Keanu Tanuvasa has already lived one of the rivalry’s biggest twists. Now he’s about to walk back into Rice-Eccles Stadium wearing BYU colors, with Utah fans waiting and a whole lot more on his mind than football.
The redshirt senior defensive tackle, who left Utah for BYU and once said the move “was going to cause earthquakes” in Salt Lake City, said Monday he expects the Utes’ crowd to bring exactly what it always brings.
“Nothing but their best, which is their passion, their fire, everything that comes along with it,” he said Monday. “I was one of the biggest advocates for them when I was there.
I loved their passion, their impact on the game because I felt that when they were behind me as a player. So I don’t expect anything different going back up there as an opposing player.
I’m excited for their fire and their juice.”
That return trip comes with plenty of weight. Tanuvasa and BYU beat Utah 24-21 in Provo last year, giving the Cougars their third straight win in the series. He was part of the 2024 game that ended in painful fashion for the Utes, when Jake Retzlaff pushed BYU into field goal range in the final minute and Will Ferrin nailed a 44-yard kick for a 22-21 BYU win.
This time, the matchup lands on Saturday at 10 a.m. at Rice-Eccles Stadium, and Tanuvasa says the setting is one of the reasons he’s looking forward to it.
“I’m excited. I think Rice-Eccles is a phenomenal place to play.
It is one of my favorite stadiums in the entire country, and so being back there (brings a) lot of excitement. They got a great team.”
The week has become even more personal for him. His wife, Zerin, is due to deliver their son “any day now” in Provo, and Tanuvasa said he’ll have BYU defensive line coach Sione Po’uha and several trainers “on standby” with his phone during practice in case he has to leave and head to the hospital.
For a player who already made one seismic move in this rivalry, that’s a lot to juggle.
Tanuvasa also knows plenty about the Utah side he’s about to face. He said he’s familiar with the Utes’ offensive line and has nothing but respect for them.
“They are a freaking great bunch of guys that give huge effort,” he said. “I’ve seen that since they were young players.
… I think the game that we play is a boys’ game, and we have a lot of fun doing it. So, I am just excited to go line it up.”
The BYU defender spent 24 games at Utah and started 19 of them before moving across the rivalry line. Now he’s a captain for the Cougars and has become a key piece of their defense, with 16 tackles and one sack this season. Teammates say his presence goes well beyond the stat sheet.
“The No. 1 thing (that stands out) is his leadership, man,” said fellow defensive lineman Bodie Schoonover. “That guy knows how to get the team going and bring the team together.
He is a special guy, for sure. I love Keanu very much.”
There’s also a personal connection to Utah coach Morgan Scalley, who attended Tanuvasa’s wedding and sealing in a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tanuvasa said he isn’t shocked by Utah’s 8-0 start.
“I am not surprised that they’re (8-0) because that’s Morgan’s attitude. That’s coach Scalley’s way of life,” Tanuvasa said. “He is a go-getter, and that man has one of the greatest spirits that I’ve been around in being ruthlessly the best version of himself.
“He’s never satisfied with just OK, or being good, and so them being a great team doesn’t surprise me (because) he’s at the helm of it. … He’s been a mentor to me. He’s a very deliberate and intentional man that I admire and adore.”
Tanuvasa also praised Utah’s offense, led by former BYU graduate assistant Kevin McGiven, who was with the Cougars from 2002-04.
“They can do really whatever they want. They’re very creative, and they have a means by which they execute according to whatever their flavor of the week is,” Tanuvasa said.
“They got two great guys in the backfield. They got a great running back.
I love the O line, like I mentioned. … We got to be fundamentally sound, with everyone owning their 1/11th on the field.”
And with both programs trying to cool down a rivalry that has too often spilled over, Tanuvasa had a simple message for everyone involved.
“I think my message for the fans is to enjoy it. … These games come around once a year, maybe twice a year if the odds align, so just enjoy and be mindful of other people.
Right? We’re still human beings, and we’re still put on this Earth for a greater cause.
But man, it’s football season, and this is the greatest rivalry that I’ve been a part of, so let’s just go enjoy it.”
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