Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 49-14vs Western Kentucky | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 3 tackles |
| Wk 2 | L 7-20vs Montana State | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 4 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#11
Poasa Utu
Junior linebacker for Nevada. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 230 lb · Arlington, TX
Transferred Oklahoma State → Nevada for 2026
The numbers
4
tackles · 2026
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 3 tackles, vs Western Kentucky
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 linebacker for Nevada. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Oklahoma State in 2023.
- Transferred from Oklahoma State to Nevada in 2026.
Poasa Utu
Poasa Utu has played for three head coaches across four seasons and two programs. One game to point at: 3 tackles against Western Kentucky — Week 1, 2026.
4 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2023
- Signed with Oklahoma State3-star out of Kennedale
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
2 coaches2023
Ken Wilson
Nevada
Coaching transition mid-career: Ken Wilson → Jeff Choate. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Nevada
2025Oklahoma State
2026Nevada
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Oklahoma State10-4HC: Mike Gundy · Pass-leaning
2024Oklahoma State3-9HC: Mike Gundy · Pass-leaning
2025Oklahoma State1-11HC: Doug Meacham · Balanced
2026Nevada1-1HC: Jeff Choate · Run-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 2.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Jeff Choate
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Nevada | 4 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Oklahoma State | 8 | 2 | 1.5 | 1.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Oklahoma State | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Oklahoma State | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 15 | 8 | 1.5 | 1.5 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 49–14
Game log
The linebacker corps · Nevada
- #1Jeremy Naborne35 tackles · 2025
- #2EJ Smith28 tackles · 2025
- #11Poasa Utu8 tackles · 2025
- #30Jake Silverman2 tackles · 2025
- #20Cody Wells1 tackle · 2025
6 more on the roster · Nevada team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology