Utah State linebacker AJ Vongphachanh (10), proven right here sacking BYU quarterback Jaren Corridor (3) final season, introduced Friday he's transferring to BYU as a graduate switch. Rick Bowmer, Related Press
BYU is in want of higher depth at linebacker because it prepares for its first season within the Huge 12 Convention, and a few of these considerations have been calmed Friday when former Utah State linebacker AJ Vongphachanh dedicated to the Cougars.
Vongphachanh, a three-year starter for the Aggies, introduced final month that he had entered the NCAA switch portal as a graduate switch.
Go COUGS pic.twitter.com/TtWa2JmHgC
— AJ Vongphachanh (@aj_v25) April 14, 2023
The Deseret Information’ Jay Drew reported earlier this week that Vongphachanh has been noticed at a number of practices this spring.
“Hopefully we're going to get a pair different guys, whether or not they be freshmen or transfers, coming in right here to shore up our linebacker place,” BYU linebackers coach Justin Ena advised Drew on Wednesday.
Whereas BYU returns Ben Bywater, Max Tooley and Chaz Ah You at linebacker, all are coming off offseason surgical procedures. Past these three, the Cougars are skinny at linebacker.
That’s why the 6-foot-2, 230-pound Vongphachanh’s presence and expertise will assist.
He twice led Utah State in tackles over the previous three seasons, together with final 12 months when Vongphachanh completed with 101 tackles. He’s performed greater than 2,500 snaps throughout his faculty profession, and that features beginning 33 of 37 video games he performed for the Aggies.
The Pasco, Washington, native had 223 profession tackles, 21 tackles for loss, seven sacks and three pressured fumbles in his 4 seasons at Utah State.
“The method has been hectic,” Vongphachanh advised 247 Sports activities’ Chris Hummer earlier this week, in regards to the recruiting course of going into the portal. “I wasn’t tremendous recruited out of highschool, so it was fairly new on attempting to stability all the data.”
Vongphachanh visited BYU, Minnesota, South Carolina and Washington State in the course of the course of, in accordance with Hummer.
Ena, who joined the BYU teaching workers this offseason, was an assistant coach at Utah State in the course of the 2019 and 2020 seasons when Vongphachanh was beginning his profession in Logan.
Vongphachanh defined why every crew made his closing 4, and what he was searching for in a brand new college.
“All of them had a necessity,” Vongphachanh advised Hummer. “Washington State has former coaches and near dwelling. BYU has former coaches, too. South Carolina and Minnesota have been two faculties that me due to the conferences they play in and had good seasons beforehand. And above all, I developed good relationships with the coaches at these faculties as properly.”