BYU Football: Position Preview – Running Backs

BYU Football still doesn’t have a feature back for the 2018 season, but don’t think that the cupboard is bare for the Cougar coaching staff.

The tailback position is as much up for grabs as any position in Jeff Grimes’s new offense. No one really has a clue on what direction the coaches are planning to take at this point.

Let’s take a look at their choices:

The Incumbent

Squally Canada (5’11, 210, Sr) was the closest to what could be called a starter in 2017. He carried the ball 120 times for 710 yards, averaging 5.9 yards per carry. Although these numbers are decent, the fact that BYU football didn’t have a 1,000 yard rusher in a run-first offense is telling.

Canada bulked up before last season to transform himself more into an every-down back. In doing so, it appeared that he lost a little of his speed. This year, it looks like Squally has trimmed down a bit in an attempt to gain it back.

It will be interesting to see what he brings to the table this fall. This should be his position to lose, but because of the crowd in the running back’s room, that just isn’t the case.

The Newcomer

Zach Katoa (6’1, 205, Fr) emerged as a possible candidate for the starting position during spring practices. His performance garnered a lot of media coverage, and stories of how players solicited coaches to utilize his talents last season began to surface.

Not only is Katoa impressive, but he is an intriguing option here. He possesses many of the attributes that a feature back needs for an offense. Depending on just how well he does, he might be the answer the Cougars are looking for.