When BYU landed UCLA transfer Choe Bryant-Strother in early June , the addition of the linebacker who grew up in Georgia and is the half-brother of former BYU basketball star Elijah Bryant was seen as a depth-building development, but not much else.
Now it comes as a huge get for the Cougars' defensive coaching staff, after star linebacker Ben Bywater announced last week that he is medically retiring from college football.
Bryant-Strother, a 6-foot-3, 235-pound senior with two years of eligibility remaining has gone from an insurance policy type player to a potential key ingredient in second-year coordinator Jay Hill's defense.
Hill said Bryant-Strother is "absolutely" capable of earning a starting spot.
"We wouldn't have brought him in if he wasn't," Hill said on Friday. "We don't bring those kind of guys in unless we think that they can beat people out."
Bryant-Strother (his first name is pronounced: CHAY) earned a sociology degree in his four years in Westwood, and is now considered a graduate transfer. But because of 2020 not counting against eligibility because of the pandemic and him redshirting in 2021 because he only appeared in one game, Bryant-Strother could be in Provo for two years, and potentially earn a master's degree before he departs.
He said he entered the transfer portal because he "wanted to play linebacker," and had "bounced around a few times" between outside linebacker, inside linebacker and edge rusher at UCLA and wanted to have a permanent spot where he could direct all his energies into perfecting his craft.
"I felt the best was for me to be inside (as a linebacker)," he said. "I just thought BYU would be the best place to do that."
Bryant-Strother said when he committed to BYU on June 6, after having narrowed his choices to BYU, Cal-Berkeley and Arizona State, he had no idea that Bywater's future was in doubt.
"But I've learned now that it is a big loss," he said. "I love the guy. He is a ball player, and it sucks that we don't have him."
BYU linebacker Choe Bryant-Strother in action during fall camp in Provo on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. Bryant-Strother transferred from UCLA in the offseason and will help bolster the Cougars' linebackers room. | Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photo
Bryant-Strother said he is learning all three linebacker positions — which BYU calls Rover, Mack and Sam — in preseason training camp, and is "comfortable" playing any of the three, or rotating in games or throughout the season.
"I love everything that is going on in camp, and am just trying to soak in as much as possible every day," he said Friday.
Bryant-Strother appeared in 32 games at UCLA, with his best season in 2022, when he had 22 tackles in 13 games. His playing time diminished a bit in 2023, when he had 10 tackles and a sack in 11 games.
BYU had recruited him, and he made an official visit to Provo, when he was a consensus three-star recruit (247Sports, ESPN and Rivals) out of Greater Atlanta Christian School in Georgia, but he chose UCLA and enrolled in the winter of 2020.
When he became available again, there was "mutual interest," he said.
Hill concurred.
"There was a connection with his brother playing basketball here at BYU. He was a phenomenal athlete out of high school that we knew about, knew a lot about," Hill said. "He had a good career at UCLA, and when he was available I just think he added a lot of depth to our linebacker room. And he's just elevated the competition in that room."
Hill said it wasn't a given that Bryant-Strother would pick BYU the second time around, just because his half-brother had a great experience at the school.
"I think there was some interest, but we had to recruit him to get him here, because there were other schools interested as well," Hill said. "So that is recruiting, right? There has got to be a little bit of interest on their part. And then we gotta do a great job of getting him here."
Bryant-Strother played with four- and five-star talent at UCLA, and one of the most well-known coaches in college football in Chip Kelly. Kelly left UCLA in February to become Ohio State's offensive coordinator, a move that stunned many in Los Angeles.
The Bruins went 4-5 in the Pac-12′s final season, 8-5 overall, capped by a 35-22 win over Boise State in the L.A. Bowl. Bryant-Strother said the Cougars have similar talent.
"We got talent here, for sure. I would have never came here if I didn't feel like this was a good program and there was talent everywhere," he said. "I think the whole linebacker room is talented, and it definitely brings out the best in everybody every day."
Elijah Bryant played for BYU from 2016-18 and was a member of the Milwaukee Bucks' NBA championship team in 2021. He has played overseas since 2021, and is currently playing for Anadolu Efes in Turkey. Although they are technically half-brothers because they have the same biological mother (Israel Bryant) and a different biological father, Choe considers the duo "full brothers."
"We grew up together, did everything together," he said.
What role did Elijah play in getting his younger brother to BYU?
"Well, my family is very tight with the BYU athletic community. We are great friends with Tom (Holmoe) and everybody here. My brother and my family, everybody is strong in (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), so it is just a great connection," Bryant-Strother said.
"When I told him I was interested in BYU, and that me and BYU were in contact when I entered the portal, he was excited," Bryant-Strother continued. "I wouldn't say he was pushing me to come here, but he definitely made me consider it, and I am so happy that I did."
UCLA linebacker Choe Bryant-Strother (9) tackles Alabama State wide receiver Isaiah Scott (84) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Pasadena, Calif., Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. Bryant-Strother transferred to BYU in the offseason and is the brother of former BYU basketball star Elijah Bryant. | Ashley Landis, Associated Press
