As the BYU Cougars football team gears up for its 2021 season opener on Saturday, it announced on Monday a group of four players who will be captains during the season, along with 10 additional players who have been designated as alternate co-captains and will serve on a leadership council.
Starting quarterback Jaren Hall, center James Empey and linebackers Keenan Pili and Payton Wilgar will be the captains. The alternate co-captains/remainder of the leadership council includes the following players:
- Lopini Katoa, RB
- Tyler Allgeier, RB
- Gunner Romney, WR
- Neil Pau’u, WR
- Uriah Leiataua, DL
- Lorenzo Fauatea, DL
- Tyler Batty, DL
- D’Angelo Mandell, CB
- Jake Oldroyd, K
- Ryan Rehkow, P
The leadership council was determined by a vote of the team. Empey, a 2020 captain, is a junior, while the other three captains are sophomores.
The fact that last season didn’t count against any players’ eligibility makes them seem younger than usual, but the breakdown of the rest of the leadership council is as follows: one senior (Leiataua), five juniors (Katoa, Romney, Pau’u, Fauatea, Mandell), two sophomores (Allgeier, Oldroyd) and two freshmen (Batty, Rehkow).
“We have quality leaders in our program, which is represented well in who the players chose to lead them,” head coach Kalani Sitake said in a statement. “I know it is an honor for these young men to be recognized by their teammates to help lead our team.”