Samson and Puka Nacua feeling at home with BYU football
Brothers Puka (left) and Samson Nacua answer questions during BYU Football Media Day at the Broadcasting Building on Thursday, June 17, 2021.
BYU wide receiver Puka Nacua answers questions during BYU Football Media Day at the Broadcasting Building on Thursday, June 17, 2021. Nacua transferred from the University of Washington to play with his brother, Samson, who transferred from the University of Utah.
BYU wide receiver Samson Nacua answer questions during BYU Football Media Day at the Broadcasting Building on Thursday, June 17, 2021. Nacua transferred from the University of Utah to play with his younger brother, Puka, who transferred from the University of Washington.
When asked to repeat for the hundredth time how he and his brother ended up transferring to BYU, Puca Nacua slips into the well-told narrative as smoothly as he runs a post route.
“We were going down to Vegas on a family trip,” Puka Nacua said. “Something in the conversation came up that we never had the opportunity to play with each other and it was like dang, BYU would be the place to come back home and do it front of mom. Kai as our big brother gave the final call. Then our mom has the final, final call.”
It wasn’t quite that easy. Samson – the older brother by a couple of years who played his high school ball at Timpview – had some classwork to finish up so he could graduate from the University of Utah and join the Cougars. Puka – who starred at Orem High and then played two years with the University of Washington – found the process to get into BYU quite challenging.
“There was a lot of schoolwork and paperwork,” he said. “People aren’t joking around when they say it’s not easy to get into BYU. It was probably easier for Samson because he graduated. I had to do a good amount of essays before I could get into school here.”
Now the Nacua brothers are in the Cougars wide receiver room, playing together and for the school where older brother Kai – now a safety for the San Francisco 49ers – became a star.
“Once Kai got in on it (the transfer) we were good to go,” Samson said.
Meant to be
BYU wide receiver coach Fesi Sitake said he had a feeling the Cougars might one day end up with Samson and Puka Nacua.
“We always knew there was a chance they would want to come here,” Sitake said. “There’s a history of BYU in the family. I could tee up a golf ball and hit their house from my house. They know BYU as well as anyone. I could tell both of them, through their experiences at their institutions, had reasons to entertain BYU. Their grandmother and her health, that was a huge part. Also, being able to come back home and support their single mother who works so hard. There were a lot of different factors, but the core of that was their familiarity with BYU and being close to home. It was great news for us.”
Puka Nacua said the emotion Cougar head coach Kalani Sitake conveyed when he learned the brothers were coming to BYU was pure joy.
“I just remember laughing,” Puka Nacua said. “It’s such a good energy. Every time I talk to Kalani I can’t help but smile. It’s the best feeling in the world. Every time I hug or talk to him, I just feel so warm and start laughing. It’s great to have a coach who has the ultimate support for you. He’s a player’s coach, most definitely. There’s no greater feeling than knowing when I go out on the field my coach has 100% of my back. He’s willing to fight out there with us if it comes to it.”
Samson Nacua added: “There’s great energy with all of the staff. They bring a lot of family vibes and honestly, that’s what I’ve been looking for. Not that I didn’t have that at the U, but there’s just something different down here that’s beautiful and I’m glad to be a part of it.”
Getting to work
Fesi Sitake said there is no jealousy among teammates welcoming the Nacua Brothers into the brotherhood at BYU.
“It starts at the top with Kalani,” he said. “Our culture is built on love and learning. In moments like these you see that culture followed through. A lot of guys can get defensive. They can get triggered and insecure and it can make them question things. Our receivers room was like, ‘All right, we got better. We have more competition and the cream will rise to the top. These are good dudes, let’s welcome them in and have fun.”
Samson Nacua was a walk-on at Utah and contributed 82 catches for 1,015 yards and 11 touchdowns in his four years as a Ute. At 6-3, he’s a physical receiver with surprising speed.
Puka Nacua was a meteor at Orem, finishing he career with state records in catches (260), yards (5,226) and touchdowns (58). An amazing natural athlete, Puka Nacua had little track training but as a senior set the Utah state long jump record at 23 feet, 11 inches. At Washington, he caught 16 passes for 319 yards and three scores, a 19.9 yards per catch average, in two seasons.
The brothers are jumping in with both feet to learn the Cougar offense and integrate themselves with new teammates.
“I worked out with Cade (Moore) and Brayden (Cosper) when I was in high school,” Puka Nacua said. “I’ve been learning the offense watching highlights of Neil (Pau’u) and Gunner (Romney). Every time I see a ball they are coming down with it. They are so smooth and I love watching them. We’re pretty deep right now in the receiver room. We hold each other to a high standard and we’re going to compete.
“I’m just trying to learn everything. They (the other receivers) have got some tricks being in the offense before and I’m trying to pick up on those things. We’re always talking and learning from each other.”
Samson Nacua recently finished his class work at Utah so his younger brother has a three week head start getting familiar with a new offense and new teammates. Off the field, the Nacuas sometimes play basketball at the Provo Rec Center with their receiver teammates and running back coach Harvey Unga, a long-time family friend. Then there are Call of Duty tournaments.
On the field during player run practices (PRP’s) the Nacua brothers’ abilities shine the brightest.
“I think it’s been fun and the competition has been great,” Samson Nacua said. “When you’re competing with people just as good or maybe even little better that you it pushes you to a different level. Whoever the starter is, getting into the twos and threes, there won’t be a drop off.”
Who will throw to them?
Samson and Puka Nacua missed out on catching passes from Zach Wilson, the second overall pick in the NFL Draft by the New York Jets. But they say the Cougars have good options in Jaren Hall, Baylor Romney and Jacob Conover.
“Honestly, it will be hard to go wrong with any of them,” Puka Nacua said. “They all have different skill sets that they carry. They are all super competitive and they all can sling the ball, too. As a receiver, you saw the way BYU was last year and you’re hoping that things will go the same this year.”
Coming from Power 5 programs, the brothers are impressed with the talent level at BYU.
“Tell them (doubters) to come to practice and see if it’s a step down,” Samson Nacua said. “They need to see what we’re really about down here at BYU. I don’t think it’s a step down. It’s definitely run differently. Everyone does it their own way. Shoot, to see what they did last year, that doesn’t come as a fluke. You’ve got to be working hard in order to do that stuff. I think it’s beautiful.”
On the rise
As the older brother, Samson Nacua has a deeper voice and is a bit more reserved. Samson is a PS4 guy (he’s hoping for a PS5 one day) and Puka leans towards XBox. Puka Nacua smiles and laughs at everything, including his brother’s haircut.
Samson Nacua had majestic shoulder-length hair last season at Utah and said he forgot that he would have to get it cut coming to Provo.
“When I committed everyone started telling me, ‘Bro, Honor Code, you’re going to have to cut your hair,'” Samson Nacua said. “I was like, ‘Oh, my goodness, I totally forgot about that.'”
He ended up getting a similar cut as Puka. Asked who cut his hair, Samson smiled and said, “Delilah. You know the story. She got me good.”
One thing the brother’s agree upon is that BYU is the right place for them to play together and make great memories.
“I just feel like the (receivers) room is rising right now and it’s super fun to be a part of it,” Puka Nacua said.
Samson Nacua added, “Puka said it perfectly. The room is rising.”