Countdown to Kickoff (87): Will Chaz Ah You be this year’s breakout star for BYU?

The football season might seem in the distance but here at Vanquish the Foe we’re counting down the days until the first game against the Utes. To help ease our way into the season, we’re going to spend every day exploring a specific question pertaining to BYU Football. Some of the questions will focus on important topics (offensive play calling) and others will explore the subjects of a rather ... inconsequential nature.

Today we talk linebacker Chaz Ah You.

BYU has sent its fair share of linebackers to the NFL, particularly in the past 20 years. Sione Takitaki and Fred Warner have been drafted in the last two drafts, and Kyle Van Noy has won two Super Bowl Rings with the New England Patriots.

BYU loses Sione Takitaki and Butch Pau’u from last year’s unit, but returns some promising players this year. Zayne Anderson and Isaiah Kaufusi are proven commodities who — if healthy — will be anchors on the defense. The highest upside of any player on defense, however, may be sophomore linebacker Chaz Ah You.

A consensus 4-star recruit in the 2017 class, Ah You came to BYU with a ton of hype and production from Timpview High School. He even announced his decision by landing a helicopter in the middle of LES. Since 247 Sports started its composite rankings in 2002, Ah You is the 8th highest rated player BYU has signed in that time frame.

After playing in six games in 2017 and racking up nine tackles, Ah You is back from his LDS mission and competing for a starting linebacker spot as a sophomore. If Isaiah Kaufusi stays at OLB rather than moving into the middle, then he and Zayne Anderson will likely be the two starting linebackers on the outside to start the season. Regardless, Ah You should see plenty of playing time. He was one of the standouts of Spring ball with his combination of athleticism, coverage ability and natural instincts. Warner and Takitaki were drafted in the first three rounds largely because of their versatility, which is something that Ah You can bring to the table.

If Ah You can live up to the lofty expectations this season he had coming out of high school, then BYU will be much better equipped to handle a grueling early schedule and potentially have the best defense of the Kalani Sitake era.