To claim that former BYU and NFL linebacker and special teams standout Justin Ena understands Utah’s college football scene would be an understatement.
Ena, who was elevated to BYU’s special teams coordinator by head coach Kalani Sitake in February after serving as the Cougars’ inside linebackers coach from 2023 to 2025, has the unique distinction of having coached at all six Division I universities in the state that play football: Southern Utah, Weber State, Utah, Utah State, Utah Tech (then known as Dixie State), and, of course, BYU.
He has previously coached at Eastern Washington and San Diego State, having played four years in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee Titans, primarily on special teams.
Ena takes over for Kelly Poppinga, who was promoted to defensive coordinator after Jay Hill left BYU to join Kyle Whittingham’s team at Michigan. Ena, of course, is familiar with special teams, having coached them at SUU for two years (2008-09) and Utah for three years (2015-18), sharing the responsibility with Sharrieff Shah.
“Kelly did a fantastic job with our special teams the last three years, and I believe Justin taking on this position will enable our special teams to continue to thrive as an important priority and crucial phase of the game for our program in playing high-level, complementary football,” Sitake said when Ena, who played for the Cougars from 1997-2001, was named special teams coordinator.
Ena played special teams for one of the greatest coaches in Philadelphia, John Harbaugh, who went on to become the head coach in Baltimore.
“I primarily played special teams in the NFL, so I understand the significance of that aspect of the game and will ensure that our players buy in to be the greatest they can be when their name is called,” Ena told the Deseret News last week.
BYU’s special teams largely flourished under Poppinga, contributing significantly to some of the program’s greatest victories in recent memory over Utah, Colorado, Kansas State, and other Big 12 opponents. So the native of Shelton, Washington, has enormous shoes to fill.
Ena stated that he would make minor adjustments to the units here and there, but the standards set by Poppinga and Sitake would not change.
“The only thing that might change a little bit more, schematically, would likely be punt return. But punt return is always determined by the punting you are facing,” Ena explained. “Kelly did a terrific job prepping the guys and ensuring that they were all bought-in on that. I’m sure it will continue. “
New faces across the board on special teams
While the criteria will remain unchanged, the faces on BYU’s special teams in 2026 will be different.
Kicker Will Ferrin, punter Sam Vander Haar, long snapper Garrison Grimes, and main punt returner Parker Kingston are all sidelined and will be replaced by a number of skilled, but inexperienced, younger players, according to Ena.
Ferrin will be the most difficult to replace, as the Boise State transfer has established himself as among the greatest in school history. Ena says that senior Matthias Dunn and freshman Ian Sanches have been vying for the position during spring camp, and that returned missionary Brody Laga of Herriman’s Mountain Ridge High School would join them in April.
“Matthias has been Will’s understudy for the previous several years, and we appreciate what he’s doing,” Ena added. “He’s got a really big leg. He touches it incredibly well. He just needs to consistently shoot it through the uprights. “
When Laga returns home, “there will be a three-way battle, and we will see what happens after that,” Ena said.
Vander Haar’s request for another year of eligibility was refused by the NCAA, thus his backup, Fuller Shurtz, will take over as punter in 2025.
“Sam is going to move on to the next step of his life, and whether it is playing football or being a wonderful father and husband, which he currently is, we wish him the best,” Ena said. “He contributed significantly to the program. “
Ena described Shurtz, a redshirt freshman from Katy, Texas, as a tremendous athlete who also played cornerback for his powerful high school squad.
“He has a very strong leg, so he can pocket punt or roll out in rugby (style), allowing him to do a lot of things,” Ena explained. “We’re thrilled for him. “
Ena said coaches have already begun seeking for a substitute for Kingston, who has returned three punts for touchdowns in his career. He named sophomore cornerback Cannon DeVries as a possible replacement, as well as running back Preston Rex, receiver Tiger Bachmeier (who performed some punt returns last year), and a couple of freshman receivers, Legend Glasker and Terrance Saryon.
“We have five or six people in the rotation, led by the older guys like Cannon, Preston, and Tiger,” he said.
Ena stated that he would borrow from the principles he learned from Poppinga, Shah, Harbaugh, and Dave Toub, who worked with Harbaugh in Philadelphia and is now assistant head coach and special teams coordinator for Andy Reid in Kansas City.
“I’m going to make sure the youngsters realize that you have to sweat your butt off and do your thing to become the very best and help our team win as many games as possible,” Ena said.
