2026 BYU Running Backs: Roster Breakdown, Depth Chart, and Expectations

The BYU football program kicks off Fall Camp next week. As training camp inches closer, we will preview the BYU position groups for the 2026 season. To start the series, we will examine the BYU running backs, headlined by star running back and reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year LJ Martin.

Roster Breakdown

BYU returns one of the best running backs in college football. LJ Martin will not only be the focal point of BYU's offense, he also has a chance to make BYU history in 2026. Martin is under 1,400 yards away from breaking BYU's all-time rushing record. As long as Martin is healthy, he will get a steady dose of 20-25 carries per game.

Behind LJ Martin, BYU returns Sione Moa who missed most of the 2025 season due to injury. Assuming Moa returns to full strength, he gives BYU a dynamic 1-2 punch at running back. He will shoulder a few of the carries that Bear Bachmeier had last season. When Moa suffered an injury in September of 2025, Bachmeier's carries increased.

Behind Moa and Martin, it looks like a two-man race for the third spot between Preston Rex and true freshman Devaughn Eka. Rex played in 2025 when Moa and Martin were banged up. Aaron Roderick said Eka is "going to play" at the conclusion of Spring Camp.

Jovesa Damuni did not participate in the back half of Spring Camp after suffering an injury. His status for 2026 has not been announced. If Damuni is unable to play, BYU's depth will have already taken a hit.

It wouldn't hurt if one of the other running backs on the roster emerged as a potential contributor. In 2024, Sione Moa was the fifth-string running back during Fall Camp. He flashed a lot of potential in reps with the third-string offense. It was only a few games into the season when the Cougars needed to start Sione Moa after four other running backs suffered injuries.

That's where someone like Logan Payne, Lucky Finau, or Micah Beckstead could fit in. Beckstead signed with Utah State out of high school, then he enrolled at BYU after his mission.

4 - LJ Martin
12 - Preston Rex
25 - Devaughn Eka
28 - Jovesa Damuni
30 - Sione Moa
34 - Charlie Miska
38 - Logan Payne
41 - Lucky Finau
42 - Micah Beckstead

Depth Chart

The two-deep at running back is crystal clear. The Cougars will start LJ Martin and he will get the lion's share of the carries so long as he is healthy. If Sione Moa is also healthy, he will be the backup and there won't be many carries for others like Preston Rex and Devaughn Eka.

Given the physicality required to play running back and the frequency of injuries at that position, however, it's unlikely that both running backs will be healthy for the entire season. That's why the battle for the third-string running back job will be a storyline to watch during Fall Camp. In most seasons, BYU needs at least three or four running backs. In some seasons, they have needed five or six.

LJ Martin
Sione Moa
Devaughn Eka OR Preston Rex

Expectations

The expectations for the running backs couldn't be much higher. LJ Martin was voted the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year by the Big 12 media. The expectations of this unit mirror the expectations for BYU's 2026 season: the Cougars are expected to be at the top of the Big 12.

BYU will feature a run-first attack and the passing attack will be built off the run game. BYU will be able to run the football against most teams on the schedule. What remains to be seen is if they can establish the run against everyone on the schedule, including the elite defenses like Notre Dame. Last year, BYU was unable to run the football against Texas Tech and the Red Raiders were able to tee off on Bear Bachmeier on obvious passing downs.

The expectation is that BYU will be able to run the football against everyone on the schedule. That could be the difference between getting over the hump and winning the conference, or not. If BYU can run the ball on every defense it faces, BYU will probably find itself in Arlington for the second consecutive season.

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