FRISCO, TX — Defensive lineman Keanu Tanuvasa is settling into his new role at BYU and opened up about his emotional transfer from Utah during an appearance on Brice and Bianucci on 103.9 & 98.3 ESPN The Fan, live from Big 12 Media Days.
Tanuvasa explained that the decision to leave Utah was difficult and deeply personal.
“That thought process was a late spark in the sense that it was something that had actually happened throughout the season, something that I’d considered, but something that I put on the back burner because I wanted to give my teammates my all,” Tanuvasa said.
“It was kind of unwillingly because I felt like it was more of God’s plan for me to come to BYU as opposed to my own.”
Despite having what he described as “everything at Utah,” Tanuvasa said BYU stood out.
“BYU just stood out as such a great contender … with a great program, a great culture, and develops their guys to help them be the best version of themselves,” he said.
“I think that stems from the top down from Kalani [Sitake], and so being a part of that is something that I definitely wanted.”
Learning Under Jay Hill
Tanuvasa was also enthusiastic about playing in Jay Hill’s defense, praising the coaching staff’s intelligence and impact on his growth.
“I love the way that they utilize their understanding of the game,” he said.
“Coach Hill … might be an even better teacher at how to do it. It’s only allowed for my game to become increased—more intelligent of a player, more resilient and more technical.”
Drawing Inspiration and Setting the Bar
When asked about players he models his game after, Tanuvasa had a clear vision.
“I’d like for other players to try and want to be like me, ultimately,” he said.
“But … I really love a guy that I love is Ndamukong Suh—the way that he played with his weight, with his body, how explosive he was.”
He also recalled last year’s BYU-Utah matchup with pride:
“I think that was one of the first times that I ever entered that high performance level,” he said.
“My mind was just full of passion and grit and relentless … I was able to go onto the field and do my thing, and when I left the field, to be able to lead.”
Goals for 2025
Tanuvasa has big personal goals for the upcoming season.
“I want to be a more disruptive player and more of a playmaker,” he said.
“I’d like to finish more plays in the sense of forced fumbles, tackles for loss, sacks … especially in the pass rush game.”
