I really want to talk about LJ Martin.
The sophomore running back out of El Paso has finally broken out after an injury in the early season kept him on the sidelines while the Cougars' running back depth was tested. While Ropati, Moa, and Nawahine have all had their moments in the BYU back field, Martin is making it clear who the go-to tailback is in Provo.
Ollie Gordon, last season's Doak Walker Award winner, torched the BYU defense for 100+ yards and 3 scores, but I think the star power of Gordon may have blinded many from the brilliant play of number 27 in blue.
In just his second game back from injury, LJ rushed for 120 yards and a pair of touchdowns to add to his season's tally of 4.
Canutillo High School grad LJ Martin (@aLJayMartin) rushed for 120 yards and scored two touchdowns in No. 13 BYU's 38-35 win over Oklahoma State on Friday night.
— Sam Guzman (@SamGuzmanTV) October 19, 2024
First NCAA career 100-yard rushing game for Martin! pic.twitter.com/rrpvYhwhRv
It's almost like when an NFL broadcast constantly cuts to Taylor Swift in the audience of a Kansas City Chiefs game--the star power of a celebrity is ESPN's big draw, and they believe that's who everyone came to see (we would all rather have a close-up on Andy Reid, anyway). While Ollie Gordon's best performance of the year drew the attention of commentators and analysts, LJ Martin outplayed the OSU back in the Cougars' comeback win.
Martin's 2023 season was a bit rocky, and that was on-brand for a football team that struggled to find any semblance of consistency in their inaugural Big 12 schedule. Poor O-Line play and predictable play-calling led Martin to scrap and battle for every yard out of necessity--nothing easy was offered to the freshman back.
But in the Cougars' breakout season, Martin is likewise flexing his skill set as he leads the Cougars' ground attack.
Curiously, Jake Retzlaff currently leads all Cougars in rushing yards for the season, and much of that can be attributed to injury-related absences of players like Martin. And though he's only appeared in 4 games, LJ leads all running backs on the depth chart.
Agile, nimble, and strong for his frame, Martin's repertoire is reminiscent of DC's Cat Woman, capable of slipping through narrow openings and comfortably navigating any treacherous situation that LJ comes across.
Of course, he doesn't entirely look like Cat Woman, but that's not the point.
We saw the first glimpses of Martin's ability against Arizona in his first return to the field post-injury. Rushing for 49 yards on 11 carries, and adding 45 yards through the air to account for 2 scores on the Wildcats' defense.
He's shown tangible improvement from his freshman campaign with the Cougars, and it's no wonder why Martin gets the nod as BYU's lead running back. He'll likely pass up Retzlaff's rushing total in BYU's clash with UCF this weekend, and will look to build upon an already promising year.
BYU's offense will need a shot of rushing threat if they want to advance to the Big 12 championship game--a shockingly possible outcome at this point in the season. LJ Martin is the type of back to make something out of nothing while simultaneously limiting waste and needless hero-ball-type plays.
When BYU marched down the field against Oklahoma State to even the score at 21, the Cougars marched from their own 31-yard line to the Cowboys' endzone exclusively by running the ball. If the running game can open up Jake Retzlaff's passing game, this offense can be explosive.
BYU has a rusher capable of striking fear in opponents' hearts, and his name is LJ Martin. Here's to hoping he continues to thrive through the rest of the season.