Puka Nacua - Football | byucougars.com

Puka Nacua

Wide Receiver 12

Ht/Wt

205 lbs.

Class

Junior

Hometown

Provo,

Utah

Last School

Washington

Roster Years

2021-2022

Pronunciation: Poo-kuh Nah-koo-uh

BYU Highlights

Nacua played wide receiver at BYU from 2021-2022 and appeared in 21 games, including 14 starts. He totaled 1,430 yards on 91 receptions along with 11 touchdown grabs. Nacua's accomplished career includes the following highlights:

Led the Cougars in receiving yards in 2021 and 2022. He battled through injuries in 2022 to lead BYU with 48 receptions for 625 yards and five touchdowns at 13 yards per grab and 69.4 yards per game. In 2021, he caught 43 passes for 805 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 18.7 yards a catch.
In 2022, he compiled 834 all-purpose yards with 10 touchdowns in nine games.
Seven games with more than 100 yards receiving.
Nacua won many awards for his on-field performance, including Phil Steele All-Independent First Team (2021, 2022), College Football Network All-Independent Wide Receiver of the Year and All-Independent First Team (2022), Pro Football Network Independent Wide Receiver of the Year, First Team All-Independent Offense and Independent Newcomer of the Year (2021).
Contributed on the ground, carrying the ball 39 times for 357 yards and five rushing touchdowns.

*See Year tab for additional information

Personal

Major: Family Life
Parents are Penina and the late Lionel Nacua
Younger brother of former BYU football players Isaiah, Kai, and Samson Nacua
Bowls about a 200 on average

Before BYU

Played at Washington in 2019, 2020
Totaled 11 games, 16 receptions, 319 yards and three touchdowns in two seasons at Washington
Prepped at Orem HS
MaxPreps.com and USA Today first-team All-America in 2018
2018 Utah Gatorade Player of the Year
USA Today's All-Utah Offensive Player of the Year
Named Utah's "Mr. Football" by the Deseret News
Broke Utah state records for career receptions (260), yards (5,226) and receiving touchdowns (58)
As a senior, caught 103 passes for 2,336 yards and 26 touchdowns, setting single-season state records in all three categories
Scored a receiving touchdown in every game of his senior year
Led the Tigers to a 12-2 overall record and the 4A state championship as a senior in 2018
As a junior, caught 87 passes for 1,692 yards and 24 touchdowns, earning first-team 4A all-state from the Salt Lake Tribune
Helped the Tigers to a 12-2 record and the 4A state title as a junior
Also a standout on the Orem basketball team, earning coaches' second-team all-state as a junior

BYU Hall of Fame

Freshman Year

Sophmore Year 2021

Played in 12 games, started last seven straight (beginning at Baylor).
Led the Cougars in receiving yards on the season with 43 grabs for 805 yards and six touchdowns with an average of 18.7 yards per reception.
Led the team in receiving yards per game with 67.1.
Tied with Neil Pau'u for team lead in receiving touchdowns (6).
Finished the season as BYU's fourth-leading rusher with 14 carries for 148 yards (no yards lost) at 10.6 per carry.
Second on the team in all-purpose yardage with 953 on the season and 79.4 per game.
Ten games with at least one reception, four with five or more.
Four games with over 100 yards receiving.
Phil Steele All-Independent First Team Offense
Pro Football Network Independent Newcomer of the Year
Pro Football Network Independent Wide Receiver of the Year
Pro Football Network First Team All-Independent Offense
Posted a collegiate career-best 168 yards receiving and a touchdown off five receptions versus Baylor.
Recorded second-best receiving performance of his career with 107 yards and a touchdown on eight receptions in BYU's 66-49 win over Virginia.
- Receiving yardage and touchdown totals versus Virginia matched that of brother, Samson's.
Led BYU in receiving yards with 120 off six receptions and a touchdown in 59-14 win over Idaho State.

Junior Year 2022

Named to Phil Steele All-Independent First Team
Named College Football Network Independent Wide Receiver of the Year
Named to College Football Network All-Independent First Team
Battled through injuries to lead BYU with 48 receptions for 625 yards and five touchdowns at 13 yards per grab and 69.4 yards per game.
Also carried the ball 25 times for 209 yards and five touchdowns, compiling 834 all-purpose yards and 10 touchdowns in nine games played with seven starts
Career-high 14 grabs for 157 yards and two touchdowns in 31-28 win over Boise State.
With 14 receptions against the Broncos, tied Jay Miller, Phil Odle and Reno Mahe for third-most all-time in a single game at BYU.
Tied a career-best with two touchdown receptions in win over Broncos.
Season-high 157 yards at Boise State (third 100-yard receiving game in the last four)
Helped BYU post 532 yards of offense against a Boise State team that entered the game ranked No. 2 nationally in total offense.
Hauled-in third receiving touchdown of the season and third in as many games with 30-yard scoring grab vs. East Carolina.
Recorded second receiving touchdown of the season with 40-yarder against Liberty
Two 100-yard receiving games on the season (113 at Liberty, 141 vs. Arkansas), totaling six 100-yard games for his BYU career
Recorded his first 100-yard game of the season with eight receptions for 141 yards and a touchdown, along with 20 rushing yards and two touchdown carries to total 161 all-purpose yards in BYU's 52-35 loss vs. Arkansas
After waiting out a two-and-half hour delay due to lightning, Nacua began the season with a lightning strike of his own as he took a handoff 75 yards for a touchdown on the Cougars' first play from scrimmage in their 50-21 season-opening win at USF on Sept. 3.
Scored two rushing touchdowns on three carries and a career-high 76 rushing yards at USF on Sept. 3.