LJ Martin was an absolute force of a running back in his junior season with BYU. In a year where the Cougars were forced to trot out a true freshman quarterback, it's helpful to have a veteran rusher to power the offense forward and lighten some of the pressure in the backfield.
He held up his end of the bargain, so much so that he wound up taking home the Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Year Award for his 1,305 yard, 12 touchdown season.
Now set to return for his final year of eligibility, BYU's power back has already been named the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. When congratulated for this designation, Martin took a deep breath and shared how he really felt about the award.
"Being honest with you, it doesn't mean a lot. I didn't care about it last year. I don't think I was on any preseason teams last year, so it really doesn't mean much."
BYU star LJ Martin does NOT care about being the Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year 😂 🤝#BYU #GoCougs #Big12 pic.twitter.com/eecQdNSZRe
— Heartland College Sports (@Heartland_CS) July 7, 2026
He clarified his feelings with BYUtv, though, confirming that he appreciated being named last year's top performer, while keeping the focus on winning football games first and foremost.
"It's definitely awesome to be able to see that, you know, Offensive Player of the Year -- it's really cool."
"But at the end of the day, last year, it was never a thought in my mind. I was just trying to go out there and be the best football player I can be, and if that's like being Offensive Player of the Year, then I'm okay with that."
"So I'm just letting the results be the results, and I'm just more so sticking through the process."
Martin could have been the third BYU player to be drafted into the NFL this summer had he entered his name into the pool. But even with a professional career within reach, he opted to stick around for a final season of college football.
"Being able to cement my legacy at BYU as well as, you know, just had some things I had to deal with, offseason surgeries, and it just felt like it was the best decision to come back. Try to up my draft stock, and play one last year with the guys."
If Martin wants to really cement his legacy at BYU, the all-time leading rusher spot isn't out of the question. The current record holder, Jamaal Williams, holds the number-one position with a career total of 3,901 rushing yards. Martin, ninth on the all-time list, is at 2,541 yards to this point.
So LJ Martin in on record watch this year, assuming he can stay healthy like he did last season. The magic number is 1,360, which is a very, very high bar to clear. Martin posted a grand total of 1,305 in his junior season -- 55 yards short of the mark -- but could be aided by added games should the Cougars reach the Big 12 Championship game and/or the College Football Playoffs this season.
Being the all-time leading rusher isn't the only way that Martin can establish an unforgettable legacy with the program, but if that's his goal in a run-heavy Cougar attack, it's not out of the question.
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