This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
News has leaked out the past few weeks, even months, regarding new players who will join the BYU football program before the 2017 season.
That list of midyear transfers and returned missionaries — 10 "newcomers" in all — was made official on Thursday afternoon as BYU released the players who are enrolled for the 2017 winter semester, which began on Monday, and have signed financial grant-in-aid documents.
The transfers are defensive lineman Wayne Tei-Kirby (Oregon) and defensive back Austin Lee (Utah) and the newcomers are listed as running back Ula Tolutau (East High, SLC), defensive lineman A.J. Lolohea (West High, SLC) and tight end Joe Tukuafu (East High, SLC). Tolutau committed to Wisconsin before a church mission but decided to transfer after the man who recruited to Badgerville, Gary Andersen, moved on to Oregon State. He rushed for 2,465 his senior year (2013) at East.
Kirby-Tei will have to sit out the 2017 season, per NCAA transfer rules; The other nine should be eligible in 2017, according to BYU sports information.
The four returned missionaries who previously signed are offensive lineman Earl Mariner, defensive lineman Teancum Fuga, defensive back Garrett England and tight end Matt Bushman.
Also, highly recruited defensive lineman Keanu Saleapaga, who signed last February but never enrolled fall semester, is on the list. The Cougars beat Colorado, Oregon State and several other Pac-12 schools for Saleapaga last winter.
The headliner is probably Tei-Kirby, who played in nine games for Oregon last year and totaled 11 tackles and two pass breakups. He recovered a fumble in Oregon's 30-28 win over Utah. He attended the same Idaho high school (Pocatello Highland) as quarterback Taysom Hill.
Lee played for Utah in 2015 after a church mission to Oklahoma and got in seven games. He attended SLCC in 2016.
Tukuafu recently returned from a church mission to Argentina and had originally committed to Utah State.