BYU's Keanu Tanuvasa returns to Rice-Eccles with a baby on the way and a message for both fan bases

Keanu Tanuvasa's week could not be more loaded. His wife, Zerin, is due to deliver their son 'any day now' in Provo. BYU defensive line coach Sione Po'uha and several trainers will have Tanuvasa's phone on standby during practices, ready to pull him off the field the moment the call comes. And on Saturday morning, the 6-foot-4, 300-pound redshirt senior will walk into Rice-Eccles Stadium as the enemy.

Tanuvasa appeared in 24 games and started 19 at Utah before transferring to BYU, a move he once said he knew 'was going to cause earthquakes' in Salt Lake City. He was right. The decision generated months of headlines and a flood of social media attacks from Utah fans who felt he had betrayed the program. Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said publicly that NIL was 'the absolute overriding factor' in Tanuvasa's departure.

If he believes it's NIL, then he can believe that. Again, I go back to my circle of what matters most. That's my father in heaven, my fiance and my family. He may not understand it, but that's all right. Maybe some people don't understand why he came back [to Utah] for another year when he could have left. But I'm not going to criticize him for what his decisions are, and I'm going to continue to wish the best for him.— Keanu Tanuvasa, BYU defensive tackle

Tanuvasa has been consistent in explaining his reasoning: it was about his health, his faith, and the defensive scheme under coordinator Jay Hill. He said he repeatedly played through injuries at Utah that he shouldn't have, and that a dinner with his then-fiancée — during which he couldn't lift his arm above his shoulder — forced him to reckon with what that meant for his NFL prospects. His father, Shawn Tanuvasa, confirmed to the Salt Lake Tribune that Utah's NIL offer was competitive, and that bigger money came from programs like Texas and Georgia once Keanu entered the portal. Keanu chose BYU anyway.

I would have gone to another school [if it was about money]. Texas, or Georgia, Alabama, or all of these other schools. But I didn't.— Keanu Tanuvasa, BYU defensive tackle

Now he's a captain for the Cougars, often double-teamed, with 16 tackles and a share of one sack on the season. Teammate Bodie Schoonover called him 'the heart and soul' of the defense.

The No. 1 thing [that stands out] is his leadership, man. That guy knows how to get the team going and bring the team together. He is a special guy, for sure. I love Keanu very much.— Bodie Schoonover, BYU defensive lineman

The rivalry's personal threads run deep this week. Utah's first-year head coach, Morgan Scalley, attended Tanuvasa's wedding and sealing in a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tanuvasa speaks about Scalley with open admiration — and credits him directly for Utah's undefeated record heading into Saturday.

I am not surprised that they're [8-0] because that's Morgan's attitude. That's coach Scalley's way of life. He is a go-getter, and that man has one of the greatest spirits that I've been around in being ruthlessly the best version of himself. He's never satisfied with just OK, or being good, and so them being a great team doesn't surprise me [because] he's at the helm of it.— Keanu Tanuvasa, BYU defensive tackle

As for the Utah fans who will greet him Saturday, Tanuvasa said he expects nothing less than full-throated hostility — and he's looking forward to it.

Nothing but their best, which is their passion, their fire, everything that comes along with it. I was one of the biggest advocates for them when I was there. I loved their passion, their impact on the game because I felt that when they were behind me as a player. So I don't expect anything different going back up there as an opposing player. I'm excited for their fire and their juice.— Keanu Tanuvasa, BYU defensive tackle

To the fans on both sides who have made this rivalry personal, Tanuvasa offered a simple ask.

I think my message for the fans is to enjoy it. … These games come around once a year, maybe twice a year if the odds align, so just enjoy and be mindful of other people. Right? We're still human beings, and we're still put on this Earth for a greater cause. But man, it's football season, and this is the greatest rivalry that I've been a part of, so let's just go enjoy it.— Keanu Tanuvasa, BYU defensive tackle

Kickoff at Rice-Eccles Stadium is Saturday at 10 a.m. Somewhere in Provo, a baby is almost ready.

Why it matters — With Utah undefeated and BYU riding a three-game winning streak in the rivalry, Saturday's game at Rice-Eccles is the highest-stakes Utah-BYU matchup in recent memory — and Tanuvasa, who has played for both programs, is one of the most vivid symbols of how deeply personal this rivalry runs.

Sources differ on Primary reason for Tanuvasa's transfer from Utah to BYU: Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said NIL was 'the absolute overriding factor' (sltrib.com) vs Tanuvasa said the decision was driven by health management, faith, and defensive scheme — not money — and that he turned down larger NIL offers from other schools (sltrib.com)

Reported by deseret.com, sltrib.com