3 BYU Football players who could have a breakout season

The predominant notion surrounding the BYU Football team is that Cougar fans could be in for a disappointing season. After last season's promising start led to a swift put-down, many fans haven't left much space for optimism as the season opener draws closer. Uncertainty from the quarterback position persists, and a lack of future-shaking newcomers leaves BYU in a tricky spot.

But amidst all the uncertainty, leaving space for only negative speculation is no fun for anyone. Even in an abysmal 0-12 season--which won't happen, by the way--we can still glean some hope for the future of the team and the bright spots that populate the depth chart.

In this article, we'll highlight 3 players on the BYU Cougars' 2024 roster who could be due for a breakout season and become beacons of hope for the alma mater's sons and daughters. Let's dive in!

1. LJ Martin - Running Back - Sophomore

LJ Martin showed promise in his first collegiate season with the Cougars, despite Kalani Sitake's squad enduring a brutal year for their running game. In his freshman season, Martin ran for 518 yards on 109 carries--averaging 4.8 yards per carry--and led the team in nearly every running statistic. For a team that struggled to keep the offense on the field all season, we should only expect improvement in LJ's second year.

Martin came to BYU out of El Paso as a 3-star prospect, and coaches have raved about his potential with the Cougars. LJ won several MVP awards and enjoyed a season where he rushed for over 2,700 yards while in high school. His 500-yard freshman season was not an indication of where his talent level lies--you can thank poor offensive line play for those numbers.

LJ was named to the Athlon Sports Preseason All-Big 12 Fourth Team, which I suppose is an honor. He spent too much time under heat and pressure from Big 12 defenses last season, and we'll hope that he explodes onto the scene like a popcorn kernel that's ready to make its presence known.

2. Parker Kingston - Wide Receiver - Sophomore

Parker Kingston hit the field last season to plenty of excitement from everyone on BYU's sideline. The wide-out speedster was BYU's jet sweep weapon of choice in 2023 and has shown flashes of brilliance from his position, despite his most notable result from the jet sweep, which saw Kingston on the receiving end of a forced-fumble hit stick against Kansas.

Kingston was a quarterback in high school, and he had a few chances to show off his arm during the season, most notably tossing a 37-yard touchdown against Arkansas. Kingston's quarterback rating was an unimaginable 694.6 last season, throwing 2-for-2 and accumulating 63 yards and 2 touchdowns. Needless to say--yet I feel inclined to regardless--Kingston brings a varied arsenal of weapons to this BYU offense.

He'll be a starting wide receiver for BYU's offense this year and will be the punt returner as well. His speed in the open-field should lead to some exciting returns if he can get some space.

3. Raider Damuni - Safety - Sophomore

Raider Damuni was a 4-star athlete out of Timpview High School in Provo and he's been committed to the Cougars since 2017, fending off offers from the likes of Oregon, Stanford, and Arizona in favor of his hometown Cougs.

Damuni enjoyed a quietly positive season as a freshman, where he had 21 tackles--including 10 solo tackles--and a forced fumble on his stat sheet.
You'll see Damuni as the starting free safety on defense this season with a new number on his jersey: number 3.

Damuni is a legit athlete, and we may have him to thank if BYU's pass defense improves this season. Keep an eye out for Raider this season.

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