Ahead of BYU’s Week 4 matchup against Chris Klieman and the Kansas State Wildcats, ESPN’s Pete Thamel announced that the team will be without two key offensive playmakers.
BYU is expecting to be without two key members of its rushing attack, LJ Martin and Hinckley Ropati, who are listed as doubtful.
“BYU tailbacks LJ Martin and Hinckley Ropati are doubtful tonight against Kansas State,” Thamel said on X. “They are BYU’s two most productive tailbacks.”
Martin, a sophomore running back from Texas, was the team’s leading rusher in 2023. This fall, Martin has played in just two of the Cougars’ games, accounting for 87 yards and a score on 18 carries. Ropati, a 5-foot-9 senior from California, has been productive in his limited outings, with 89 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries.
The next man up for BYU is expected to be junior running back Miles Davis, who has been productive when called upon. Davis is currently boasting 4.8 yards per carry on 16 carries for 76 yards. The rushing attack in Provo has been less than ideal, largely due to the injuries sustained at the position. Heading into Week 4, BYU’s leading rusher has been junior quarterback Jake Retzlaff with 113 rushing yards.
BYU kicks off their Big 12 opener as seven-point underdogs vs. No. 13 Kansas State on Saturday, September 21st, at 9:30 p.m. CT in Provo.
