Per On3's Hayes Fawcett, former redshirt freshman Texas football edge rusher/outside linebacker transfer Tausili Akana has committed to the BYU Cougars in the Big 12. The 6-foot-4 and 220-pound edge rusher from Hawaii saw action in nine games over two seasons at Texas.
Freshman transfer Texas football EDGE Tausili Akana returning to the Big 12 with BYU
Akana played eight games, registering one combined tackle for the Longhorns on defense against UTSA this fall. He played defensive snaps in two games against UTSA and UL-Monroe in 2024.
On special teams, Akana played 42 snaps with the kick coverage unit over nine games. He had tackles on special teams with the coverage unit against the Florida Gators in Week 11 and Texas A&M Aggies in College Station in Week 14.
In his true freshman campaign in 2023, Akana only saw the field once with two defensive snaps in the season opener against Rice.
He has three years of eligibility remaining.
Akana was a top-150 prospect in the 2023 recruiting class from Skyridge (UT) High School in the 247Sports Composite. The 2023 All-America Bowl participant committed to the Longhorns and DC Pete Kwiatkowski over the Louisville Cardinals, BYU, Texas A&M, Oklahoma Sooners, and LSU Tigers.
He ranked as the No. 141 prospect nationally in the 2023 class in the 247Sports Composite, No. 11 linebacker, and No. 2 from Utah.
Akana is leaving a Texas program that just defeated the Clemson Tigers in the first round of the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. Texas and head coach Steve Sarkisian will face the four-seed Arizona State Sun Devils in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals on New Year's Day (Jan. 1).
Texas has made the College Football Playoff in back-to-back years, losing to the Washington Huskies last postseason in the semis.