The BYU Cougars under head coach Kalani Sitake have become one of the most prominent college football programs in the country. After being one of the first teams out to miss this year’s College Football Playoff, coach Sitake and his staff have been aggressive in the transfer portal in their pursuit to improve.
Their latest signing out of the portal makes tremendous improvements to their already solid defense.
BYU’s Defense Levels Up as Kalani Sitake Adds Transfer Portal Star Cade Uluave
Although BYU’s offense, led by quarterback Bear Bachmeier, running back LJ Martin, and wide receiver Parker Kingston, was dynamic, it was their defense that made them truly exceptional. As one of the best red zone defenses in the nation, they also excelled in turnovers (leading the nation in interceptions).
Sitake’s staff has landed another defensive playmaker to make this defense even scarier with the signing of Cal linebacker Cade Uluave, says PFSM’s Chief Growth Officer, Cam Mellor.
“The BYU defense was a sum of parts until they nabbed former PFSN All-American Cade Uluave in the portal, signaling their new shot-caller in the middle of the field, a true general, and all-around elite three-down linebacker. This defense is officially entering ‘scary’ territory for opposing Big 12 offenses in 2026,” said Mellor.
As one of the hottest defensive players on the market, Uluave hit the portal after earning first-team All-ACC honors with 100 tackles last year. With another year of eligibility, he has recorded 237 tackles in his college career and brings more intensity to a defense that could make them scary next season.
He’s 6’1″, 235 pounds, and has 21.0 TFLs in his career thus far, six sacks, and three interceptions. He’s a do-it-all type of linebacker, as he has also had 11 pass deflections and two forced fumbles thus far in his career.
With his addition to play alongside Isaiah Glasker, Faletau Satuala (led BYU in tackles in 2025), Siale Esera, Bodie Schoonover, and others on BYU’s defense next season, it could mean disaster for opposing offenses next season.
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The signing of Uluave was a huge get for the Cougars. Also in the running to sign him out of the portal was the Michigan Wolverines. So, it’s a testament to Sitake and his staff’s approach to get this huge signing for their program.
Coming off their 12-2 record in 2025, BYU is on the cusp of making its first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoff. Their only two losses this season came at the ends of the CFB Playoff team, Texas Tech.
Although the program lost some pieces to the portal and exhausted eligibility, with the returning pieces and portal additions like Uluave, it might be a case that the 2026 unit doesn’t just match this year’s, but becomes even scarier.
Tayvion Beasley (USF) and linebacker Max Alford (Michigan) are actually transfers out of the program if you want to correct that