BYU RB star LJ Martin will ‘try to play’ against rival Utah

November 7, 2026 3 Min Read

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It’s been more than a month since star running back LJ Martin reported to the BYU football program. That will change on Saturday when not. 9 BYU faces rival and no. 3 Utah. According to multiple reports, Martin will dress and attempt to play, although he is not expected to be at 100 percent against Utah. Pregame warmups will ultimately decide whether Martin plays and the extent of his role.

Pete Nakos of On3Sports reported that “While he may not be 100% yet, he is close enough to try to play against No. 3 Utah. The plan for Saturday is for Martin to be available and play. How he performs in warmups will be the ultimate deciding factor.”

BYU No. 9 running back LJ Martin targeted Nov. 7 as his return date for the past month. Sources tell @On3 that while he may not be 100% yet, he’s close enough to try to play against No. 3 Utah.
The plan for Saturday is for Martin to be available and play. How he… https://t.co/NCdxjXNKf2 pic.twitter.com/5CrGKKWjbA
– Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos) November 6, 2026

Nakos’ report aligns with an earlier report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel that Martin is “on track to suit up and attempt to play Saturday. He will likely be limited, but he is determined to make an impact on the game. How he feels before the game will determine (the) extent of his role.”

Star defender LJ Martin practiced the last three days for BYU. He’s about to suit up and try to play Saturday. He will likely be limited, but he is determined to make an impact on the game. How he feels before the game will determine the extent of his role. https://t.co/Jaw1OsFKM3
– Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 6, 2026

On Tuesday, BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick confirmed that Martin had practiced, although Roderick said Wednesday and Thursday would determine whether or not he could play. Given the reports from Nakos and Thamel, it appears Martin is on track to take a chance on BYU’s offense.

How LJ Martin impacts the BYU offense

What remains to be seen is how effective Martin will be against a strong Utah defense. The Utes are ranked 23rd in passing rate allowed. When Martin played at Texas Tech last year, just two weeks removed from a separated shoulder, he clearly wasn’t himself. It wasn’t until the following week against TCU that he seemed back to normal.

Even if Martin isn’t 100%, he’s well-positioned to boost BYU’s offense. BYU’s rushing attack, especially over the last two weeks, has been mediocre. BYU’s backup running back, Preston Rex, was injured against UCF and missed the following week against Arizona State.

While Rex was out of the lineup, Sione Moa stepped into a prominent role just a month after a pretty serious knee injury. Moa clearly wasn’t himself, averaging just 2.7 yards per carry.

Before the injury, Martin averaged 7.8 yards per carry and 5.8 yards per carry after contact. If he is able to complete 8-12 carries, we expect Preston Rex to complete the other 8-10 carries for the BYU offense. If Martin is unable to go, Preston Rex would likely be the primary running back, Sione Moa would be the backup, and Bear Bachmeier would shoulder more of the workload as a runner.

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