BYU football: Who will be the running back? Candidates aim to fill void for Cougars

PROVO — Junior running back Bryan Kariya arrived at BYU as a walk-on in 2008 after serving a mission. The Davis High product paid his dues as a scout team and special teams player, then earned a scholarship just weeks before emerging as an unlikely hero in the Cougars' upset win over Oklahoma last September.

J.J. DiLuigi joined BYU as a heralded recruit out of California. After redshirting due to a foot injury, he struggled in his first season, then became the Cougars' second-leading rusher in 2009, averaging 5.5 yards per carry.

True freshman Joshua Quezada finished high school early and enrolled at BYU in January. Nicknamed "Juice," Quezada impressed his coaches, and teammates, during spring practices.

Now that the Cougars' all-time leading rusher, Harvey Unga, won't be returning for his senior year after withdrawing due to an honor code violation, a bevy of candidates — all underclassmen — are preparing to make an impact this fall.

"We have a chance to make our mark on the offense," said Kariya, who rushed for 199 yards and caught 22 passes for 186 yards last season. "We can still thrive without Harvey, like we did against Oklahoma (when Unga was sidelined with a hamstring injury).

"We'll have guys step up and make plays. Everyone's working hard. There's a sense of urgency. Our mindset is we're looking to make plays. We want to contribute however we can and we're ready to go."

"Everyone's going to get more of an opportunity to run the ball. It's a big opportunity," said DiLuigi. "We, the veteran players, have to step up."

While Unga shouldered the bulk of the rushing load for BYU since 2007, stringing together three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, it's likely the running game will be done by committee this season, said running backs coach Lance Reynolds.

Unga's departure creates a major void, but Reynolds has confidence in Kariya, DiLuigi and Quezada.

"(Kariya and DiLuigi) are fairly experienced guys who have been there. They have worked really hard and they understand the offense. We're looking for immediate help from them," Reynolds said.

"After that, it would probably be Josh Quezada. He had a real nice spring. He's shown an unshaken personality. He's a tough guy who will compete. He can catch, run and do almost everything. Hopefully, he'll develop to where he can be a major contributor."