Cougar Tracks Extra: Butch Pau'u, a pronunciation guide

(Tim Johnson, KSL)


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With all the talk about the defense, one surprising name that has popped up again and again is also one that many seem to have a hard time saying.

Sophomore middle linebacker, Butch Pau’u.

This is a guy who leads the team in tackles over the first two games, is tied for the lead in tackles-for-loss and also leads the team in big hits of the non-targeting variety. Despite constant questions about his size — he’s listed at 6 feet tall and isn’t really even close — he has put a lid on critics and on a linebacker corps full of big, NFL-type prospects, Pau’u is the one turning heads.

He’s also twisting tongues.

It’s always fun to listen to national television crews throw their best shot at the name. They give it a pretty good go with ‘Poo-uh-oo’, ‘Paw-Aw’ or some even just quitting and saying ‘Powell’.

We put the matter to rest with a full-on pronunciation guide from Butch this week (watch the video above) and he’s heard all different iterations of his last name. With how hard he hits it should be pretty easy to remember. POW-ooh. As in, ‘POW’, right in the kisser and a quick sound of amazement at the athleticism, ‘ooh’.

So far, Butch has lived up to his name. That is, if you say it right.

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