Dayan Ghanwoloku Can Do It All For BYU’s Secondary
Jun 27, 2019, 5:10 PM | Updated: 5:19 pm
Defensive back Dayan Ghanwoloku #5 of the BYU Cougars celebrates a touchdown on a wildcat play during second half action against the BYU Cougars at the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on December 21, 2018 at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho. BYU won the game 49-18. (Photo by Loren Orr/Getty Images)
(Photo by Loren Orr/Getty Images)
PROVO, Utah – BYU defensive back Dayan Ghanwoloku is already heading into his fifth and final year with the Cougar football program.
Feels like yesterday when former BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall was giving Dayan hand-drawn pictures when he was a heralded in-state recruit. The hand-drawn picture, by the way, is somewhere at Dayan’s parent’s house for those wondering. It has been a quick ride, but now Ghanwoloku wants to make the most of his last season as a BYU standout.
Next on #BYUCSS: #BYU DB Dayan Ghanwoloku joins me and @baiamontematt and we ask him, does he still have this picture?
Listen: https://t.co/Dz46CRnMFB pic.twitter.com/ziXXf4qVj7
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) June 22, 2019
The question is, where will he play the most in his senior season? The versatile athlete can play cornerback, safety, nickel, or even running back in BYU’s “SCRUM” play that saw Ghanwoloku score a touchdown in the Potato Bowl last December.
Ghanwoloku isn’t giving a specific answer as to where he will play the most this fall, but he did tell us on Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday on KSL Newsradio 12-3pm) what his favorite position is at the moment.
“I like the physicality at cornerback,” Ghanwoloku said. “You can a lot of plays (from there). That’s where I’ve got my five picks at my career here (at BYU). Cornerback is fun, it’s probably my favorite so far.”
What does the former Northridge High star think of his experiences from the safety spot?
“Safety, you just get to see everything, and I like that. But cornerback you have action every play, even if the receiver isn’t getting the ball,” said Ghanwoloku.
In his previous three seasons at BYU, Ghanwoloku has racked up 145 total tackles, five interceptions, five fumble recoveries, and 12 pass breakups.
Wherever Ghanwoloku sees his reps on defense is up in the air heading into 2019, but one thing that is known is that Ghanwoloku is also going to have a role on special teams once again this fall.
“I told Coach (Ed) Lamb, you’re not taking me off of anything. I’m 100 percent on board with special teams,” Ghanwoloku said. “We’re trying to get as many starters and second string guys on specials teams as possible because that’s how you win games, I feel like.”
BYU’s 2019 schedule poses a lot of great opportunities for big wins and Ghanwoloku is excited for all of it in his final year.
“I circled the whole schedule because it’s my senior year,” said Ghanwoloku. “They’re all big games to me and we’ve got to go out with a bang and go to a good bowl game. That’s always my mindset is circling the entire schedule.”
Lucky for BYU, if they want to achieve those lofty goals of going to something big in 2019, having a do-it-all star like Dayan Ghanwoloku helps their chances of winning a lot of ball games this fall.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
