Transfer portal shock: Devin Kaufusi leaving

🏈 BYU's defensive lineman looking to transfer after appearing in nearly every game since joining the team in 2018



https://247sports.com/college/byu/Article/BREAKING-Devin-Kaufusi-Has-Entered-Transfer-Portal-144710225/



via cbssportsapp.com

It feels a little like we are taken in by the Kaufusi name on this one. Devin has played in 25 games over 2 years but only put up 7 solo tackles, 8 assists, and has 1 sack for -3 yards. And that one sack came in 2018 as a freshman. He also had 1 fumble recovery, 1 QB hurry, and 2 pass breakups.

I did expect improvement going forward, but he hasn't exactly been tearing it up for a 6' 7" guy with Kaufusi on his back. I wish him luck.

One man's transfer portal is another man's polynesian pipeline.

It is kind of hard to rack up the tackles when you drop into coverage 95% of the time. I would transfer as a linebacker too out of this crap defense, unless the NFL is looking for linebackers who come out of college with a lot of interceptions.

Lack of progression can just as easily be a coaching problem...

Apparently Kyle Whittingham thinks the Tuiaki and Kalani defense is pretty awful and sees Devin as a good enough player to be a P5 scholarship kid.



https://twitter.com/DailyUnivSports/status/1236550750567686144?s=19

CB rumors are that he may be looking at UCLA where his Uncle Jason coaches outside linebackers and having Utah be a fallback. According to that thread, the reasons for leaving are both personal and football related and that even his teammates were surprised by the move. Reportedly Devin wants to play DE--but he hasn't performed well there mainly due to his size (too light at 257). As a result, the coaches experimented with him at other spots like linebacker--but he hasn't agreed with those moves. It doesn't seem like a bad move to take a year to bulk up and then have 2 to play 2 at DE where he wants to--assuming UCLA or Utah believe he can be effective with that plan. There is no speculation on what the personal reasons might be that I'm aware of.

Utah has offered.

scott715 wrote:

Utah has offered.

of courrse they have.

He's going to go to utah and become a star and will be a major influence on the losing streak continuing.

All the more reason why 2020 is the one year BYU had a chance to end the streak.



Utah lost all their seniors

BYU has experienced skill position

Devin Kaufusi will have to sit out



But of course now the game will be canceled because of COVID19.

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His destination is confirmed to be Utah. So he will have to sit out 2020 as a transfer year.

Well that really sucks.

Some were saying that he was only borderline starter material for BYU...if he goes on to dominate at the U...I want Tuiaki gone so bad.

An utterly non-shocking, and entirely expected, landing place for a former BYU defensive player. I similarly will not be surprised to see him immediately develop into a more than serviceable player (which I'm not sure he was at BYU) that starts to look like a potential NFL-caliber player by the end of his career.

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020/4/8/21214133/byu-football-utah-football-devin-kaufusi-corbin-kaufusi-kyle-whittingham-kalani-sitake-lds-mormon



Jay Drew's story on why Devin Kaufusi left based on his interview. Reasons?



1) He did not feel like he is becoming the football player he can be at BYU. He had a shoulder problem that required surgery in January but he felt his lack of development or showing what he can do went further than just the injury.

2) He gets to play with his high school teammate, friend, and “my brother through and through” Britton Covey again.

3) Utah has proven to produce defensive players and he has high confidence that DL coach Lewis Powell can turn him into who he can be--in spite of admitting he has no footage showing what he is capable of and currently recovering from his surgery. He mentioned that it will be a plus to sit out for a year to let his shoulder heal and adjust academically so he can be ready to play after this year.



With his redshirt year still available, he will probably use that while sitting for the transfer and then have 2 years to play starting the 2021 season. We'll see if it plays out the way he expects--but at least it will consume another Utah scholarship.

More details from KSL: https://kslsports.com/432186/kaufusi-transferred-for-utahs-dl-development-culture-chance-to-succeed-at-highest-level/



“A lot of things have happened and changed, when it came to my decision was an accumulation of things but first and foremost, the main thing is football driven and how I can better my opportunities and developing into a better player and seeing myself succeed at the highest level and becoming the best football player that I know I can become."

...

Kaufusi was battling injuries last season but also was being used in a couple of different roles last season, playing linebacker and on the defensive line. That played a factor in his decision to transfer.



“It definitely plays into reason,” Kaufusi said. “I have been a person who will always do what he needs to for the team. It was difficult as well trying to be a contributing player with so many moves and kind of learning on the fly and then looking back on my past two seasons there, I felt that I haven’t made much progress and evolved my identity as a football player and my personal game.”

...

“I really just wanted to give myself an opportunity at a different program that can really help me figure that out and really be set in that way with the culture and the use of developing,” Kaufusi mentioned. “Utah, being able to see what they have done with defensive linemen in the past, this was something that peaked my interest.”



It is also interesting that he makes sure to point out that Sitake wasn't the problem. “I appreciate Kalani (Sitake) and all that he has done for me and my family. He is a great head coach, I love that guy to death. Staying in touch with him has been great,” Kaufusi said.

I'm sure he loves Sitake. Everybody loves him as a person. But if Sitake had a competent defensive staff I don't think Kaufusi is transfering. Tuiaki needs to go. Sitake needs the balls to shake up his defensive staff.

byufan4ever wrote:

I'm sure he loves Sitake. Everybody loves him as a person. But if Sitake had a competent defensive staff I don't think Kaufusi is transfering. Tuiaki needs to go. Sitake needs the balls to shake up his defensive staff.

Has nothing to do with balls. It is a form of nepotism. Sitake calls Tuiaki his "brother" they grew up in the same house together dreaming of playing for BYU football. As long as we have Sitake, we have Tuiaki. Sitake will never fire his "little Brother". Last night I watched the replay of BYU vs utah in 2000. I realized that We currently have our "Ron McBride". A coach that all the players love and are 100% loyal too. The only difference is, Sitake isn't as good of a coach as Ron McBride was so we have no chance of ever having teams like he had in 94.