Provo • LJ Martin wants you to know he is fine.
He said as much — repeatedly — during BYU’s first week of fall camp.
“I’m participating in everything,” he said.
Are you dealing with any injury?
“Nothing,” he said with a smirk. “I’m participating.”
Are you going to be available for the season opener?
“I’ll be good. I’m good right now. I’ll be good,” he finished.
Nobody would expect BYU’s starting running back to come out and say he won’t be ready for Aug. 31 against Southern Illinois. But it doesn’t change the fact that he wasn’t seen in the 11-on-11 portion of practice in the first week of camp. And several people around the program have indicated Martin might not be a full-go come Week One.
So one of this fall’s main questions now centers on BYU’s depth around Martin, who ran for 518 yards and four touchdowns last year. Could the Cougars sustain time without their presumed starter carrying the ball?
In the first week of camp, there are some candidates to fill in for the sophomore.
BYU has given a long look to Hinckley Ropati. He is entering his fifth year in the program after transferring in from junior college in 2020. Even though he only has 300 all-purpose yards in his BYU career, he knows the system. If it weren’t for two ACL injuries — including one that cost him all of 2023 — he might have been the Cougars’ featured back sooner.
If you remember, Ropati gave himself a formal introduction to the fanbase in Boise two years ago. He helped save BYU’s 2022 season, rushing for 110 yards in a single night and a late touchdown to keep BYU in the game.
“He is right there with LJ I would say,” offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick said. “You are going to see a lot of both of them I would say.”
Behind Ropati, the Cougars are looking at Miles Davis and Pokaiaua Haunga. Haunga might be the wildcard of the group. He is a true freshman out of Orem who flashed in spring. He can be a pass-catching option, too.
Sione I Moa, a freshman out of Timpview, has been taking reps in the backfield as well.
“We are rotating quite a bit,” head coach Kalani Sitake said. “With [Martin] and Miles. We want to see what Pokaiaua and Sione and Jovesa [Damuni] can do.
“But [Martin] was practicing with all of them.”
