‘We haven’t done anything yet’: Linebackers coach Justin Ena wants to see more takeaways from Cougars’ defense

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‘We haven’t done anything yet’: Linebackers coach Justin Ena wants to see more takeaways from Cougars’ defense

BYU linebacker Isaiah Glasker celebrates after a play during game against Utah at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. Glasker is one of a trio of linebackers who have anchored the Cougars' defense in 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News

Jay Drew · Deseret News

Thu, Nov 21, 2024 ·

5 min read

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The deepest and most talented unit on BYU's No. 14-ranked football team in 2024 might be the linebackers, coached by former Cougar great and four-year NFL journeyman Justin Ena .

The trio of Weber State transfer Jack Kelly , Oregon transfer Harrison Taggart and converted safety/receiver Isaiah Glasker has been terrific, and partly responsible for BYU's standing as the 58th best rush defense in the country. The Cougars are giving up a respectable 139.2 yards per game on the ground.

That's saying something, considering BYU has faced some of the top running backs in the country — Oklahoma State's Ollie Gordon II , Kansas State's DJ Giddens, Utah's Micah Bernard, UCF's RJ Harvey and Devin Neal of Kansas.

Up next is maybe the best of the best, as BYU prepares for Arizona State's Cam Skattebo on Saturday (1:30 p.m. MST, ESPN) at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. Ena said the Cougars (9-1, 6-1) will be on high alert for the Sun Devils (8-2, 5-2) and their transfer from Sacramento State who has rushed for 1,074 yards and 11 touchdowns and caught 31 passes for 448 yards and two scores in nine games.

"Skattebo is a tough runner. No. 2 (Kyson Brown) and No. 25 (DeCarlos Brooks) are really good as well," Ena said. "You see Skattebo (5-11, 215) make some unbelievable plays because of his balance. He is a little bit shorter and stockier. His legs never stop. So as a linebacker coach, I gotta make sure that our guys are fitting the run correctly, first and foremost."

Defensive coordinator Jay Hill said the trio of backs might give ASU the most potent group in the Big 12 , if not the country.

"We got our work cut out for us. I am excited about the challenge. I think our guys will come ready to go," Hill said. "It seems like each week that we have faced a big-time back, the guys have risen to that challenge. So we better do it again."

Said Glasker on facing Skattebo: "He is a good running back. Knowing Jay Hill, we are going to be ready for the run. And me personally, I am excited to go against good backs, just to see what our defense is really made of. We have a history of stopping good backs and so I am excited to see what this game is going to be talked about (for)."

Taggart (63), Glasker (49) and Kelly (42) are three of BYU's top four tacklers and have been iron men this season for the Cougars. Third on the Cougars' tackling list is safety Crew Wakley (42), but the walk-on who transferred in from Utah State is questionable this week after dinging his shoulder in the 17-13 loss to Kansas last week.

"We are just getting better every game. Obviously, Glasker and Harrison have made a significant amount of plays every game. I think that just shows their ability to improve each week," Kelly told BYUtv. "Even the younger guys (are improving). You see Miles Hall in there making plays. And Sione Moa, Ice Moa, all of them have been making plays."

Hall, a redshirt freshman from Skyline High, filled in briefly against the Jayhawks when Kelly said he "took a cleat to the knee" and sustained "a little contusion" against Kansas. Ena said Sione Moa has returned from an injury and should be more of a contributor in the final few games, along with Hall, Aisea "Ice" Moa and UCLA transfer Choe Bryant-Strother , who is also coming off an injury.

Ena said Siale Esera and Ace Kaufusi are redshirting and have bright futures in the program. For now, though, the Cougars are riding with Taggart, Glasker and Kelly as much as possible.

"I think they are doing a good job. I think we had a letdown last week. I don't think we played half as physical as we needed to. I think being assignment-sound, they are there. Now we gotta be more precise and be more violent with our blitzing," Ena said.

"When we are blitzing, a lot of the times I think we get stonewalled. Sometimes, we get stopped by the tackle, or the running back. That should never happen. We gotta make sure we keep on working edges and we are more violent, more tenacious, to get to that quarterback."

Speaking of which, ASU has an outstanding one in Michigan State transfer Sam Leavitt, a dual-threat QB who was coveted by BYU when he entered the transfer portal. Leavitt's father, Jared, played linebacker for BYU in 1990 and 1991. His brother, Dallin, played defensive back for BYU (2013-14) and Utah State (2015-17) and has been in the NFL since 2018 on active rosters and practice squads.

Ena said BYU's entire defense is eager to get back on the field and atone for the loss to Kansas.

"I feel like they are hungry. It sucks to lose, right? But the No. 1 thing we need to do is understand what we need to clean up, and then we have to be locked in on Arizona State," Ena said. "We are watching as much film as possible, because the worst thing you can do is let a loss cause you to lose the second game, too.

"We know what we need to do. The guys are hungry. We want to get back on that winning streak."

Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo carries the ball during game against Mississippi State, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Tempe, Ariz. Skattebo, a dangerous back both when running the ball and catching it out of the backfield, will be on the Cougars' radar Saturday in the desert. | Rick Scuteri, Associated Press

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