Weber State football: Next group of linebackers gets its turn to shine
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- Weber State’s Garrett Beck (13) looks into the Idaho backfield before a snap on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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- Linebacker Jayden Ah You, left, drills as coach Matty Ah You watches on the first day of Weber State football fall camp Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023, in Ogden.
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- Weber State linebacker Alema Tupuola (6) leads a run during the first day of fall camp Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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- Jayden Ah You
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- Garrett Beck
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- Alema Tupuola
OGDEN — It’s no secret that Weber State football is tasked with replacing two stellar outgoing linebackers.
Winston Reid and Jack Kelly are the latest game-changing linebackers the Wildcats must replace.
Reid, now seemingly on track for some kind of spot with the Cleveland Browns, whether roster or practice squad, graduated Weber State as No. 2 all-time in solo tackles (170) and tied for first all-time in forced fumbles (nine).
Kelly takes two years of eligibility with him to BYU and already earned nods to preseason All-Big 12 teams (Phil Steele’s third team, for example). Kelly had five forced fumbles at WSU and, in 2023, totaled 56 tackles with 12 for loss, 10.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, one interception and one safety scored.
Losses like that are not new territory for linebackers coach Matty Ah You or those still wearing purple this season. Whether it was Landon Stice, LeGrand Toia, Auston Tesch, Noah Vaea, Sherwin Lavaka, Conner Mortensen or several others, each set of top-flight linebackers over the last eight years or so saw the previous group leave and stepped up to be the next hard-to-replace lynchpins themselves.
That mantle now goes to Jayden Ah You, Garrett Beck and Alema Tupuola.
“Truthfully, I love it. It’s an awesome opportunity,” Tupuola said. “I’ve gotten to learn from those guys and watch them … it’s an opportunity for myself to step up and it’s really fun to watch other guys step up, ball out and try to solidify themselves on the team.”
Entering his senior season, Beck (wearing No. 13) is the most experienced of the three. He’s made plenty of plays over the last two seasons, though was sometimes overshadowed by the excellence of Reid and Kelly. Beck has 119 tackles (nine for loss), 3.5 sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries in the last two seasons.
“Jayden and Garrett are the tone-setters when it comes to physicality,” Matty Ah You said. “Those are the two most violent guys I have in my room.”
Jayden Ah You (No. 42) enters his junior year with 23 tackles under his belt, now claiming his time as a key cog. He’s rehabbing an injury and is ahead of schedule, dressing for practices, but coach Ah You said they’ll take their time with it.
Tupuola (No. 6) is also a junior with 23 career tackles, but he’s been around for even longer. He got his feet wet with the program in 2019 before a mission and was around before that with older brother and defensive end Kawika (2016-19).
Tupuola’s off-the-field work is evident and he was all smiles when talking about the wait.
“What is that, six, seven, eight years?” he laughed. “Whatever it is, it’s been a blast. I’m loving it.”
Tupuola brings flexibility that will help the linebackers group.
“He’s one of the smartest backers I’ve ever had,” Matty Ah You said. “He’s the only one who can play all three positions, so he’s invaluable to me. He can play all three and execute very well.”
Beck said Tupuola is “stepping up to the plate and taking control of the defense.”
All three have taken the same path Reid, a former walk-on, and Kelly did, a path required by coach Ah You of his players: all linebackers must start on special teams before he’ll consider putting them in the defensive rotation.
“We put a heavy emphasis on special teams at Weber State and … that’s how you earn our trust,” he said.
However the opening-week starters shake out and at what position, between best fit and injury rehab, Matty Ah You says he’ll do linebacker by committee more this year than in previous seasons.
While those three stand out as likely starters in Weber State’s 4-3 defense, another who is sure to see plenty of reps is Raimoana Tinirauarii.
Tinirauarii (No. 40) is native to Tahiti and came to Utah to play basketball. But at Juan Diego Catholic High, his athleticism on the gridiron (he was mostly a receiver) caught the eye of WSU football coaches, and he signed as an “athlete” in 2019.
After a two-year mission followed by a 2022 redshirt, Tinirauarii recorded one tackle and one pass defended last year.
No matter who you ask about linebackers at camp this month, Tinirauarii’s name comes up.
“He plays every down with a smile and is just high energy,” Tupuola said.
“He’s showing his speed and really playing hard,” Beck said.
Matty Ah You said Tinirauarii, a mechanical engineering major, is tailor-made to play WSU’s weak-side “rover” spot.
“Most athletic guy in the room,” coach Ah You said. “He’s been here for a bit but I’m a developmental coach, this is a developmental program … he could play any position but in space as our rover, he can use his speed, cover a guy man-to-man and take care of the field.”
Others in the mix include sophomore Mayson Hitchens (No. 44), who’s been the second-string middle backer behind Tupuola. The sophomore blocked a punt against UC Davis last season.
“Intelligent, played a lot of safety in high school, he does really well in space. Very good in coverage for our nickel package,” Matty Ah You said about Hitchens.
Three more are in at least their second year with the program, players Ah You said were playing with good effort: Kevin Enriquez (N0. 43), Elijah Teriipaia (No. 52) and Brayden Perry (No. 54).
Provo native and freshman Daniel Asisi (No. 32) is “smart, mature, love what he brings,” Ah You said.
Two more true freshmen bring exciting prospects, Ah You said, and may work into things before too long.
California native and 6-foot-4 Aidan O’Callaghan (No. 37) “is a freak, he’s tall, can run, looks the real deal,” the coach said. “He’s got to learn linebacker but he’ll be good.”
The other is Aizik Mahuka (No. 33) from Hawaii. “There’s no ceiling for that kid. Him and Aidan are two dudes who can do anything, physically.”