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BYU defensive linemen run a drill during practice at the indoor practice facility in Provo on Wednesday, March 5, 2025.

Nate Edwards, BYU Photo

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BYU defensive tackles coach Sione Po'uha talks to a player during practice at the indoor practice facility in Provo on Wednesday, March 5, 2025.

Nate Edwards, BYU Photo

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BYU junior defensive lineman Keanu Tanuvasa said he’s never been one to read too much into things when teammates decide to transfer.

“Regardless of my connection to the player, I just want the best for whoever it is,” Tanuvasa said after practice in Provo on Friday. “When I was up at Utah and guys would leave, I’d just wish the best of luck for them.”

At the conclusion of the 2024 season when he was still a Ute, he heard that tight end Carsen Ryan had decided to leave Salt Lake City and head to Provo.

“When Carsen left, I was like, good for him,” Tanuvasa said. “He found a new home.”

Of course, he was going through his own decision-making process at that point — one that eventually led him to follow Ryan to join BYU

“At the time, I didn’t know what I wanted but now being unified with him again is a blessing,” Tanuvasa said. “Our lockers are next to each other, so we have a lot of fun here. He’s a great player and a great guy.”

Tanuvasa had a head start getting to know Ryan compared to most of the players on the Cougar squad. Coaches, however, were a different story.

BYU defensive tackles coach Sione Po’uha, for example, had recruited Tanuvasa out of high school but never got the chance to coach him until this season.

And then there is Tanuvasa’s relationship with Cougar head coach Kalani Sitake, which has been in place for a long time.

“The last time I saw Kalani was either the Utah game against BYU (last fall) or when I baptized his son here back in 2022,” Tanuvasa said. “I have more than just a coach-player relationship with Kalani. We’re really family. And more than that, he’s allowed me to have a leadership role, having that opportunity to unite and unify with what he is seeing as his vision. Now being able to do that as a player, it’s a huge opportunity.”

Tanuvasa pointed to the team cohesion multiple times during his conversation with reporters, emphasizing what a big deal it is for a team to be as locked in as this group is.

“I’ve been really surprised about the level of unity that the players have here,” Tanuvasa said. “When I first recruited here in 2020, they had a good family orientation. But now the level of unity between the boys, the level of relationships between the coaches and everyone, it’s just been phenomenal to be a part of. It definitely surprised me.”

That joint purpose has made a big difference as Tanuvasa and the rest of the defensive line have started figuring things out and getting on the same page.

“Some of the learning curve has been learning each style of play,” Tanuvasa said. “One thing you want to have as a defensive line is the ability to flow off of one another. Being able to work your pass rush, your run defense, understanding the type of defensive linemen are next to you help to ultimately combat offensive lines as a whole. It’s easier to block a great individual defensive lineman but it’s very difficult to block a great unified defensive line. So we’re just building that.”

He said that going up against a solid offensive line every day pushes his unit to be better.

“I think our offensive line is doing really well right now at competing,” Tanuvasa said. “One thing you want to see every time they take the field is ultimate effort. They aren’t going to be perfect. The definition of a champion isn’t being perfect; it’s being deliberate. That’s what our offensive line is doing well.”

He also lauded the Cougar coaching staff for being purposeful with everything they are doing during spring camp.

“These coaches are intelligent people,” Tanuvasa said. “I think they have an amazing relationship with their players and I’m blessed to be a part of that. But their intelligence and attention to detail is second to none. Their drills are oriented toward performance and connecting the players and with our scheme. It’s something phenomenal to be a part of.”

He wants to see all of those pieces come together and become something truly special this fall, for the BYU team as a whole, for his unit and for himself individually.

“The goal is to be the best in the country,” Tanuvasa said. “Anything less than that is good, but we want to be the best as a defensive line. As for my individual goals, I just want to be the best version of myself. I believe in myself highly, so to be All-Big 12, All-American and a first-round draft pick, those are the goals.”

Sitake said he feels like transfers like Tanuvasa and Ryan have come in with the right mentality and now it’s on him and the BYU staff to make sure they have the best chance to succeed.

“We knew about them already and they are making big-time plays for us,” Sitake said. “It’s just a matter of how much do we work with them in the live work. A lot of them have proven what they can do on the field and in games, but at the same time how are you supposed to prove you can work in the system if you aren’t doing live work? They’ll get some live work this spring and then we’ll scale it back a little bit so other guys can compete.”

Overall, Tanuvasa said he feels like things are going just how they should be at this point in the process.

“My experience has been great,” Tanuvasa said. “It’s been everything I wanted and more. I’ve loved it.”