The BYU football season is just 83 days away. There are three members of the 2024 BYU football team that could potentially join, or even rewrite, the BYU record books in 2024.
When healthy, Ben Bywater has been a tackling machine for the BYU defense. He averaged 100 tackles per season from 2021-2022. He has the potential to crack the top five in solo tackles by a BYU player, and he is positioned to break the all-time record for assisted tackles in 2024. He has 112 solo tackles in his career and 135 assisted tackles.
It’s worth noting that the NCAA only started officially counting defensive statistics in 2000. BYU has record holders for total tackles before 2000, but they are not split by solo and assisted tackles. The current BYU record for total tackles is held by Shad Hansen who tallied 408 tackles from 1989-1992, a record that will probably never be broken.
BYU Career Solo Tackle Leaders (Since 2000)
1. Aaron Francisco – 167
2. Fred Warner – 158
3. Kyle Van Noy – 153
4. Cameron Jensen – 150
5. David Nixon – 137
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NR Ben Bywater – 112
Bywater needs 25 solo tackles to crack the top five and 56 tackles to break the record. In 2021, he racked up 57 solo tackles, so surpassing Aaron Francisco is within reach.
BYU Career Assisted Tackle Leaders (Since 2000)
1. Aaron Francisco – 163
2. Cameron Jensen – 144
3. David Nixon – 138
4. Paul Walkenhorst – 137
5. Ben Bywater – 135
Last season, Ben Bywater surpassed Brandon Ogletree to crack the top five in career assisted tackles. With a healthy season in 2024, Bywater would likely take over the top spot.
If Jakob Robinson replicates the season he had in 2023, he will find himself in the BYU record books. He is in position to crack the top five in pass breakups, interceptions, and interception return yards. A healthy 2024 campaign could cement him as one of the best defensive backs in BYU history.
BYU Career Pass Breakup Leaders (Since 2000)
1. Robertson Daniel – 23
Daniel Sorenson – 23
3. Brian Logan – 21
4. Preston Hadley – 20
5. Kaleb Hayes – 19
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NR Jakob Robinson – 16
Jakob Robinson had seven pass breakups in 2023, including a season high three against Oklahoma. Another seven would tie the record in 2024, eight pass breakups would break the record.
BYU Career Interception Return Yards Leaders (Since 2000)
1. Kai Nacua – 246
2. Dayan Ghanwoloku – 226
3. Andrew Rich – 160
4. John Burbridge – 148
5. Kyle Van Noy – 122
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NR Jakob Robinson – 81
A couple more interception returns could put Jakob in the BYU top five in interception return yards.
BYU Career Interception Leaders
1. Dave Atkinson – 20
2. Dan Hansen – 18
Bobby Roberts – 18
4. Derwin Gray – 14
Kai Nacua – 14
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NR Jakob Robinson – 8
Robinson would need a spectacular 2024 season to crack the top five in career interceptions, but he is within striking distance. Six interceptions in 2024 would put him in a three-way tie with Derwin Gray and Kai Nacua.
Tyler Batty has been BYU’s primary source of quarterback pressure since he started his career in Provo. Batty had a career high six quarterback hurries in 2023. With seven more in 2024, he would tie Jan Jorgensen for second most since 2000.
BYU Career Quarterback Hurry Leaders (Since 2000)
1. Kyle Van Noy – 32
2. Jan Jorgensen – 22
3. Tyler Batty – 15
4. Sione Takitaki – 13
5. Bronson Kaufusi – 12
BYU Career Sack Leaders
1. Brandon Flint – 33
2. Jan Jorgensen – 30
3. Randy Brock – 28.5
4. Bronson Kaufusi – 27
Mekeli Ieremia – 27
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NR Tyler Batty – 15
Batty would need 12 sacks in 2024 to crack the top five in career sacks. That would be the most sacks in a single season since Kyle Van Noy had 13 in 2023.