PROVO — Early in his coaching career, BYU defensive coordinator Ilaisa Tuiaki spent three seasons at Utah State.
Tuiaki coached the running backs and special teams in Logan from 2009-2011 under then-coach Gary Andersen. During that time he coached a pair of running backs who ended up being selected in the NFL draft — Robert Turbin and Michael Smith.
And, during that time, Tuiaki helped the Aggies defeat the Cougars, 31-16, in 2010, breaking a 17-year losing streak to BYU, “which was a big deal,” Tuiaki recalled this week.
Now, Tuiaki is hoping to help the Cougars end this season’s three-game losing streak when BYU visits USU Friday (6 p.