Provo • As Sione Takitaki draws rave reviews for his familiar relentless style of play and fanatical effort at the Cleveland Browns’ training camp this month, BYU football coaches have started the search in earnest for the middle linebacker’s replacement in Provo.
“You just don’t replace a guy like that,” defensive coordinator Ilaisa Tuiaki said during June’s media day. “They don’t grow on trees.”
Middle linebacker — or Mike linebacker, as they call it — is an incredibly important position in head coach Kalani Sitake’s 4-3 defensive scheme, and the Mike is more often than not the leading tackler on the team.