BYU DL Michael Daley No Longer Part Of Program
Oct 16, 2023, 12:20 PM | Updated: 4:33 pm
BYU football defensive end Michael Daley. (Jaren Wilkey/BYU Photo)
(Jaren Wilkey/BYU Photo)
PROVO, Utah – Michael Daley, a redshirt sophomore edge rusher, is no longer with the BYU football program.
BYU head coach Kalani Sitake announced the news during his weekly press conference when asked by KSL Sports.
Michael Daley plans to enter the Transfer Portal
“Michael Daley is no longer with the program. He expressed his interest in entering the portal when it does open,” said Kalani Sitake. “So we are still honoring his scholarship, keeping him on scholarship, encouraging him to get his schoolwork done and allow himself to be eligible for that window when it does open. Love him, love his family. Appreciate all of the hard work that he’s done since he’s been here, just wish him the best. Once a Cougar, always a Cougar. Nothing but love for Michael and his family.”
Last week, Daley was not seen at practices and wasn’t on the travel roster despite being on the two-deep for the TCU game. Replacing him on the travel roster was his younger brother, John Henry Daley, who suited up on the road for the first time this season.
Michael Daley was suited up for the Cincinnati game but didn’t return to practices after the bye week.
Daley was a notable signee in the 2019 BYU football recruiting class
The 6-foot-2, 235-pound Daley was a heralded addition to BYU’s 2019 recruiting class. He was a three-star prospect from Lone Peak High School, picking BYU over interest from UCLA, TCU, and others.
During his senior year at Lone Peak, Daley was No. 2 nationally in sacks. He finished with 24 sacks for the Knights during the 2018 high school football season.
After serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Daley joined the BYU football program in 2021. He redshirted that season, suiting up in one contest, the Independence Bowl.
In 2022, Daley was believed to be on track for a significant role in the defense as a linebacker. During the first week of fall camp of practices, he was one of the top performers, but then, shortly after, he suffered a season-ending injury.
He returned to action during spring practices this year, but his availability was hit-and-miss. During the 2023 spring practice that was open to the public inside LaVell Edwards Stadium, Daley was off to the side, working with strength coaches.
Daley was a participant during fall camp practice. He has appeared in five games this season, playing 12 snaps.
The NCAA Transfer Portal window opens December 4 for football athletes until January 2, 2024.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X and Threads: @Mitch_Harper.
