Will BYU's decision to not add a proven running back in the transfer portal cost the Cougars a spot in the CFP?

Even for armchair college football analysts like me, the decision from head coach Kalani Sitake and running backs coach Harvey Unga to roll into 2026 with the team's current crop of ball carriers was questionable and fraught with risk.

Back in January, I was one of more than a few BYU fans who were pointing out the lack of depth behind LJ Martin and Sione Moa, both of whom have well-documented injury histories:

The clear need for proven depth behind LJ Martin

LJ Martin is one of the best backs in BYU history. He's an NFL talent and the reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year for a reason. But he also has a history of getting dinged up and missing games. In 2023 as a freshman he missed two games. In his 2024 sophomore season he missed three more. Last year he suffered a shoulder injury during the season, played through it, then missed the Pop Tarts Bowl so he could have surgery in December.

Entering the 2026 season, BYU's coaching staff knew LJ Martin had missed at least one game in each of his three seasons in Provo, and he'd probably miss a game or two this year.

Their solution was Sione Moa who is extremely talented, but also injury prone. He was lost to a season-ending injury in the Cougars' first game of the season.

Now entering the most critical stretch of the season, BYU's running backs consist of a converted defensive back in Preston Rex and two freshmen in Journee Tonga and Devaughn Eka. Rex moved from defense to running back last year and entered the season with just 13 career carries for 30 yards. Tonga is a preferred walk-on while Eka was a mid-three star prospect with an 84 rating at 247 Sports.

Neither Tonga nor Eka held any competing Power Four scholarship offers.

Rex, Tonga, and Eka are talented, but all three of them entered 2026 as wholly unproven of being able to carry the load as a Power Four running back on a team with CFP aspirations.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm huge fans of Rex, Tonga, and Eka. I want them to succeed. I have nothing but respect for each of them, their effort, and their game. And at the same time, BYU shouldn't have to be relying on these three willing but unproven running backs with the season hanging in the balance. There's a difference between talent and production, and none of these guys had produced coming into BYU's 2026 campaign.

The compelling recruiting pitch for a proven transfer portal running back

When I raise the red flag about BYU needing to have mined the transfer portal for some additional proven depth in the running backs room, some Cougar fans throw out simple rebuttals like this:

"No good running back in the transfer portal would have come to BYU to sit behind LJ Martin!"

That argument is shortsighted and incomplete.

Here's the pitch Kalani Sitake, Aaron Roderick, and Harvey Unga could have made to productive, experienced running backs, likely proven Group of Six guys or good players on Power Four rosters who might not be lead backs. This is especially true for players with at least two years of eligibility remaining:

"While LJ Martin is our lead back, you will compete for RB2 and can earn meaningful carries. Both LJ Martin and Sione Moa have injury histories. Behind the two of them are completely unproven college-level ballcarriers.

Come to BYU and play for the program that produced NFL players like Tyler Allgeier and Chris Brooks and Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year LJ Martin. Come prove yourself at a CFP contender. In 2026, LJ will be the lead back if he's healthy, but there are still carries to be had. You can contribute this year and potentially start in 2027. Oh, and here's some nice NIL, too."

That's a compelling recruiting pitch.

And it's a pitch that was used to bolster other roster spots through the transfer portal. Just this year alone BYU landed transfers who were told they could compete for snaps at positions with already existing depth like linebacker Jake Clifton, cornerback Jayven Williams, and guard Paki Finau.

But the Cougars stood pat at running back in the transfer portal. It was a calculated risk given the injury histories of both LJ Martin and Sione Moa and the complete lack of proven depth behind them.

For the better part of two games now without Martin -- TCU and Iowa State -- BYU's run game has largely disappeared, especially between the tackles. The lack of a consistent run game throws off the entire offensive game plan for a team that established the run to set up the pass.

As BYU prepares to host Notre Dame, the Cougs are going to need to be able to run the ball between the tackles. I genuinely hope that the trio of Rex, Tonga, and Eka go nuts against Notre Dame. I hope at least one of them has a breakout game and puts up 100-plus yards.

I hope I eat crow after writing this article.

But if I don't, BYU's decision to not add a proven running back in the transfer portal could cost them a shot at the CFP. And that would be a complete shame because BYU needing more proven, productive depth at running back was readily apparent long before the season even began.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow