Kaufusi can savor BYU's D-line depth
Dick Harmon
Steve Kaufusi enters his seventh season as BYU's defensive line coach. The former South High School star, whose playing career took him from Dixie College to BYU and to being a 12th-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles, has coached Utah's Luther Ellis, Brady Poppinga — the MWC's career sack leader — and now he's got back junior Jan Jorgensen, the league's sack leader last season.
Kaufusi remembers his first seasons at BYU, where defensive line depth was a stretch. He'd look at the bench for subs and some kind of substitution of talent and he'd have to do a double take, a real act of discovery. He went through a period where big bodies like Manaia Brown and Daniel Marquardt were mainstays and flexibility in body types, speed and athleticism were a fantasy.
Now, at the end of BYU's spring drills, the D-line has come a long way. Kaufusi can turn his head and say "next," and he has a choice of many types of weapons. Flexibility in rotation and keeping players fresh is now a legitimate option. Kaufusi has a choice of what kind of player he'll insert to meet the situation, a luxury he only dreamed of a few years ago.
Kaufusi is not forced to start freshmen any more.
Heading the list is Jorgensen, a budding superstar, who's started ever since he came off his redshirt year as a freshman off a mission. He is flanked by Ian Dulan, another junior, who started as a true freshman last year and has chosen to move his mission plans and play this fall. The other ends are Brett Denney, another contributor as a freshman, now a junior. Freshman Matt Putman, who has toyed with playing linebacker, is another end, at 6-6, 247 pounds, coming off a redshirt/mission similar to what Jorgensen did.
In the middle, former freshman starter Russell Tialavea, who sat out spring to nurse an injury, returns for his junior campaign. Kaufusi's choices with Tialavea include moving Dulan at nose for pass rush purposes, but he's got 2007 freshman starter Rick Wolfley back at 343 pounds, with Snow College transfer Tevita Hola and senior Mosese Foketi available. Brock Richardson, a 6-2, 247-pound walk-on tackle, is also working out in the middle.
In the fall, Kaufusi will get highly recruited end Bernard Afutiti (6-4, 275) from Mount San Antonio JC and Rio Linda, Calif., and freshman Solomone Kafu (6-4, 315), whom Kaufusi believes could be in the mold of Dulan, if needed as a freshman.
But that's just it. Kaufusi won't be forced to start a freshman this fall like he did in 2006.
"It's the best situation we've had since I've been here," said Kaufusi, not one to exaggerate his case.
Recent comments
Hey, Utah man--you need to watch the 2007 BYU-Utah game again. BYU...
Jordan | April 17, 2008 at 9:49 a.m.
I hope that this Solomone Kafu recruit can turn out to be as good...
Seattle | April 14, 2008 at 9:19 p.m.
This is the first time I've heard Solomone Kafu mentioned in...
gordon from Jordan | April 14, 2008 at 4:58 p.m.
