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PROVO — Puka Nacua's first season since transferring to his hometown program from Washington has been nothing but a success, even if it were to end now.
The former Orem High standout was a revelation in his first seven games with the Cougars, averaging 22.2 yards per reception for 444 yards and a touchdown, including a breakout game of 168 yards and a score in a loss to Baylor.
But Nacua had an even better game Saturday night in the 25th-ranked Cougars' 66-49 win over Virginia. Even if it didn't come with a new career mark.
Nacua's 107-yard game and a touchdown against former BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall and the Cavaliers were dwarfed by the excitement of the other Cougar wide out who matched him with 107 yards and a score — and also with the same name plate on the back of his jersey: his older brother Samson.
If you thought Puka Nacua could get hyped with his own game, just wait until you see him after Big Bro makes a stunning grab.
"It's the greatest blessing that's ever happened to me, honestly, to have my brother out there on the field with me and to see him go do the things that I know he's capable of," the younger Nacua said. "I couldn't be more proud of him as a little brother."
It was only a matter of time for Samson Nacua to break out in much the same way his younger brother and fellow Pac-12 transfer did a few weeks ago. That opportunity came against Virginia for the Utah transfer.
"Samson's been a deep threat for us; he just hasn't been completely healthy," BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. "This week, he was healthy. He's been banged up — but you can never tell from him. His appearance, his excitement, his energy; I don't know if anyone can match that. It's amazing."
Samson Nacua heard his number called as BYU's deep threat, and with Gunner Romney nursing an injury, the former Timpview standout had a much anticipated breakout game, averaging 35.7 yards that included a 52-yarder from Jaren Hall on the first play of the game in the Cougars' win.
More importantly, the elder Nacua showed Hall that he was ready to play an even bigger role in the offense as BYU (7-2) enters the final stretch of the 2021 season. After Saturday's regular-season home finale against FCS foe Idaho State (1:30 p.m. MT, BYUtv), the Cougars have a bye week, followed by back-to-back road tilts at Georgia Southern and USC — where they may see a similar offense with either future NFL quarterback Kedon Slovis or former Corner Canyon star Jaxson Dart under center.
If this past weekend was an indication, the Cougars will be ready for it.
Samson Nacua expected a shootout — a battle, even — when Virginia (6-3) came to town, boasting the country's No. 4 total offense and the No. 1 passing quarterback in the country in Brennan Armstrong, who totaled 337 yards and four touchdowns through the air and another 94 yards and two scores on the ground before leaving in the fourth quarter holding his ribs.
The Nacua brothers were bent on making sure the Cougars could keep up.
"The defenses did their thing, but it was definitely an offensive game. You look at the score, and … BYU was the better offense tonight.
"Coach has been saying this whole year that we haven't played our best, and this was the game to finally do it," Samson Nacua said. "We've got an old head coach stepping in here, the stadium was rocking, and the plan was just air raid. Do what we can do and what we know we can do; we did it tonight."
There were a lot of big numbers put up by BYU's offense against Virginia; 734 yards of total offense, including 349 from Hall and his seven wide outs, will do that.
Tyler Allgeier had the biggest day, a new career high of 266 yards and five touchdowns on a staggering 29 carries. But the fourth-year tailback from Fontana, California is doing that often enough that those types of evenings are almost becoming commonplace.
Hopefully they aren't being taken for granted, even from Allgeier, who is most likely headed to the NFL after this season. But as the top-10 rusher nationally continues his climb and sucks in opposing defenses bent on stopping the run, players like Nacua — take your pick which one — are going to find themselves open even more.
And that's a good thing for BYU's offense, which survived the gauntlet of the first nine games of the season with a 7-2 record with five wins over Power Five programs — the most in a single season in program history — and no bye weeks.
There were plenty of receivers who stepped up when BYU needed it most Saturday night, from the Nacua brothers to Neil Pau'u — who had 39 yards and a crucial 10-yard touchdown that helped the Cougars pull away for good with 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter — and Keanu Hill, who stepped in for Romney and caught two passes for 49 yards to ease the second-half separation.
But few will be remembered quite like Samson Nacua, whose mother watched her two sons blaze the stadium a few blocks from where they grew up, where their late father Lionel dreamed of watching them play together and star at the university that represented their faith.
On Saturday night, the stars aligned for the firs time this season, with both Samson and Puka leading the Cougars' charge.
"She was proud of us, of me and Puka coming out and helping the team get a dub," Samson Nacua said. "I think she'll be proud."
