BYU got the update it needed on Raider Damuni, and it was better than the worst-case scenario.
The veteran safety, injured in the first half of the season-opener against Utah Tech, had to be carried off the field and could not put weight on his leg as he made his way to the locker room. After the game, Kalani Sitake said the team was waiting on MRI results to learn how serious it was. On Sunday, Damuni addressed it himself on social media and confirmed the injury is not season-ending.
“I appreciate all the love and prayers,” Damuni said. “Although I'll miss a lot of my senior season, I won't miss all of it. I know God has a plan for me and I trust Him.”
That’s still a tough blow for BYU. Damuni was heading into his fourth season with the program and ranked among the most experienced players on the roster. For Kelly Poppinga’s defense, losing him before conference matchups like Arizona and TCU matters.
Now the attention turns to who fills the void. Redshirt sophomore Tommy Prassas is listed as the backup on the depth chart and appears to be the next man up. Damuni was the starting strong safety, though he said in an interview after Spring Camp that BYU safeties cross-train at both free safety and strong safety.
Prassas has already logged meaningful work for BYU. He played important snaps at safety in 2024 as a true freshman, then shifted to nickel when the Cougars needed help there and started the first four games of the 2025 season. An injury against Colorado knocked him out of the lineup for good, but he moved back to safety this offseason and played 13 snaps there against Utah Tech.
Another name to keep in mind is true freshman Kennan Pula. He was one of the standouts of Fall Camp and arrived as a coveted four-star recruit. The talent is obvious, but throwing a freshman into the mix against a senior quarterback like Noah Fifita would be a tall order.
BYU could announce Prassas as the starter as soon as Monday, when the depth chart is released.
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