BYU football announces 2018 team captains

PROVO, Utah (Aug. 27, 2018)—BYU football head coach Kalani Sitake today announced team captains for the 2018 season as voted by the team.

The Cougars will have four offensive and four defensive captains this season. 

“I’m pleased to announce our captains for the season,” Sitake said. “This year we have selected eight players to serve as captains and I’m excited about that. They will rotate the coin toss responsibilities while each will have a strong role in leading our team inside the locker room and on and off the field.”

Captains representing the offense are senior quarterback Tanner Mangum, senior running back Brayden El-Bakri, senior offensive lineman Austin Hoyt and junior wide receiver Micah Simon.

Captains for the defense include senior linebackers Butch Pau’u, Zayne Anderson and Sione Takitaki and senior defensive lineman Corbin Kaufusi.

Mangum and Pau’u were both voted by their teammates to be captains for the second time. Both players served as captains last season.

Mangum has played in 26 games with 21 starts as the signal caller for the Cougars. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound native of Eagle, Idaho, has passed for 5,158 yards and 34 touchdowns while completing 59 percent of his attempts over the past three seasons.    

El-Bakri has appeared in 29 games for the Cougars as the primary fullback. From Salt Lake City, El-Bakri is known as an outstanding blocker, strong leader and significant special teams contributor. The 6-foot, 245-pounder has scored three touchdowns while adding 69 rushing yards and 168 receiving yards over the past two seasons.

Hoyt has played in 35 games as an offensive tackle for BYU as he enters his senior season. A 6-foot-8, 315-pound native of Ione, California, Hoyt has started 17 games for the Cougars and is slated to start at right tackle in 2018.

Simon, the lone junior among the captains, hails from Dallas, Texas. He has played in 15 games overall with four starts last season. At 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, Simon was a significant contributor last season averaging 14.3 yards per catch for 386 yards and three touchdowns.

Pau’u has started 18 games at middle linebacker for BYU in his 29 appearances over the past three seasons. The 6-foot, 225-pounder from Anaheim, California, has totaled 165 tackles, including 87 solo takedowns, and one interception for the Cougars.

Anderson is a 6-foot-2, 215-pound linebacker who moved from a starting-safety role over the offseason. Known for his speed and athleticism, Anderson is from Stansbury Park, Utah, and boasts 75 tackles, three forced fumbles and two interceptions during his 33 games played over the past three seasons. 

Takitaki, 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, has played in 30 games with 14 starts during his career. A native of Fontana, California, he moved from a starting defensive end role last year to play outside linebacker in 2018. He enters the upcoming season with 119 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks.

Kaufusi has started 18 times in 26 appearances over the past two seasons. The 6-foot-9, 275-pound defensive end from Provo, Utah, has made 98 tackles with 10 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks while adding two pass breakups and three blocked kicks.