Transfer linebacker Cade Uluave from California proved to be a major pickup for BYU ahead of the 2026 season. The Cougars secured his commitment over Michigan and Texas in the transfer portal, which would have seemed unlikely not too long ago.
Cade Uluave Discusses His Decision to Join BYU
After three productive seasons with the Golden Bears, Uluave entered the transfer portal amid significant changes within the program. The departure of his position coach, followed by the firing of head coach Justin Wilcox in November 2025, created a turning point.
Uluave ultimately chose a new path, which brought him closer to familiarity and comfort.
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“It was a long decision, and it really was something that I had to think about a lot,” Uluave said Monday about his decision to choose BYU over other schools. “But ultimately, after a lot of prayer and thought, I thought there’s no better place to come back home and play for BYU for my last year.
“So I just couldn’t be more excited, really. And as the offseason went on, my excitement has grown even more to start the season and whatnot. So just counting down the days and continuing to keep growing and building and just learning along the way. But I’m just super excited.”
Uluave isn’t just another transfer; he is a proven playmaker who started 26 games for California over the past three years. He has already made a big impression in spring practice with his exceptional speed, which will be a valuable asset for the Cougars’ defense. BYU’s new defensive coordinator, Kelly Poppinga, is already high on Uluave.
“I was surprised at how fast he is,” Poppinga said of Uluave. “He’s maybe the second fastest guy on our team right now. And we’ve got some fast guys, really fast guys. I think there’s 7 or 8 guys on our team that are 10.6 (100 meter) guys. When you put football pads on all these guys, and you get them on the football field, we’ve clocked Cade in practice at 22 miles an hour.
“Which is as fast as most of our corners. So I would say I watched this film, and I thought he was fast and he looked really fast, but he’s faster and more explosive than I thought he was. And so when that guy pulls the trigger in the run game, and he comes downhill, I mean, it’s as quick and as fast as I’ve seen. And so just really excited to see what he’s going to do in games in the Big 12.”
Uluave was a first-team All-ACC selection in the 2025 season while at California. He finished his junior year with 100 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and three sacks.
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He was also the Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year in the 2023 season. Uluave said he loves to get after the quarterback and bring “pressure, create havoc” in the backfield. Meanwhile, Uluave has also been struck by the talent around him. He noted that he has “never been part of a defense that has this much talent,” calling the unit “legitimate.”
That confidence reflects a BYU defense that already ranked No. 14 nationally last season with an 86.1 score in the PFSN College Football Defense Impact Metric and now appears even more dangerous heading into 2026.
