If you ask Cyrus Polu about his time in Salt Lake City, he’ll immediately start grinning.
“It’s been a blessing, bro,” Polu said with a smile. “I love it here at Utah, the culture and everything. Everything here about Utah is great. I love it.”
But the freshman linebacker is still showing love for his hometown along the way.
“I’m happy that I’m able to represent my city,” the St. George native said.
At Desert Hills High School, Polu put together a resume that made him one of the most sought-after football players in Utah.
As a sophomore, he was part of a Thunder team that won a state title. He became an all-state standout and four-star recruit over his junior and senior years, tallying more than 100 tackles.
Of the four St. George recruits ranked among the state’s top 50 last year, the No. 4-ranked Polu was the most coveted.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Utes linebacker Cyrus Polu (35) warms up with the team in Salt Lake City on Sept. 6, 2025.
When it came time to decide on a college, the 6-foot-1 linebacker chose the University of Utah.
Polu has appeared in nine games for the Utes this season, mostly with a role on special teams.
As a true freshman, he’s learning from star Utah linebackers Lander Barton and Johnathan Hall. Veteran linebacker Levani Damuni has also taken the young linebacker under his wing.
“We’ve got some vet backers, especially Levani,” Polu said. “He has been around the game for a while. He’s kind of taken me under his wing, kind of like a big brother role.
“They’ve all taught me a lot.”
The former 4-star linebacker chose the Utes over offers from programs like BYU, UCLA, Michigan State and Washington. He credited the environment created by linebackers coach Colton Swan for luring him to Salt Lake City. Polu wanted to land at a program where he could develop over time.
“My recruiting process ultimately came down to my my comfortability with my coach,” he said. “Just knowing that he’ll be in my corner and have my back, that ultimately came to coach Swan.
“I felt most comfortable with him, and that’s why I picked Utah.”
The biggest adjustment, though, has been learning the speed of college football at his new home.
“You have guys flying around every play,” Polu. “It’s fast, 100% every play. So that’s probably been the biggest learning curve for me.”
But Polu is taking it in stride.
“Coach Swan, he’s very detailed in what he does, and he’s a very good coach,” Polu said. “He takes it step by step for what we need to do. I feel like he’s done a great job, especially for our freshmen class.”
While Polu might not see the field outside of special teams in 2025, he hopes to continue to develop for years to come. And maybe he can join the likes of former Utah linebackers Devin Lloyd or Karene Reid to make it to the NFL.
But no matter what, Polu is proud of his journey so far.
“I’m proud of myself,” he said. “There’s not too many people coming out of St. George because it’s a small town.”