BYU Safety Exits With Apparent Injury Against Arizona
Oct 11, 2025, 7:34 PM | Updated: 8:16 pm
BYU safety Raider Damuni leaves Arizona game with an apparent injury. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
TUCSON, Arizona – Already playing without starting linebacker Jack Kelly, No. 18 BYU may be forced to play with safety Raider Damuni after he left with an injury midway through the first quarter.
BYU football is facing the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium on Saturday, October 11.
No. 18 BYU Football Vs. Arizona: Live Updates, Analysis, And More From Tucson
BYU starting safety Raider Damuni is being attended to by five trainers.
Kalani Sitake and Raider's father, Jack Damuni, are also on the field.
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) October 12, 2025
Damuni collided with teammate Siale Esera, absorbing the brunt of the collision with his left shoulder.
Damuni was seen on the sideline in street clothes following a 74-minute weather delay.
BYU Football Injury Note:
Safety Raider Damuni is wearing street clothes on the sideline right now… walking gingerly and will not return tonight.
— Spencer Linton (@Spencer_Linton) October 12, 2025
The Provo, Utah, native began the night with 20 tackles this season and an interception in a win over Stanford in week two.
BYU @ Arizona enters a lightning delay
Storms have been predicted in the area, and it seemed just a matter of time until the weather had its say in tonight’s affair.
The kickoff came and went without moisture as both teams settled in.
LJ Martin scored BYU’s first touchdown on a 28-yard run, capping a 66-yard drive that had 50 rushing yards.
🌧️ ⛈️ pic.twitter.com/k9u9SuXQ2a
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) October 12, 2025
The Cougar defense forced a punt, and Bear Bachmeier came back for a big strike. The true freshman QB found Parker Kingston wide open across the middle for a 75-yard catch-and-run.
Arizona responded with an eight-play, 75-yard drive that cut the lead in half when Noah Fifita delivered a strike to Kris Huston in the end zone.
Lightning strikes in the area forced a delay before the second quarter could begin.
About BYU’s Raider Damuni
Damuni was a standout two-way prep player with the Timpview Thunderbirds. He was a two-time Utah 5A All-State First Team selection, the Utah 5A Defensive MVP, and Region 7 MVP as a senior.
247Sports.com rated Damuni as a three-star prospect and the 41st best recruit in the nation.
Damuni joined the Cougars after serving a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in San Francisco, California.
BYU’s Raider Damuni with the interception against Stanford. Sets up the offense in prime territory. pic.twitter.com/7uS4nkzEbY
— Diggin’ Brigham (@DigginBrigham) September 7, 2025
The 6’1, 205-pound defender registered 21 tackles and forced one fumble as a freshman in 2023.
Last season, he played in 12 games, starting two for an opportunistic Cougars defense. He was credited with 26 stops, 2.5 tackles for a loss, and one sack as a sophomore.
BYU Cougars 2025 Schedule (5-0, 2-0)
- Portland State Vikings @ BYU Cougars | W 69-0
- Stanford Cardinal @ BYU Cougars | W 27-3
- BYE
- BYU Cougars @ East Carolina Pirates | W 34-13
- BYU Cougars @ Colorado Buffaloes | W 24-21
- West Virginia Mountaineers @ BYU Cougars | W 38-24
- Saturday, October 11 – BYU Cougars @ Arizona Wildcats | 6 p.m. MT
- Saturday, October 18 – Utah Utes @ BYU Cougars | Kickoff TBA
- Saturday, October 25 – BYU Cougars @ Iowa State Cyclones | Kickoff TBA
- BYE
- Saturday, November 8 – BYU Cougars @ Texas Tech Red Raiders | Kickoff TBA
- Saturday, November 15 – TCU Horned Frogs @ BYU Cougars | Kickoff TBA
- Saturday, November 22 – BYU Cougars @ Cincinnati Bearcats | Kickoff TBA
- Saturday, November 29 – UCF Knights @ BYU Cougars | Kickoff TBA
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Find BYU’s entire 2025 football schedule here.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
