BYU pledge Kaue Akana returns to action. Why he picked the Cougars, and how he performed in his debut
It made sense there were some shaky moments between Orem wide receiver — and BYU commit — Kaue Akana and his quarterback, Alabama pledge Tayden Kaawa, when the pair finally shared the field for the first time this season in last week’s 17-14 win over Springville.
Akana sat out the Tigers’ first three games with a hamstring injury, but in Orem’s victory — which ended a two-game slide — the 6-foot-3 pass catcher delivered big when the team needed him most.
His 15-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter stretched Orem’s lead to 17-7, marking the first points scored in nearly two quarters.
Then later, after Orem looked set to close it out — moving deep into Red Devils’ territory while forcing them to burn their timeouts — Akana sealed it with a game-ending tackle after a fumble gave Springville one last chance with under a minute left.
It wasn’t the cleanest game, but it was still a win.
“I mean, we’re far from what we should be. That game should not have been that close. We just have to go back to work, learn from our mistakes. We can still fight — the offense was moving it all game, we just couldn’t finish,” Akana said.
“… We’re on the right path, just need to finish better. And this is only the start of what people are gonna see from Orem as the season goes on.”
In many respects, that mirrors BYU’s own offense now, with freshman Bear Bachmeier at quarterback and the Cougars working in new faces on that side of the ball.
Why Kaue Akana chose BYU
Akana, ranked a three-star prospect in 247 Sports’ composite system with an 0.8856 grade, committed to BYU on July 1, shortly after quarterback Ryder Lyons — a five-star in the composite — also announced he would be heading to Provo.
“BYU wasn’t like, it was never a dream school for me. I didn’t grow up playing football, I was actually a soccer guy,” said Akana, who only started football as a freshman. “But going to BYU games, even last year, I could feel the connection, the family vibe. The fans are amazing. LaVell (Edwards Stadium) is a great place.”
Last season Akana broke out with Kaawa throwing to him, hauling in 76 passes for 1,227 yards and 14 scores. BYU was one of nearly 20 power-conference schools to offer him, per 247 Sports — among them Utah, Alabama, UCLA, Oregon, Oklahoma and Auburn — but the Cougars’ persistence, especially from associate head coach/defensive coordinator Jay Hill, made the difference.
“Coach Hill always made me feel like I was his top choice. He would call me all the time, almost every other day, saying, ‘You’re the one I want. If you need anything, let me know.’ That stood out,” Akana said. “On my official visit, I got to hang out with the other recruits. It was great. That’s when I knew BYU was the right spot for me.”
Akana’s June official visit coincided with several other big names, including Lyons and Pine View four-star tight end Brock Harris.
“I met Ryder at OT7 (a national seven-on-seven league). We played together there, so I’d ask him what he thought about BYU. At the time, it was down to BYU and Oregon for him, and he told me there was a real chance he’d pick BYU,” Akana said
“And I knew that class could be special. Brock was already committed at the OV, and he kept talking to me and the other guys. There were like six other commits there. Being around them, I felt, ‘These are the dudes I’ll be playing with,’ and I thought we could build something special at BYU. That’s why I jumped on.”
How Kaue Akana looked in his season debut
Though it took some time to get rolling in his senior year because of the hamstring issue, Akana finished with five catches for 57 yards and that touchdown from Kaawa in his opener.
While he produced, Akana admitted he and Kaawa were “a little rusty” on timing Friday, but finding the end zone felt great.
“Me and Tay are really close. He’s like my brother, just like the rest of my teammates. I really wanted to score since it was my first game back. I was pumped I got that one. Wish I had more, but it’s all good,” Akana said.
How Kaue Akana stepped up in critical moments
His touchdown was huge in a tight contest. After Springville ran back the opening kickoff for a score and Orem responded with a 51-yard bomb from Kaawa to Baylor tight end commit Kai Wesley, the only other points before halftime came from a Tigers field goal.
Akana’s score helped Orem maintain its edge after Springville hit an 87-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
On his TD, Akana said, “They gave us man coverage. I was actually supposed to be lined up on the other side. We were spread right, and I was left because I got the call late. Me and the other receiver just switched. The DB was pressed up close. I knew I was bigger and stronger, so I just released, broke inside, and caught it for six.”
Also playing defensive back, Akana notched two solo tackles, including the game-sealing stop on the final snap.
Springville had pushed past midfield on a scramble by quarterback Beau Halvorsen, then snapped with 12 seconds left. Halvorsen threw outside to Akana’s man, but Akana broke on the ball and tackled him inbounds.
That stop drained the clock and ended it.
“Obviously, it’s scary. That turnover gave them new life. We were ready to close it, and then suddenly we’re on defense for 45 seconds,” Akana said of the momentum swing.
“The key thing for me was not letting anyone beat me deep — I didn’t want to give up a score. It’s pressure, for sure. But with our young team, as a captain, I felt it was my job to stay calm and make the play when it came to me.”
What’s next for Kaue Akana and Orem
The Springville win marked the start of Region 7 play for Orem. Next up is a road matchup at Spanish Fork on Friday.
His personal target for senior year: a state championship.
Orem has been eliminated from the 5A playoffs by Timpview in each of the last three seasons — including quarterfinals last year and semifinals in 2022.
“I’d say my high school career has given me everything — the offers, the stats. The only thing missing is that ring, that state title. That’s the top goal,” Akana said.
“I don’t care about the other stuff, stats or touchdowns. Those are nice, but the No. 1 thing is that championship. That’s it. And with our team, I believe we’ll bounce back. We’ll hit practice hard Monday, and keep improving each week. We’re definitely on the right track.
