Ilaisa Tuiaki (pronounced ee-lye-sah too-ee-ah-kee) was named BYU defensive coordinator on Dec. 24, 2015, by head coach Kalani Sitake.

In addition to coordinating the BYU defense, Tuiaki has also coached the linebackers and defensive line at BYU. He served as the linebackers coach for the 2016 season before taking the role of coaching the defensive line in 2017.

Tuiaki has roots in Provo, growing up just down the street from LaVell Edwards Stadium. 

Tuiaki joined the BYU staff from Oregon State where he coached linebackers and was the special teams coordinator in 2015. The Provo native brings eight years of college coaching experience mentoring linebackers, defensive linemen, tight ends and running backs during stops at Oregon State, Utah and Utah State. Tuiaki was a 2013 nominee for the Broyles Award for the nation’s top assistant coach—the only non-coordinator to receive such recognition, and was a 2014 top-five finalist for the Football Scoop Defensive Line Coach of the Year honor. 

Tuiaki coached four Pac-12 postseason honorees at Utah, including first teamers Nate Orchard in 2014 and Trevor Reilly in 2013. Orchard was also named the Morris Trophy recipient as the Pac-12’s top lineman and the nation’s top defensive end by winning the Ted Hendricks Award. Under Tuiaki’s watch, Utah led the nation in overall sacks in 2014 with 55 and ranked second in sacks per game in 2013 at 3.25. At Utah State, Tuiaki served as the running backs coach and special teams and recruiting coordinator from 2009-11. He helped the Aggies finished sixth nationally in rushing (282.7 yards per game) and running back Robert Turbin was named the 2011 WAC Offensive Player of the Year, rushing for 1,517 yards and a school-record 19 touchdowns. Two Utah State running backs were drafted during Tuiaki’s time as the position coach, including Turbin and Michael Smith. 

A 2006 graduate of Southern Utah University, Tuiaki was a two-year letterman at running back and a team captain at SUU after transferring from Snow College. He served as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the New York, New York South Mission from 1998-2000. Tuiaki and his wife Viola have six children, sons Laveatu’u, Lolo and Hilamani, and daughters Uini, Leisinia and Heilala. 

Ilaisa Tuiaki joins the BYU staff from Oregon State where he coached linebackers and was the special teams coordinator. A Provo native and Timpview High School alumnus, Tuiaki brings eight years of college coaching experience, including time at Oregon State, Utah and Utah State.

Prior to his 2015 season at Oregon State, Tuiaki spent the 2012-14 seasons at Utah as the defensive line coach his last two years and tight ends coach in 2012. He coached four Pac-12 postseason honorees, including first teamers Nate Orchard in 2014 and Trevor Reilly in 2013. Orchard was also named the Morris Trophy recipient as the Pac-12’s top lineman and the nation’s top defensive end by winning the Ted Hendricks Award. The Cleveland Browns also selected Orchard in the second round of the NFL draft.

Under Tuiaki’s watch, Utah led the nation in overall sacks during the 2014 season with 55 and was sixth for average tackles for loss per game at 7.9. In 2013, the Utes ranked second in sacks per game with 3.25.

Tuiaki was a 2013 nominee for the Broyles Award for the nation’s top assistant coach—the only non-coordinator to receive such recognition, and was a 2014 top-five finalist for the Football Scoop Defensive Line Coach of the Year honor.

At Utah State, Tuiaki served as the running backs coach and special teams and recruiting coordinator from 2009-11. The Aggies finished sixth nationally in rushing with 282.7 yards per game with Tuiaki as coach. Robert Turbin was named the 2011 WAC Offensive Player of the Year and rushed for 1,517 yards with a school-record 19 touchdowns under Tuiaki. Two Utah State running backs were drafted during Tuiaki’s time as the position coach, including Turbin and Michael Smith.

Tuiaki began his college coaching career in 2008 as a graduate assistant on defense at Utah, working with Sitake and the linebackers. The Utes finished as the nation’s only undefeated team and beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, finishing No. 2 in the final rankings. He also coached at Kearns High School for two seasons prior to joining the college ranks.

A running back in his playing days, Tuiaki was a two-year letterman and team captain at Southern Utah after transferring from Snow College where he played and received his associate’s degree. He graduated from SUU in 2006 with bachelor’s degrees in English and physical education. He is a two-time recipient of the Utah Coalition for the Advancement of Minorities in Higher Education scholarship. 
He served in the New York, New York South Mission from 1998-2000. Tuiaki and his wife Viola have seven children, sons Laveatu’u, Lolo, Hilamani and Tavake and daughters Uini, Leisinia and Heilala.

Tuiaki on joining the BYU staff

“I am excited to be back home. I’ve always been a fan and tied to the BYU program growing up just down the street from the stadium. I’m grateful to the Oregon State family and for Coach Andersen and everything he’s done for my career. I am really looking forward to this new opportunity to work with Kalani and help the great young men at BYU reach their goals.”

Sitake on Tuiaki joining the BYU staff

“It’s an honor to announce Ty Detmer and Ilaisa Tuiaki as the offensive and defensive coordinators on our coaching staff at BYU. Each has an exceptional football mind and a real passion to help our young men succeed on and off the football field. I am looking forward to working with them as we complete our staff and prepare our team for the 2016 season.”