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Nacua bringing his name and game from Provo to Salt Lake City

Posted at 10:11 PM, Sep 06, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-07 09:31:33-04

SALT LAKE CITY -- Many Utahns are getting excited for Saturday's rivalry match-up between BYU and Utah, but it's a battle that forces some families to split their loyalties.

"I'm trying to hopefully get the Utah banner into my house, but I don't know if they'll accept it yet,” said Utah wide receiver Samson Nacua.

Samson Nacua was an all-state football player at Timpview High School, just a few miles north of BYU. He cheered on his older brother Kai and the Cougars, but his path brought him to Utah.

"Growing up I loved the Cougars," he said. "I mean, I'm Mormon too. Just growing up watching them, then my brother going there and I loved them even more. I just wanted to go play with them and then things happened. I ended up here, and now my love for here has grown a lot more. I think I love it more than I could like being down at BYU. It's a great environment down here, great family environment. I just like it a lot more than BYU right now."

Samson had two receptions for 19 yards in the season opener against North Dakota, and now the red-shirt freshman has moved up the depth chart this week, listed as a starter at the E wide receiver spot.

His brother Kai was a hard-hitting, ball-hawk safety with BYU, and now on the Cleveland Browns' practice squad. Samson said he did receive some advice from Kai going into his first rivalry game.

"He said just going across the middle catch the ball and just go down," Samson Nacua said. "He said they're coming to clean my head off, so be ready for that. I was like, alright I'll be ready."

Samson always thought he would play at LaVell Edwards one day, just not with the Utes.