BYU COUGARS
BYU WR Puka Nacua Drops Hype Video For 2022 Season
Jan 14, 2022, 3:47 PM
PROVO, UT - NOVEMBER 06: Brigham Young Cougars wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) during a game between the Idaho State Bengals and BYU Cougars on November 06, 2021, at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah. (Photo by Boyd Ivey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Boyd Ivey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
PROVO, Utah – Puka Nacua emerged as one of the top players in the BYU football program in his first year. The fourth-year junior, who transferred from Washington, is eyeing a more significant impact in 2022.
The Orem High graduate dropped a hype video for the upcoming 2022 season with a caption, “Who’s ready for next year? #gocougs”
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Many of Nacua’s 8,300 followers shared their excitement for the star wide receiver next season, including some of his BYU football teammates. Nacua’s quarterback Jaren Hall wrote what probably many BYU fans feel this time of the year, “Me.”
During the 2021 season, Nacua appeared in 12 games. The only game he missed was the season-opener against Arizona. That was due to precautionary reasons as the 6-foot-2, 210-pound receiver returned from a hamstring injury that limited his availability in fall camp.
In his first season at BYU, Nacua had the best year of his collegiate career to date, hauling in 43 catches for 805 yards and six touchdown grabs. Nacua’s best receiving stat line was against future Big 12 rival Baylor. In that loss to the Big 12 Champion Bears, Nacua had five catches for 168 yards and a touchdown, showing his big-play abilities.
Big expectations for Puka Nacua in 2022
Nacua is part of a BYU wide receiver room in 2022 that also returns Gunner Romney, who turned down a chance at the NFL, to come back to Provo for his fifth year.
One player that will be noticeably absent from BYU’s receiver room this fall is Nacua’s older brother, Samson. Samson Nacua completed his collegiate eligibility at BYU after five years at the University of Utah. He now will pursue a professional football career.
Samson, who followed Puka to BYU to be closer to their grandma, wrote a comment on Puka’s hype video, “It is prophecy!! COSMIC WARRIOR.”
Cosmic Warrior referenced the song in Puka’s video by artist Kid Cudi.
Puka and the BYU football program will have high expectations in 2022. Coming off back-to-back double-digit win seasons, BYU checks in at No. 18 in KSL Sports’ Way-Too-Early Top 25 for next year.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
