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UPDATE: 9:03 Eastern. Looks like Takitaki will not be playing against Nebraska.
Just got a call from BYU's Brett Pyne on the Takitaki situation; Bronco has reviewed his case, decided to suspend him for one game (vs. NU).
— Jay Drew (@drewjay) August 13, 2015
BYU figured that sophomore Sione Takitaki would play a significant role for the defense this season. As a freshman, Takitaki picked up three sacks, including two against UCF, and recorded multiple tackles in eight different games. Bronco Mendenhall had already referred to him as one of the best pass rushers on the team right now. But a new off the field incident could compromise his ability to play early in the season.
According to Jay Drew of the Salt Lake Tribune, Takitaki was charged with two counts of theft by the BYU Police. Takitaki allegedly stole "apparel from the school's soccer and track teams last month while he worked on the custodial staff at Smith Fieldhouse." in two different incidents. Per the article, BYU is aware of the charges:
"We are aware of the situation, and it is being reviewed," BYU football spokesman Brett Pyne said Tuesday afternoon. "It will be addressed appropriately.
Two misdemeanor theft charges (the combined value of the goods taken is less than $500) isn't likely to result in a lengthy suspension, but it is certainly possible that Takitaki could miss some time in the early part of the year if this situation isn't resolved quickly. Not a lot of good news happens in August, and BYU fans are probably hoping that nobody else gets hurt, or finds themselves in any other offseason incidents. BYU can't afford to be missing many players if the hope to stand a chance against a formidable September schedule.
We'll have more updates as we get them.