Sophomore Defender Gives BYU Football Added Edge In 2025
Sep 9, 2025, 11:26 AM | Updated: Sep 10, 2025, 12:24 pm
BYU safety Faletau Satuala is probably as the Cougars prepare to open Big 12 play against the Colorado Buffaloes. (Courtesy BYU Photo/Jon McBride)
(Courtesy BYU Photo/Jon McBride)
PROVO, Utah – Whether at safety or linebacker, BYU’s Faletau Satuala is beginning to assert himself in a star-studded Cougar defense.
The former Bountiful Redhawk two-way star was a big play machine against Stanford.
“He’s in his true sophomore year,” BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said of Satuala. “We knew that he would help us out as a true freshman last year, and started to understand the scheme, understand the defense.
RELATED: BYU Football Progress Report: Stanford Edition
BYU head coach Kalani Sitake on the play of Faletau Satuala and the rest of the safety unit in the win over Stanford. pic.twitter.com/m7O77YopFd
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) September 8, 2025
Satuala’s recognition skills were on full display in the first half when he sniffed out a Cardinal screen in the endzone. The 6’4 safety/linebacker attacked a short pass in the flat, bringing down Marcus Brown for a safety.
Late in the fourth quarter, Satuala put the finishing touches on a defensive tour de force with an interception of QB Ben Gulbranson.
ball hawkin' in slow motion pic.twitter.com/cJhKD4wNUi
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) September 10, 2025
He ended the night with a career-high five tackles and his first stop for a loss.
Satuala needs four more tackles to set a new career-high. He has 1.5 tackles for a loss and one forced fumble to go with his late INT against Stanford.
Sitake has complete confidence in the back end of the defense between Satuala, Raider Damuni, and Tanner Wall.
“The safeties are kind of the quarterback of the defense. We’ve got a really good rotation with Faletau, Raider, and Tanner… There’s a lot of talent there.”
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About Faletau Satuala
A three-sport star (football, basketball, & lacrosse) with the Boutiful Redhawks, Satuala was rated a four-star gridiron recruit by 247Sports.com.
Satuala helped lead Bountiful to an unexpected appearance in the 5A State Championship game as a senior.
Satuala rarely left the field for Bountiful as a prep senior while earning 5A All-State First Team recognition.
On defense, he recorded 86 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, six interceptions, and three pass deflections. As a tight end, Satuala hauled in 54 catches for 799 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Caught up with #BYU safety @faletausatuala the other day:
✅He takes me through the forced fumble he caused
✅Why did he commit to BYU because of Jay Hill?
✅How has he improved his performance from his freshman season to his sophomore season? #BYUFOOTBALL #Big12 #ESPN… pic.twitter.com/NEPimuLG51— Ronald Lee Weaver III (@ronthe3manweav) September 4, 2025
Satuala played in 12 of 13 games as a true freshman in 2024. He picked off the first pass of his career and had a career-high two tackles in a 37-24 win at UCF in late October.
The Bountiful, Utah, native ended the season with nine tackles, one INT, and one pass defended.
BYU Cougars 2025 Schedule (2-0, 0-0)
- Portland State Vikings @ BYU Cougars | W 69-0
- Stanford Cardinal @ BYU Cougars | W 27-3
- BYE
- Saturday, September 20 – BYU Cougars @ East Carolina Pirates | Kickoff 5:30 p.m. MT
- Saturday, September 27 – BYU Cougars @ Colorado Buffaloes | Kickoff 8:15 p.m. MT
- Friday, October 3 – West Virginia Mountaineers @ BYU Cougars | Kickoff 8:30 p.m. MT
- Saturday, October 11 – BYU Cougars @ Arizona Wildcats | Kickoff TBA
- 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.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
Follow the BYU Cougars with KSL Sports 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.
