The BYU Cougars kick off the 2025 season in 11 days against Portland State. As we continue counting down the days until kickoff, today we will profile the player who wears No. 11 - sophomore free safety Faletau Satuala - by providing three interesting, fun facts. (Note: Satuala wore No. 10 last year and has switched to No. 11.)
Fun fact No. 1 - He is one of BYU's biggest signings ever
Coming out of Bountiful High School in the class of 2024, Faletau Satuala was a true national recruit. He was a four-star prospect at 247 Sports with an impressive 94 rating. He was the No. 131 prospect in the country that year and held offers from the likes of Tennessee, USC, UCLA, Utah, and several other Power Four programs.
But it wasn't just that Satuala chose BYU that mattered, it's how and when he did it. He was invited to play in the All-American Bowl on NBC and announced his commitment to the Cougars live on national television. His commitment signaled a major shift in BYU's ability to go up against other Power Four programs and land some of the top talent in the nation.
Bountiful safety Faletau Satuala picks BYU, credits recruiting of Jay Hill pic.twitter.com/HpE04sNvpJ
— Jay Drew (@drewjay) January 6, 2024
Fun fact No. 2 - He saw action as a freshman
Just because the 6-foot-4, 210-pounder came to BYU with a bunch of stars in his recruiting profile didn't mean he was guaranteed to play as a freshman last year. Incumbent free safety Tanner Wall was coming off a strong season and other talented safeties filled out the position.
Ultimately Wall won the starting role last year and was named All-Big 12 Third Team by College Football Network. Despite playing behind Wall, BYU's defensive coaches knew Faletau had too much potential to just watch from the sidelines. Last year he appeared in 12 of BYU's 13 games and recorded 12 tackles, one pass defended, and one interception.
Fun fact No. 3 - The sky's the limit
Faletau could very well blossom into an All-Big 12 player in coming years, then go on the NFL. His 6-foot-4 frame gives him the length NFL scouts drool over but he also possesses elite athleticism and instinct. While it's still yet to be determined how playing time will be portioned out to both him and Tanner Wall, there's a clear path for Faletau Satuala to be BYU's free safety of the future, with an eye on the NFL to come.