Roster Overhaul at Fall Camp
The opening day of BYU’s fall camp arrived with a fresh roster sheet, marking the first public glimpse of how the Cougars will reshape their squad for the upcoming season.
Among the most notable departures, backup linebacker Ephraim Asiata was removed after an July arrest, leaving his future uncertain, while veteran Andrew Williams chose to defer his football aspirations to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints, planning a return once his assignment concludes.
The roster also saw the exit of kickers Ian Sanches and Braden Gilbert, wide receiver Cody Hagen, who retired after logging the third‑most offensive snaps among receivers last year, and fellow pass‑catchers Rowan Reay, Cole Clement and quarterback Max Barker, all of whom were listed as removed from the team.
Positional Realignments and Weight Adjustments
Positional adjustments were a focal point, with Viliami Po’uha shifting from defensive end to defensive tackle after contributing at the edge for the past two seasons, and Trevin Ostler moving from the tight end spot in the beef package back to the offensive line, where he will battle for a starting guard role.
Weight changes accompanied the scheme shifts, as defensive tackle Justin Kirkland trimmed 25 pounds to sit at 6‑foot‑3 and 310 pounds, while starting linemen Andrew Gentry and Kyle Sfarcioc each shed five pounds since spring, and a group of younger players — Matthew Mason, Owen Borg, Jordyn Criss, Braxton Lindsey and Tei Nacua — added five pounds apiece to their frames.
Perhaps the most visible sign of the roster’s evolution came from jersey number swaps, as three true freshmen — Legend Glasker, Jaron Pula and Kennan Pula — changed numbers, and veterans such as Reggie Frischknecht, Jarinn Kalama, Kevin Doe, Crew Clark, Cannon DeVries, Maika Kaufusi and Brigham Alexander also updated their digits, signaling new identities on the field.