If you’re waiting to speak with Keanu Tanuvasa following most BYU practice sessions, be prepared to wait a while.

And that’s a good thing, at least from a Cougar team perspective.

The top Utah transfer often makes himself one of the last players to exit the practice field during most sessions, along with several of his fellow defensive lineman due to putting in some extra time. That time is spent coaching up his less experienced teammates while even running extra conditioning drills in an effort to make as much of any practice session as possible.

It’s the type of process that is rare for any first-year player within a football program, although Tanuvasa is hardly your typical first-year player.

Tanuvasa is a 6-foot-4, 300 pounder who played two standout seasons for Utah before opting to transfer to BYU for his junior season where he’s added considerably to, not only the Cougar’s depth at the position, but most every intangible one could imagine. Perhaps the leadership quality is the one most apparent through practice sessions and other functions, at least initially.

“I think I was blessed to have a lot of courage. I think I was raised that way,” Tanuvasa explained. “So that helps with leadership and I think I’ve developed it well over time. I just try and love up my guys. Once they know that I love them, and that I’m bought into them more than them just being a player, then it’s easy to try and bring that best version out of them.”

Bringing out the best version of each defensive tackle will be an essential ingredient for the Cougar defense this fall. The group is almost entirely new, save for the return of senior John Taumoepeau (6-2, 300), leading to at least some question marks regarding how effective BYU’s essential middle front of the defense will prove this season.

But as BYU defensive tackles Coach Sione Po’uha is quick to remind, the season doesn’t start tomorrow and he’s been well aware of what he has to work with for a while now.

“It would be a challenge if I just woke up today and (realized) I have a lot of new guys, but the great thing is I’ve had since January to work with these guys through winter conditioning,” Po’uha said. “We then got some instillation in, they’ve had spring ball and then summer training. So we’ve had since January to develop these relationships, build cohesion, and then also build the competency.”

Aiding the group, beyond Tanuvasa’s competency is a top coaching staff, which begins with Po’uha and his nearly 10 years of coaching experience on top of eight years playing experience in the NFL. Working behind the scenes of it all, and aiding the defensive tackle performance considerably, is Gary Andersen, who coached Po’uha in college and is widely regarded as one of the top defensive coaches in the country, considering his vast coaching experience.

“It’s a privilege for me to be able to have him and I’m sure his ears are itching because I’m bugging him all the time about small and minute things,” Po’uha said. “I definitely appreciate his mentorship and his patience with me as I continue to try and learn as a coach to help these kids as best I can.”

Numbers-wise, the goal for Po’uha is to field six capable defensive tackles to take reps during game situations. Tanuvasa is clearly capable of taking on a major load, along with Taumoepeau and Southern Utah transfer Anisi Purcell (6-3, 305 Jr.), who has stood out during practice sessions. Beyond those three is Oklahoma State transfer Justin Kirkland (6-3, 340 Sr.), whose status is currently uncertain due to a knee injury.

But beyond those four mentioned it gets a little dicey in penciling in names that can help form a formidable top six at Po’uha’s position group. BYU’s roster lists six more names at defensive tackle, which includes Maverick McManus (6-5, 270 Fr.), Weber State transfer Kaufusi Pafoke (6-3, 345 Sr.) and Hawaii transfer Alvin Puefua (6-5, 310 So.), although it’s an unknown how capable each will prove at this stage.

But it’s not just those listed at defensive tackle that can help plug the middle, as it were. Po’uha readily mentions how multiple fronts will be employed with the opportunity to borrow some of the players listed at defensive end for interior play. That group includes Bodie Schoonover (6-3, 265 Jr.), Sani Tuala (6-5, 270 So.) and Sione Po’uha’s son, Viliami Po’uha (6-3, 270 So.)

Overall there’s a lot to work with in establishing the personnel necessary to solidify the point of attack for BYU’s defense.

“There’s different body types that require different attentions,” Po’uha summed up. “It’s like there’s models of different Teslas, in that there’s bigger versions and then smaller versions, so we (can fit them) in for whatever is best for the defense.”