BYU Football Aims for Defensive Havoc with Ambitious Sack Targets

Salt Lake City, UT, August 16, 2026 —

PROVO, UT – The BYU football program is setting its sights high for the 2026 season, with defensive coaches and players establishing ambitious goals for generating sacks and increasing pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The team aims to achieve a significant improvement over its performance in the previous year.

New rush ends and outside linebackers coach, Chad Kauha’aha’a, has stressed the critical role of his unit in disrupting offensive plays. He emphasized the unit’s responsibility in creating “havoc” and consistently being present in the backfield to disrupt the opponent’s rhythm.

Defensive coordinator Kelly Poppinga echoed the sentiment for increased defensive pressure, although he clarified that sacks are not the sole metric for success. Poppinga indicated a broader desire to see the defense apply more consistent pressure on the quarterback and disrupt offensive schemes.

Further underscoring the team’s commitment to an aggressive defensive front, players have begun vocalizing specific targets. Defensive tackle Keanu Tanuvasa has publicly suggested a team goal of approximately 50 sacks for the upcoming season. This figure represents a substantial increase and highlights the players’ confidence and determination to enhance their pass-rushing capabilities.

The focus on sacks and defensive pressure is part of a larger effort to elevate the team’s overall defensive performance. Coaches and players are working to implement strategies designed to create more negative plays and turnovers, contributing to a more dominant defensive unit throughout the 2026 season.

Story summarized from the original created by Jay Drew on www.deseret.com, see more information here.