Ranking the Best BYU Running Backs of the Kalani Sitake Era

During the Kalani Sitake era, BYU has had some of the best running backs in program history. In the Sitake era, Jamaal Williams became the all-time leading rusher, Tyler Allgeier broke the single-season rushing record, and LJ Martin was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.

In this article, we will rank the BYU running backs of the Kalani Sitake era. There is only one criteria to be included in our rankings: these players must have run for more than 800 career yards at BYU. Without further ado, let's dive into the rankings.

6. Lopini Katoa

Rushing Yards: 1,799 | Attempts: 381

Lopini Katoa spent five years at BYU. Katoa was extremely consistent. In five years at BYU, he never rushed for less than 240 years in a season and he never rused for more than 445 yards in a single season. Katoa was never the lead back at BYU, but he was a consistent backup. He played important roles in 2020 and 2021. The 2020 and 2021 offenses will go down as some of the best offensive units in BYU history.

5. Chris Brooks

Rushing Yards: 817 | Attempts: 130

Chris Brooks only played one season at BYU, and he wasn't even fully healthy for that season. Still, Brooks managed to put up over 800 yards in 2022. Brooks was a big, bruising running back. Once he started running downhill, he was really hard to stop. Brooks has made a nice NFL career for himself after playing for BYU.

4. Squally Canada

Rushing Yards: 1,438 | Attempts: 286

Squally Canada was BYU's lead running back in 2017 and 2018. He also served as Jamaal William's backup in 2016. Canada was effective in a few signature wins in 2018. Those wins were critical for BYU's rebound in 2018 after a terrible 2017 campaign. Canada will always be remembered for his 118-yard outing against Wisconsin in 2018. On that day, BYU took down no. 6 Wisconsin on the road.

3. LJ Martin

BYU running back LJ Martin against ECU | BYU Photo

Rushing Yards: 2,541 | Attempts: 482

The margins between no. 1 and no. 3 on this list are incredibly slim. You could argue that LJ Martin should be higher than record-holders Tyler Allgeier and Jamaal Williams. Martin has done all of his work against P4 schedules, since he started his BYU career in 2023. Martin has the chance to finish his career as the best running back of all time.

If Martin can replicate his 2025 output in 2026, he has a chance to become BYU's all-time leading rusher. Martin managed to increase his yards per carry last season at greater scale, and he is hoping to take another step forward in 2026.

2. Tyler Allgeier

Rushing Yards: 2,904 | Attempts: 452

Tyler Allgeier will always be remembered for setting the single-season rushing record in 2021. That season, Allgeier won multiple games for BYU by himself. He finished with over 1,600 rushing yards. Some fans forget that Allgeier also rushed for 1,100 yards the season before. That year was dominated by Zach Wilson headlines, but BYU's rushing attack was also very effective.

Once Allgeier became the starter in 2020, the BYU offense never looked back.

1. Jamaal Williams

BYU — Dec 21, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; Brigham Young Cougars running back Jamaal Williams (21) runs the ball during the first half against the Wyoming Cowboys at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images | Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

Rushing Yards: 3,901 | Attempts: 726

Jamaal Williams graduated from BYU as the program's all-time leading rusher. He ran for 1,375 yards in 2016 in Ty Detmer's first season as the BYU offensive coordinator. With all due respect to the coaching staff at that time, the BYU scheme was bland and it showed in 2017. Williams overcame the shortfalls of the scheme and carried the BYU offense throughout the season.

Williams will always be a BYU legend.

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