU can keep this group together through signing day, the Cougars may be looking at a defensive line class that changes the shape of the future.
In Other News...
BYUs New Big Man Could Change More Than The Frontcourt
Jaxon Kohlers decision to join BYU gives the Cougars a frontcourt piece with far more range than the usual post addition. After four seasons at Michigan State, where he averaged 12.5 points and 8.9 rebounds last season, Kohler arrives with a reputation for scoring inside, stepping into midrange looks and even stretching out to the three-point line, all while bringing strong free throw shooting and a feel for making plays for others.
For BYU, the fit could ripple beyond the paint. He is expected to spend more time at center, which should give the Cougars a different look offensively and potentially open up more lineup options around him. The intriguing part is not just what Kohler adds in the lane, but how his skill set might change the way BYU can space the floor and use its big men moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Is Getting National Hype Around A Key Big 12 Hope
Robert Wright III is starting to draw the kind of national attention that can change the conversation around BYU before the season even gets rolling. Sports Illustrateds Kevin Sweeney slotted the Cougars point guard at No. 4 on his list of the nations top point guards, a vote of confidence that points not just to Wrights skill, but to the role he could play in leading BYUs Big 12 push.
The bigger takeaway for BYU is how much this latest spotlight reinforces the sense that the program has real backcourt buzz. Sweeney also called Wright a candidate to lead the Big 12 in scoring, while several other Utah-connected names made the broader watch list, including BYUs Collin Chandler and Bruce Branch III, plus former Utah players Kanon Catchings and Keanu Dawes. For the Cougars, the early national chatter around Wright is the sort of sign that suggests expectations are rising fast. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Fans Have An Early Reason To Love This Incoming Class
A wave of BYU football commits is already making its presence felt as their senior high school seasons get underway, giving Cougars fans an early glimpse of the class before those players ever arrive on campus. Ezra Sanelivi stood out in particular, breaking loose for two long rushing touchdowns and finishing his opener with 133 yards, a strong start that has only added to the buzz around the incoming group.
He was far from alone, either. Blake Wong, Uhila Wolfgramm, Moa Havili, Jaxson Rex, Jeremiah Williams, Peyton Higginson, Tytan DeJong, Kyle Babrotzky, Lakepa Satuala and Jag Ioane also turned in notable performances in their own games, a reminder that this class is not being built around one headline name. For BYU, the early returns are encouraging, even if the bigger question is how all of that prep success will translate once these commits are wearing Cougar blue. [Read more 🡒]